MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 2232
   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   0857 AM CST WED DEC 26 2012
   
   AREAS AFFECTED...CENTRAL OHIO
   
   CONCERNING...WINTER MIXED PRECIPITATION 
   
   VALID 261457Z - 262000Z
   
   SUMMARY...WIDESPREAD LIGHT TO MODERATE WINTER MIXED PRECIPITATION
   WILL PERSIST PRIOR TO 1630Z ACROSS CENTRAL OHIO...WITH A TENDENCY
   FOR PRECIPITATION TO DECREASE IN COVERAGE THEREAFTER.
   HOWEVER...WINTER MIXED PRECIPITATION WILL LIKELY OCCUR THROUGH THE
   AFTERNOON.
   
   DISCUSSION...THE LATEST RADAR MOSAIC IMAGERY DEPICTS A FAIRLY
   CONTINUOUS BAND OF PRECIPITATION ELONGATED W/E ACROSS CNTRL OHIO.
   SFC OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST TEMPERATURES AROUND 0C ALONG THE INTERSTATE
   70 CORRIDOR SUPPORTING LIGHT TO MODERATE PRECIPITATION...WITH A
   LIGHT MIX OF FREEZING RAIN/SLEET/SNOW RECENTLY REPORTED AT THE PORT
   COLUMBUS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...AND MODERATE FREEZING RAIN RECENTLY
   REPORTED AT THE ZANESVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. FREEZING RAIN...WITH
   RATES OF 0.05-0.10 IN/HR...WILL REMAIN MOST LIKELY ALONG THE
   INTERSTATE 70 CORRIDOR FROM SPRINGFIELD TO COLUMBUS TO ZANESVILLE
   THROUGH 1630Z...OWING TO ASCENT ACCOMPANYING THE WARM CONVEYOR BELT
   OF A DEEP CYCLONE CROSSING THE AREA. ELEVATED WARM LAYER
   TEMPERATURES LIKELY FROM 1-3C ARE LIKELY SUPPORTING PARTIAL/COMPLETE
   MELTING OF HYDROMETEORS ATOP NEAR-0C SFC TEMPERATURES. NORTH OF THE
   INTERSTATE 70 CORRIDOR...COOLER TEMPERATURES WITHIN THE ELEVATED
   WARM LAYER WILL PROBABLY MINIMIZE THE EFFICIENCY OF HYDROMETEOR
   MELTING...WITH MORE OF A SLEET/SNOW PRECIPITATION TYPE ANTICIPATED
   PRIOR TO 1630Z. SNOW RATES COULD LOCALLY REACH 1 IN/HR. MORE
   SCATTERED COVERAGE OF FREEZING RAIN WITH RATES APPROACHING 0.05
   IN/HR WILL BE POSSIBLE FARTHER SOUTH TOWARD WILMINGTON/CHILLICOTHE.
   
   BETWEEN 1630Z AND 18Z...THE COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO
   LESSEN...AS THE APEX OF A DRY CONVEYOR BELT PIVOTS AROUND THE DEEP
   CYCLONE INTO CNTRL OH. HOWEVER...WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SUGGESTS THAT
   THE COLD CONVEYOR BELT AROUND THE CYCLONE IS PINCHING OFF THE NRN
   EXTENT OF THE DRY CONVEYOR BELT...WHICH WILL MAINTAIN A THREAT FOR
   AT LEAST SCATTERED WINTER MIXED PRECIPITATION THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.
   THE POTENTIAL FOR FREEZING RAIN...WITH RATES TO 0.05 IN/HR...WILL BE
   GREATEST NEAR/SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE 70 CORRIDOR...WITH GREATER
   CHANCES FOR SNOW/SLEET OCCURRING FARTHER NORTH. SNOW RATES COULD
   LOCALLY APPROACH 1 IN/HR.
   
   OF NOTE...PRECIPITATION RATES MAY BE CONVECTIVELY ENHANCED OWING TO
   NARROW ELEVATED CAPE LAYERS BEING MANIFESTED IN CLOUD-TO-GROUND
   LIGHTNING OBSERVED ACROSS PARTS OF W-CNTRL OH.
   
   ..COHEN.. 12/26/2012
   
   
   ATTN...WFO...PBZ...RLX...CLE...ILN...
   
   LAT...LON   40528324 40548258 40478157 40258126 40008132 39878178
               39818239 39298300 39398375 40158371 40528324