Mid-Atlantic sets all-time snow records
The second ferocious blizzard in a week to pound the Mid-Atlantic continues to intensify, but has now moved out to sea away from the coast. That's a very good thing, because with a central pressure of 969 mb, the storm is as intense as a Category 1 hurricane. The blizzard brought wind gusts as high as 51 mph at Massachusetts' Nantucket Island last night. The snow has pretty much ended over the Northeastern U.S., but the mighty blizzard dumped 1 - 2 feet of snow over much of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with a peak snowfall of 27.5" recorded at Ortanna, Pennsylvania. When combined with the 1 - 2 feet of snow still on the ground from last weekend's blizzard, the snow depths in the Mid-Atlantic are reaching ridiculous proportions. This morning, Baltimore reported 35" of snow on the ground, which would break their previous all-time record of 30" on snow on the ground, set on February 13, 1899. The 19.8" that fell on Baltimore from the blizzard was that city's 10th greatest snowfall on record. Philadelphia's 15.8" was its ninth greatest snowfall. The winter of 2009 - 2010 now has three spots on the top ten all-time heaviest snowfall list for those cities. Record keeping began in the late 1800s, and I'm not aware of any major city in the U.S. that has that many record snowfalls in one winter. If there is, I want to hear about it! Washington D.C.'s 10.8" snowfall from the storm missed making its top ten list of heaviest snows, so that city has only two storms from the winter of 2009 - 2010 on the list. The snow blitz that the Mid-Atlantic has endured with the three record-setting Nor'easters of the 2009 - 2010 is truly a rare event that has no parallel in the historic record.
Figure 1. The Nor'easter of February, 11, 2010 in a infrared satellite image taken at 9:40 pm EST. Image credit: NASA GOES project.
Top 10 snowstorms on record for Philadelphia:
1. 30.7", Jan 7-8, 1996
2. 28.5", Feb 5-6, 2010 (Snowmageddon)
3. 23.2", Dec 19-20, 2009 (Snowpocalypse)
4. 21.3", Feb 11-12, 1983
5. 21.0", Dec 25-26, 1909
6. 19.4", Apr 3-4, 1915
7. 18.9", Feb 12-14, 1899
8. 16.7", Jan 22-24, 1935
9. 15.8", Feb 10-11, 2010
10. 15.1", Feb 28-Mar 1, 1941
The top 10 snowstorms on record for Baltimore:
1. 28.2", Feb 15-18, 2003
2. 26.5", Jan 27-29, 1922
3. 24.8", Feb 5-6, 2010 (Snowmageddon)
4. 22.8", Feb 11-12, 1983
5. 22.5", Jan 7-8, 1996
6. 22.0", Mar 29-30, 1942
7. 21.4", Feb 11-14, 1899
8. 21.0", Dec 19-20, 2009 (Snowpocalypse)
9. 20.0", Feb 18-19, 1979
10. 19.5", Feb 10-11, 2010
The top 10 snowstorms on record for Washington, D.C.:
1. 28.0", Jan 27-28, 1922
2. 20.5", Feb 11-13, 1899
3. 18.7", Feb 18-19, 1979
4. 17.8" Feb 5-6, 2010 (Snowmageddon)
5. 17.1", Jan 6-8, 1996
6. 16.7", Feb 15-18, 2003
7. 16.6", Feb 11-12, 1983
8. 16.4", Dec 19-20, 2009 (Snowpocalypse)
9. 14.4", Feb 15-16, 1958
10. 14.4", Feb 7, 1936
Snowiest winter on record for Baltimore, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Atlantic City, and Wilmington
The snow from this latest blizzard have pushed snow totals for the 2009 - 2010 winter season to a new record for Baltimore, Washington D.C., Wilmington, Philadelphia, and Atlantic City. As of midnight last night, here were the snowfall numbers so far for the 2009 - 2010 winter, and the records they have broken:
Baltimore, MD, 79.9". Old record: 62.5", winter of 1995 - 1996.
Washington D.C. National Airport, 55.9". Old record: 54.4", winter of 1898 - 1899.
Washington Dulles Airport, VA, 75.0". Old record: 61.9", winter of 1995 - 1996.
Wilmington, DE, 66.7". Old record: 55.9", winter of 1995 - 1996.
Philadelphia, PA, 71.6". Old record: 65.5", winter of 1995 - 1996.
Atlantic City, NJ, 49.9". Current record: 46.9", winter of 1966 - 1967.
