Monday, October 31, 2011

More October Snowfall Records Reported

Image (click to enlarge): October daily snowfall records broken ("X") or tied on October 30, 2011, from National Climatic Data Center

The number of all-time October daily snowfall records set on October 29 has now increased to 27. In addition to the records previously reported are the following (previous record in parentheses):
Hartford CT     12.3" (1.7", 1979-10-10)
Bridgeport CT 3.5" (0.5", 1987-10-04)
Worcester MA 11.4" (7.5", 1979-10-10)
Concord NH 13.6" (2.1", 1969-10-22)
An additional 69 records were reported broken yesterday (October 30). These were primarily cooperative reporting stations, but the official station at Portland, Maine reported a new record of 5.2", vs. the old record of 3.6" (1969-10-22) in a 91-year snowfall history.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

October Snow: Historical Context

The current October snowfall in the northeastern U.S. has certainly been impressive, particularly in the areal extent, but the historical record shows that autumn snowstorms were both earlier and more frequent in the mid-19th century. In his definitive history, "Early American Winters", David Ludlum lists records of early season snowfalls in 21 of the 50 years from 1821 to 1870, including many in September and several in late August. The mid-1830's were particularly prolific, with 3 events before the middle of October in 1836, including at least "some snow" as far south as South Carolina.

1821: Oct. 25-26, Salem MA: "sufficient to cover the ground"

1823: Sept. 29, Worcester County MA: "snow in several parts of the county"

1829: Sept. 3, Sherburne VT: "an inch and a half deep"

1832: Aug. 25-26, New Hampshire: "White Mountains covered by snow apparently several inches deep"

1833: Oct. 30, Somerset PA: "Two inches snow, the fourth fall of the autumn"
Oct. 29-30, Philadelphia PA: "Houses whitened by snow"

1835: Sept. 30, northern New England: 6-12" in Franklin County, Vermont; 6" at Kilkenny New Hampshire

1836: Sept. 28: Hamilton NY 4", Bridgewater NY 3", Rochester NY 1"
October 5-6: Onondaga County NY 2 feet, Auburn NY 24-26" Cortland NY 18", Hollidaysburg PA 26", Sideling Hills MD 10", Loudoun County VA 5", Yorkville SC "some snow"
October 11-12: Hamilton NY 35" "measured as it fell", Madison NY 12", Bridgewater NY 18", Oxford NY 12"

[More reports to be added later]

Early-Season Snow Sets Mid-Atlantic October Records

Image (click to enlarge): Storm total snowfall ending 10 am EDT, October 30, 2011, from National Weather Service


October 31 Update: Snow totals updated with final reports from National Weather Service. The highest reported amount was 32" at Peru, Massachusetts.

11 AM Update: The Weather Channel is reporting via tweet that Jaffrey NH had a storm total of 31.4". A National Weather Service report has increased the Plainfield MA amount to 30.8".

Original Post:
What was little more than a very heavy frost in the Washington, DC metro area yesterday set some all-time October daily snowfall records at higher elevations and north of the Mason-Dixon line. Preliminary data indicate that 20 October daily records were set from West Virginia through New York. Among the major reporting locations, New York's Central Park had the longest period of record (135 years), with the 2.9" smashing the previous record of 0.8" on October 30, 1925. It was therefore the first time that over 1" of snow had been observed in Central Park in October. Other October daily records included (previous record in parentheses):
Newark NJ       5.2" (0.3", 1952-10-20)
La Guardia NY 1.7" (1.2", 1962-10-26)
Kennedy NY 1.5" (Trace, 2002-10-30)
Islip NY 0.3" (0.0")
Harrisburg PA 9.7" (Trace, 1965-10-28)
Wilkes-Barre PA 9.1" (4.4", 1962-10-26)
Allentown PA 6.8" (1.2", 1972-10-19)
The largest amounts of snow from this storm were in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, where totals of 2 feet or more were reported; the highest was 27.8" at Plainfield. The highest amounts reported by the National Weather Service by state through Sunday, October 30, included:
...CONNECTICUT...
BAKERSVILLE 18.6
WINSTED 18.0
DANBURY 17.2
BRISTOL 17.0
LITCHFIELD 16.5
RIDGEFIELD 15.5
THOMASTON 13.5
WINCHESTER CENTER 13.5
NEW PRESTON 12.8
OXFORD 12.3
NORTH CANAAN 12.0

