Southwest Floridians are enjoying the weather (Fig. 1), even though it was bit chilly and breezy yesterday and will be so again today. And many are probably thrilled that they missed the storm that just pummeled the Mid-Atlantic and even affected places a bit further to the west and northwest with significant snowfall.
Again, since we are located south of the El Nino-driven subtropical jet stream, we get brief cool downs punctuated by even briefer warm-ups. During the transition, we get occasional showers and thunderstorms. And that’s what is in store for southwest Florida again, as another storm system moves across the U.S. during the next 2 to 3 days.
Although snowfall totals are still being tallied (and will have to be verified by the National Climatic Data Center and local National Weather Service - NWS offices for record status), here are just a few of the incredible totals that have been reported for the two-day snow event.
Records galore
Washington Dulles Airport, located about 20 miles west of the Nation’s Capital, measured 32.4 inches. This far exceeded the 23.2 inches that fell there during the previous record storm event January 7-8, 1996. Note, however, that Dulles only has a 47-year weather record for comparison purposes.
Baltimore received 24.8 inches of snow, it’s fourth heaviest snowstorm on record. The February 2003 storm with 26.8 inches still reigns supreme.
But, meteorologists, much like their sportscaster counterparts, can come up with any categorization needed to create “records.” So, by focusing on a “two-day period” rather than “snowstorm,” Baltimore’s two-day storm total of 24.8 inches is now the greatest on record. It surpassed the 24.4 inches that fell on February 16-17, 2003.
Philadelphia, PA accumulated 28.5 inches of snow, it’s second biggest snowstorm in recorded history. Even Washington Reagan National Airport’s 17.8 inches, paltry by the above measures, still stands as the fourth greatest snowstorm in its record books.
Of course, records for daily record snowfall, too numerous to tally here, were set all across the Mid-Atlantic during the past few days.
Official records at each of these airports cover various periods due to the ongoing establishment of a national weather network. But, for the most part, recent weather histories span only 100 years or so, at best.
Before weather records were formally kept, information about weather came mostly from eye-witness reports and journals/diaries. And it is these that provide testimony to what may be the greatest storm in the Washington, DC area during the past 230 years.
According to the NWS Office in Sterling, VA, “The biggest unofficial snow (before official records began) was in January 1772 when as much as 36 inches (3 feet) may have fallen in the Washington DC-Baltimore area. It has been called the Washington-Jefferson snowstorm because it was recorded in both of their diaries.”
Perhaps more noteworthy than the individual storm totals is that this was the second double-digit snowstorm of the season to strike the Washington, DC area. Since only 13 such double-digit events have occurred in the past 120 years, it’s rare to have two in one season. Only February 1899, with back-to-back storms during the 5th to 7th period (12.7 inches) and the 13th and 14th (20 inches), stand out.
Equally impressive are the seasonal totals to date, compared to record values.
Baltimore is already at 61.6 inches (record sits at 62.5 inches); Philadelphia has measured 56.4 so far (record sits at 65.5 inches); and Dulles is at 60.0 inches (record is 61.9 inches). All of the current records occurred during the winter of 1995-96. Washington, DC has recorded 45.1 inches of snow so far this winter (far behind its record of 54.4 inches set during the winter of 1898-99).
On a monthly basis, Dulles is already at 32.9 inches, well within striking distance of the 34.9-inch record set in February 2003. Dulles has already surpassed its now third-largest monthly snowfall (January 1996) of 30.9 inches.
Baltimore’s total for February 2010 is already at 30.9 inches. This is in fourth place behind February 1899 (33.9 inches), January 1996 (32.6 inches) and February 1922 (31.3 inches).
And today is only the 7th of February!
Total snowfall volume
Just for fun, let’s just make an estimate of the total volume of snow that fell across the Mid-Atlantic from this storm. I’ll be conservative in my numbers.
Assume than an average of 24 inches fell across only the 3-state area (Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey). Actually, the areal coverage is substantially larger, even if the average snowfall might be a little lower.
According to infoplease.com, the combined area of the three states is 19,145 square miles. Thus, the total snow volume is 7.25 cubic miles or 1.067 trillion cubic feet! In powers of 10, this would be 1.067 times 10 to the 12th power.
Simply stated, this is a lot of snow! And remember, the number computed here is an underestimate.
Dealing with dangers and delays
There’s little doubt that aviation and rail transportation will take days for full recovery. The same can probably be said for school schedules. Delayed openings and school closures are likely. Highways, while mostly cleared of the deeper snow will still have icy and slippery spots, especially at night as melted snow waters refreeze. Sidewalks, stairways and ramps will plague pedestrians, as well.
But one might want to look up for additional dangers. Due to the wind-blown snow, cornices (snow overhangs) are now present on some roofs. When enough melting occurs, these can slide off roofs (avalanches). Some have already started shoveling snow off roofs (Fig. 2). Melting snow will lead to ice-filled gutters with numerous icicles growing during daylight melting hours. Excess water will drip onto plants, crushing them under ice and waterlogged frozen snow.
Residents should look out, too, for any cars whose drivers failed to clear hoods and roofs from up to 2 feet of snow (Fig. 3). When subjected to airflow at higher speed these can break off and go flying.
Most importantly, residents should ensure that they clear away snow from any fire hydrants.
Finally, recognize that about five hundred thousand people are still without power across the region. In the Maryland suburbs near Washington, DC, PEPCO (Potomac Electric Power Company) indicates about 100,000 remain in the dark (Fig. 4).
Back to the future or déjà vu?
All of the above records and others are all at jeopardy as another snowmaker takes aim at the Mid-Atlantic. This one involves two separate low-pressure systems (Fig. 5), one heading east from the desert southwest and another heading southeast from the northern Plains. Each low will spread its own swath of moderate to heavy snowfall. Once the lows merge / reform along the east coast, snow will spread up the Atlantic seaboard. New York City, Providence and Boston, which just missed this weekend’s weather maker, stand to be big recipients of the next event.
Even if just a few inches fall in the Mid-Atlantic, records will tumble. So, during the next few days, anticipate meteorological actuaries to be hard at work concatenating weather records.
Florida outlook
But, that won’t be a problem here in southwest Florida (Fig. 6). Skies will be partly cloudy for the most part during the week. We might have a brief period Monday and again Thursday with clear skies and a period Tuesday, Friday and Saturday when skies are mostly cloudy and raindrops fall. Still, temperatures will be fluctuating within about 5 to 10 degrees of average each day and night. Enjoy! It still beats what is happening to our north.
As always, it’s a good idea to check the NWS Forecast Office links to the lower right and also the main NWS forecast page. (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/) for the latest forecasts.
To get an answer to a question about any aspect of weather, please drop me a note at hmmogil@weatherworks.com.
To simply learn about the weather, check out my growing weather reference library at http://www.associatedcontent.com/weather.
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