For comparison, the average snowfall amounts for a season for these cities ranges from 16 - 22". This winter's snowfall amounts are similar to what Anchorage, Alaska and Portland Maine typically receive (about 70"). All this comes with the end of winter still more than a month away--and more snow is likely to fall yet this winter. The latest runs of the GFS and ECMWF models show yet another Nor'easter hitting the D.C./Baltimore/Philadelphia region next Monday. However, next Monday's storm is likely to be much weaker than the last two Nor'easters, with perhaps 2 - 8 inches of snow falling. It is too early to be confident of this prediction, though, and it is possible that the storm will miss.
The extreme amounts of snow on the ground in the Mid-Atlantic will melt only slowly over the coming week, as temperatures are expected to climb only into the low to mid-thirties. That is a good thing, because a sudden thaw could create significant flooding problems. The latest long-range forecast from the GFS model predicts continued below-average temperatures for the mid-Atlantic region for at least the next week, with a possible significant thaw occurring the last week of February.
A new winter storm takes aim at the Deep South
A powerful and fast-moving low pressure system is developing over the Gulf of Mexico today, and will pull in a significant amount of Gulf moisture over the very cold air mass in place over the Deep South today and Friday. A band of moderate snow will develop over Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, bringing 4 - 6" of snow to the southern portions of those states. Florida's Panhandle will see mostly rain, but some snow is expected to mix in, with accumulations around an inch possible in the extreme northwest Panhandle near the Alabama border, away from shore. Among the major cities likely to get 2+ inches of snow are Mobile, Jackson, and Montgomery. The record heaviest snowfalls for those cities are 6", 11.7", and 11", respectively.
Snow avalanches in Afghanistan kill 172
The U.S. isn't the only part of the world with heavy snow problems this winter. Heavy snow in Afghanistan triggered avalanches Monday that killed at least 172 people traveling along the road over 12,700 foot high Salang Pass through the Hindu-Kush Mountains, according to media reports. The death toll makes this avalanche one of the ten deadliest in world history. The ten deadliest world avalanche disasters, as compiled using Scientific American and the book, Natural Disasters and How We Cope, are:
1) 218 B.C. Avalanches decimate Hannibal's army as it crosses the Alps with elephants. Twenty thousand soldiers and many elephants are lost.
2) 1970. The Huascaran Mountain, Peru avalanche of May 31, 1970. A magnitude 8.0 earthquake caused a huge chunk of snow-covered glacier to collapse and roar down the mountain, killing up to 20,000 people.
3) 1916. A series of avalanches during a WW I battle kills at least 10,000 Austrian and Italian soldiers over a 48-hour period. Many of these avalanches were triggered by artillery fire.
4) 1962. Huascaran Mountain, Peru avalanche of January 10, 1962. Avalanches from heavy snows killed up to 4,000.
5) 1618. Plurs, Switzerland: the Rodi avalanche buries the town of Plurs, claiming 2,427 victims. Note: since this avalanche occurred in August, it is likely that is was actually a rock avalanche, and therefore does not belong on this list. Thanks go to Randy Head for pointing out this error that has made it into many Internet locations.
6) 1951. A January avalanche in the Alps' The "Winter of Terror" kills 275.
7) 1991. Bingol, Turkey: an avalanche hits several towns, killing 255 people.
8) 1954. Vovarlberg disaster of January 12, 1954, killed 225 in the Austrian Alps. Nine hours later, a second avalanche killed 115 survivors and rescue workers.
9) 1979. Lahaul Valley, India. A series of avalanches bury the valley, leaving at least 200 victims .
10) 2010. Salang Pass, Afghanistan avalanche kills 166.
The worst avalanche in U.S. history is the Wellington, Washington avalanche of March 1, 1910, which killed 96 people on a train and at a train station.
Jeff Masters
The view coming up our driveway!My dog Cody walking up the driveway!
Reader Comments
Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 — Blog Index
Breaking News: Escambia County's public and Catholic schools are closed Friday. Sporting events in Escambia County will also not take place tomorrow. School will be in session on Monday.
:)
oh yeah... We had a 4ft picket fence around our backyard filled to the top with snow. I have pictures of it floating around my house somewhere. I'll have to go find them when I get home from work.
Just getting ready. :)
:)
Be careful of what you wish for!!!! Hey mikester!
That is what i am hoping for and yes call me crazy but having very little snow is driving us crazy in nystate.
:)
lots going on 2 storms nw coast 1 storm off east coast and gom storm coming up from the middle
WOW that is just SO wild!