...MASSACHUSETTS...
PERU 32.0
PLAINFIELD 30.8
WINDSOR 26.0
ASHFIELD 25.5
GOSHEN 25.0
TOLLAND 2 S 25.0
BUCKLAND 24.0
HEATH 24.0
SAVOY 24.0
WORTHINGTON 24.0
TYRINGHAM 23.0
BECKET 5.6 SSW 22.6
BLANDFORD 22.0
LEYDEN 22.0
ROYALSTON 22.0
TEMPLETON 22.0
WASHINGTON 22.0
WORCESTER 14.6
BOSTON 1.0

...MARYLAND...
FROSTBURG 1 N 11.6
SABILLASVILLE 11.5
FROSTBURG 9.5
THURMONT 6 W 8.5
ELDERSBURG 2 NW 7.8
SMITHSBURG 3 NE 7.3
MANCHESTER 5 NW 7.0
REDHOUSE 7.0
WOLFSVILLE 7.0
WOODLAND 1 W 7.0

...MAINE...
ACTION 1 N 20.0
BRIDGTON 17.4
NEWFIELD 4.0 WSW 17.0
CORNISH 1 SSW 14.8
OTISFIELD 1 W 14.0
GRAY NWS OFFICE 12.9
PARIS 4 E 12.0
S CASCO 11.0
WATERVILLE 2.5 NNE 11.0
HOLLIS 9.8
VAUGHAN WOODS 2 ESE 9.0
PORTLAND 5.1 NW 6.5

...NEW HAMPSHIRE...
JAFFREY 31.4
BOW 1.6 NW 25.8
TROY 25.0
PETERBOROUGH 24.0
WEST SWANZEY 24.0
FITZWILLIAM 23.0
CONCORD ASOS 22.2
HILLSBORO 21.5
BEDFORD 20.8
GILFORD 3 SSE 20.0
WASHINGTON 1 ESE 19.5
NORTHFIELD 19.1
MERRIMACK 19.0
NORTH PEMBROKE 2 E 19.0

...NEW JERSEY...
WEST MILFORD 19.0
LAKE HOPATCONG 17.0
SPARTA 16.8
ROCKAWAY TWP 0.7 NE 16.6
MARCELLA 16.4
ROCKAWAY 16.4
LONG VALLEY 16.0
RANDOLPH TWP 0.8 W 14.5
HARDYSTON TWP 3.2 SE 14.1
NEWARK 5.2

...NEW YORK...
MILLBROOK 21.6
BLOOMINGBURG 2 SW 17.7
YANKEE LAKE 16.5
HARRIMAN 16.0
HOPEWELL JUNCTION 2.4 SSE 14.8
WOODRIDGE 5.5 S 13.6
TAGHKANIC 13.1
COPAKE FALLS 13.0
ARMONK 12.5
MILLWOOD 12.4
HIGHLAND MILLS 12.0
KENT CLIFFS 12.0
MIDDLETOWN 12.0
MONROE 12.0
SOMERS 12.0
ALBANY 1 SW 3.8
NEW YORK CENTRAL PARK 2.9

...PENNSYLVANIA...
HAZLETON 1 E 16.0
HUFFS CHURCH 16.0
SPRINGTOWN 16.0
FREELAND 1 S 14.0
TOBYHANNA 13.3
MOSCOW 13.0
WILLIAMS TWP 13.0
ARENDTSVILLE 6 NW 12.5
TOWAMENSING TWP 12.5
LAUREL SUMMIT 12.2
ALBRIGHTSVILLE 12.0
BLUE KNOB 12.0
FAYETTEVILLE 6 ENE 12.0
PHILADELPHIA 0.3

...RHODE ISLAND...
WEST GLOCESTER 6.6
NORTH FOSTER 6.5

BURRILLVILLE 4.5
GREENVILLE 4.0

...VIRGINIA...
SKYLAND 9.0
BIG MEADOWS 8.0
LINDEN 2 N 8.0
WILDE ACRES 1 N 7.4
BETHEL 2 ESE 6.5
CEDAR GROVE 2 NE 6.0
FRONT ROYAL 5.6
WINCHESTER 5.0

...VERMONT...
WEST HALIFAX 0.2 SE 16.0
BRATTLEBORO 2.0 SW 15.1
WILMINGTON 13.0
SPRINGFIELD 9.5
LUDLOW 7.0
WOODSTOCK 6.0

...WEST VIRGINIA...
MOUNT STORM 2 SSE 14.0
KIRBY 4 WNW 12.0
CHERRY GROVE 6 WSW 10.0
MOUNT PISGAH 2 E 10.0
TERRA ALTA 10.0
BLOOMERY 1 SW 8.0
FRANKLIN 4 W 8.0
SMITH CROSSROADS 1 W 7.3
CORTLAND 2 SW 6.5
ROMNEY 4 E 6.4

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