MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 0055
   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   0820 PM CST TUE JAN 27 2004
   
   AREAS AFFECTED...SRN NEW ENGLAND
   
   CONCERNING...HEAVY SNOW 
   
   VALID 280220Z - 280445Z
   
   TWO TO THREE HOUR PERIOD OF HEAVY SNOW APPEARS LIKELY IN NARROW
   SWATH ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND THROUGH MIDNIGHT.
   
   SURFACE LOW CONTINUES TO DEEPEN OFF THE DELMARVA COAST...AS INTENSE
   MID/UPPER JET STREAK SHIFTS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN MID ATLANTIC COAST
   REGION.  LATEST WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SUGGESTS STRONGEST MID-LEVEL
   DIFLUENCE/DIVERGENCE WILL BEGIN OVERSPREADING SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND
   WITHIN THE NEXT FEW HOURS.  THIS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO STRONG DEEP
   LAYER UPWARD VERTICAL MOTION FIELD...WHICH WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY
   FOCUSED IN WARM FRONTAL ZONE...ALONG AN AXIS FROM WESTERN
   CONNECTICUT INTO EXTREME EASTERN LONG ISLAND/SOUTHERN RHODE ISLAND
   THROUGH 06Z.  IN RESPONSE...HEAVY SNOW APPEARS LIKELY BY 03-04Z
   ACROSS WESTERN/CENTRAL CONNECTICUT...WHERE THERMODYNAMIC PROFILES
   APPEAR MOIST/COLD ENOUGH TO SUPPORT RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR.
    
   AREA OF STRONGEST LIFT/HEAVIEST SNOW WILL GRADUALLY DEVELOP EAST
   SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE PROVIDENCE VICINITY BY 06Z...DRIER
   LOW-LEVEL ENVIRONMENT TO THE NORTHEAST OF THIS AXIS WILL DELAY ONSET
   OF PRECIPITATION AND LOWER SNOW TOTALS.
   
   ..KERR.. 01/28/2004
   
   
   ATTN...WFO...BOX...OKX...ALY...
   
   40847249 41047351 41767355 41987312 41847241 41687197
   41617116 41397087 41347087