LOL
FXUS64 KJAN 112110
AFDJAN
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
310 PM CST THU FEB 11 2010
...SIGNIFICANT HEAVY SNOW EVENT EXPECTED TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY...
.SHORT TERM....TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...
THE PRIMARY CONCERNS WILL BE THE MAJOR WINTER STORM SYSTEM THAT WILL
AFFECT THE REGION FOR TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...WHICH INCLUDES WINTER
STORM WARNINGS...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AS WELL AS POPS. OF SECONDARY CONCERNS
WILL BE WEATHER FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEKEND.
LATEST SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS THAT OUR WINTER SYSTEM IS WELL UNDER
WAY IN DEVELOPING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS TOWARD THE LOWER
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS AN IMPRESSIVE SHORTWAVE WITH
GOOD ASCENT COMING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WITH AN IMPRESSIVE
PLUME OF MOISTURE PUSHING ACROSS THE TEXAS...LOUISIANA AND ARKANSAS
INTO WESTERN TENNESSEE IN THE FORM OF PRECIPITATION. THE ASSOCIATED
SURFACE LOW WAS OFF THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS COAST. OUR LATEST 18Z
SOUNDING SHOWS THAT WE HAVE SOME DRY AIR IN THE LOW LEVELS...WHICH
IS CAUSING SOME EVAPORATION OF THE PRECIPITATION FROM THE SURFACE TO
848 MB. THE SOUNDING ALSO SHOWS THAT FREEZING LEVEL AT AROUND 1000
FEET. THIS IS VERIFIED BY RADAR AS MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION DRIES OUT
AS IT MOVES INTO THE REGION...DO NOT EXPECT IT TO LAST LONG AS THE
MOISTURE WILL QUICKLY FILL THE ATMOSPHERIC COLUMN BY TONIGHT. WE HAVE
BEEN GETTING REPORTS OF LIGHT SLEET AND LIGHT RAIN ACROSS THE SOUTH.
FOR TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...THINGS GET GOING QUITE QUICKLY. MODELS
HAVE INCREASED FORECASTER CONFIDENCE ON HOW MUCH SIGNIFICANT
SNOWFALL WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE REGION. THIS FORECAST IS ALL ABOUT
THE HEAVY SNOW EVENT TONIGHT INTO MAINLY THE FIRST HALF OF FRIDAY.
OVERALL...NOT A GREAT DEAL HAS CHANGED FROM THE PREV FORECAST WITH
RESPECT TO LOCATION AND SNOW AMOUNTS. THE LATEST FORECAST MODELS
HAVE COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT...ESPECIALLY THE GFS/EURO...WHICH
HAS INCREASED FORECASTER CONFIDENCE IN THE OVERALL SNOW EVENT.
METEOROLOGICALLY...THE SPECIFICS IN HOW THE SYSTEM EVOLVES IS
GENERALLY UNCHANGED. THE POTENT UPPER LEVEL FEATURE THAT IS DRIVING
THIS EVENT IS PROGRESSING AS EXPECTED AND WILL SERVE TO GENERATE A
SFC LOW WHICH WILL TRACK ACROSS THE N GULF. THE EURO HAS BEEN THE
MOST CONSISTENT MODEL AND REMAINS NEARLY IDENTICAL TO ITS PREV RUNS.
THE GFS HAS COME IN LINE WITH THE EURO AND IS VERY SIMILAR...WHICH
HAS CONTINUED INTO THE 12Z RUNS. HAVE LEAN MORE TOWARD THE BLEND
OF THE EURO/GFS/SREF SOLUTIONS. THE SREF OUTPUT HAS SOME IMPRESSIVE
PROBS FOR SNOWFALL. ABOUT 100 PERCENT FOR 1 INCH AMOUNTS...50-70
PERCENT FOR >4 INCH AMOUNTS...ABOUT 20 PERCENT >8 INCH AMOUNTS. SOME
OF THE LOCAL WRF WAS SHOWING LOCAL AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 10 INCHES
IN THE SOUTHWEST. WE WILL HOLD ON TO OUR CURRENT FORECAST AMOUNTS
OF 1 TO 2 IN THE FAR NORTH...3 TO 6 CENTRAL...5-9 SOUTH WITH LOCALLY
HEAVIER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. AREA MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOWS A WARM LAYER IN
THE SOUTH FOR A MIX BAG OF SLEET AND SNOW FOR TONIGHT. EXPECT LOCALLY
HEAVY SNOW BANDS OVER THE REGION TONIGHT AS ASCENT AND IMPRESSIVE
OMEGA CROSSES THE REGION AS THE SURFACE LOW PASSES TO THE SOUTH.
