MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 2392
   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   0920 PM CST WED DEC 25 2002
   
   AREAS AFFECTED...NRN HILLS OF MA...SERN NH AND DOWNEAST ME
   
   CONCERNING...HEAVY SNOW AND NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS
   
   VALID 260320Z - 260915Z
   
   VERY HEAVY SNOWFALL AND NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE
   FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS.  THE MOST INTENSE SNOWS...WITH RATES OF
   2-3 INCHES PER HOUR AT TIMES...CAN BE EXPECTED IN A 30 MILE WIDE
   BAND EXTENDING FROM HTO-CON-PWM-BHB FROM THROUGH 09 UTC.
   
   SURFACE LOW CONTINUES TO DEEPEN AND APPEARS TO BE LOCATED JUST
   EAST OF THE MA CAPE ATTM.  STRONGEST PRESSURE FALLS EXTEND
   NORTHEAST INTO THE GULF OF MAINE AND THE LOW SHOULD DEVELOP/MOVE
   TOWARD SRN NOVA SCOTIA THROUGH 09 UTC.	TO THE NW OF THE LOW
   TRACK...STRONG 850-700 MB FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING CONTINUES WITH
   MOST INTENSE BANDED STRUCTURE REDEVELOPING NEWD INTO THE NRN
   HILLS OF MA ACROSS SERN NH AND INTO DOWNEAST ME.  RADAR SUGGESTS
   A RENEWED SURGE OF HIGHER REFLECTIVITY APPROACHING THE ME COAST
   AND THIS WILL ENHANCE SNOWFALL RATES ALONG COASTAL ME BETWEEN
   04-06 UTC.
   
   SNOWFALL RATES WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF ACROSS NWRN MA AND SRN NH
   AROUND 06 UTC AS STRONGEST FORCING BEGINS TO ACCELERATE NEWD INTO
   THE CANADIAN MARITIMES.
   
   AN ADDED PROBLEM WILL BE THE INCREASED N-NWLY SURFACE WINDS
   ACROSS COASTAL MAINE AS THE SURFACE LOW MOVES NE.  LATEST RUC AND
   00 UTC ETA SUGGEST THAT WINDS IN THE 950-850 MB LAYER INCREASE TO
   50-55 KTS AND RECENT TRENDS IN SURFACE OBSERVATIONS SHOW
   INCREASING GUSTS.  THIS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE NEAR
   BLIZZARD/BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ACROSS PORTIONS OF DOWNEAST ME WITH
   CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW OVERNIGHT.
   
   
   ..RACY.. 12/26/2002
   
   
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