EXPECT THE PRIMETIME FOR PRECIP ACCUMULATIONS TO OCCUR PRIMARILY
FROM 10 PM TO 10 AM PERIOD. DYNAMIC PROCESSES WILL BE PRETTY STRONG
OVERNIGHT AND BANDING WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG WITH HEAVY SNOW BURSTS
ACROSS SOME AREAS. SO WITH THIS IN MIND WILL KEEP THE SAME WINTER
STORM WARNING AREA GOING.
LOOK FOR THE SNOW TO TAPER OFF FROM WEST ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON WITH
ALL SNOW EXITING TO THE E BY 7-9 PM FRIDAY EVENING. CLOUD COVER WILL
LINGER AND TEMPS SHOULD ONLY RISE TO THE MIDDLE 30S IF THAT WITH A
SNOW COVERED GROUND. AS FAR AS TEMPS ARE CONCERN KEPT THE SAME TEMPS
AS GUIDANCE LOOKED TO BE EITHER TOO WARM OR TOO COOL...DEPENDING ON
THE MODEL. LOWS WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S. FOR
FRIDAY CUT BELOW GUIDANCE BY 1 TO 3 CATEGORIES DUE TO AN EXPECTED
SNOW COVER...AND CLOUDY SKIES. AS FAR AS POPS ARE CONCERN
MADE SLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS TO HIGH MOS POPS FOR TONIGHT AND FRIDAY. FOR
FRIDAY NIGHT LOWS WILL RANGE FROM THE MIDDLE 20S TO AROUND 30. WENT
CLOSE TO GMOS GUIDANCE. CLOUDS WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE ON LATE FRIDAY
NIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY.
:)
Kind of looks like your avatar. :)
Amy!!!!!!!
:-::Q_Dd::
How are the mudslides near you? Been worried about you since I saw the news.
:)
Snow
Temp 33F
RH 96%
Winds E wind at 3 MPH
Dew pt 32F
WC 30F
Bar Press 30.00" steady
So far we have about 7" of wet heavy snow in SE Arlington, TX. DFW Metroplex average totals are in the 4-7" range by now.
Weather radar shows more moderate snow ready to move in to our area. The worst should be over by 7-8pm.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
305 PM CST THU FEB 11 2010
...2009-2010 WINTER AMONG SNOWIEST ON RECORD...
AT 3 PM...DFW AIRPORT HAD RECORDED 6.2 INCHES OF SNOW TODAY. THIS
BREAKS THE PREVIOUS DAILY RECORD FOR FEBRUARY 11 OF 1.4 INCHES SET
IN 1988.
THE 24-HOUR SNOWFALL RECORD FOR FEBRUARY IS 7.5 INCHES...SET ON
FEBRUARY 17, 1978 AND FEBRUARY 25, 1924. TODAY IS THE HEAVIEST
SNOWFALL AT DFW AIRPORT SINCE FEBRUARY 17, 1978.
THIS BRINGS THE SEASONAL SNOWFALL TOTAL TO 9.4 INCHES...PLACING THE
2009-2010 SEASON AS THE 6TH SNOWIEST ON RECORD FOR DALLAS/FORT
WORTH. THIS IS THE SNOWIEST WINTER IN 32 SEASONS (SINCE 1977-1978).
--------------------------------------------------------------------
DALLAS/FORT WORTH - SNOWIEST SEASONS
1 17.6 1977-78
2 15.3 1963-64
3 13.5 1923-24
4 10.4 1976-77
5 9.5 1909-10
6 9.4 2009-10*
7 9.2 1916-17
8 8.8 1947-48
9 8.1 1937-38
10 7.3 1965-66
7.3 1941-42
:)
Yeah, 7" of snow since this morning. And it is the very wet, heavy snow and the temperatures are nosing down near 32F now. Our region has averaged 32-34F all day! And 3 to 4 more hours of snow to fall!!
hahahahahaha!
;)
dude! is that really you?!
So far 7" of snow in my backyard in SE Arlington, TX. And 1 or 2" more expected. Our totals are expected to be 5-9".
This is in North TX, in Dallas-Ft Worth, TX. Mother Nature has gone MAD!!
sounds like a video
mom nature gone wild
Forget about it this year,its just not in the cards.
:)
Viewing: 401 - 451
Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 — Blog Index