Thursday, February 9, 2012

SnowFail 2011-12 Update: Midwest Snow Running Nearly 40% Below Average

The Northeast and Mid Atlantic are not the only regions with significant snow deficits at the end of the third quarter of winter 2011-12. National Weather Service reports indicate that the Midwest is averaging 40% below the normal snowfall season-to-date. Of the 43 major reporting locations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, and Kentucky, only Ft. Wayne, Indiana has had more snow than the climatological average, by a mere 2.2", or about 11%.

The largest deficit in absolute terms is at Sault Ste. Marie MI, where the current total of 55" is over 3 feet less than the normal amount to date of just over 91". The map of snow depth on the ground for central and northern Michigan as of February 4 shows deficits of 2 feet or more in the Upper Peninsula. Temperatures at Sault Ste. Marie have been well above normal for all 3 winter months (December +3.8°, January +6.0°, February to date +13.1°).

Percentage-wise, the less than 1" at Kansas City MO is 94% below average. The weighted average deficit across all reporting stations is 39%.

The stations shown in the charts are:
DLH Duluth MN
MSP Minneapolis MN
STC St. Cloud MN
RST Rochester MN
LSE La Crosse WI
EAU Eau Claire WI
MSN Madison WI
AUW Wausau WI
GRB Green Bay WI
ANJ Sault Ste. Marie MI
APN Alpena MI
HTL Houghton Lake MI
MQT Marquette MI
DTW Detroit MI
FNT Flint MI
GRR Grand Rapids MI
LAN Lansing MI
MKG Muskegon MI
ALO Waterloo IA
DSM Des Moines IA
MCW Mason City IA
SUX Sioux City IA
DBQ Dubuque IA
MLI Moline IL
ORD Chicago IL
RFD Rockford IL
PIA Peoria IL
IND Indianapolis IN
FWA Ft. Wayne IN
CMH Columbus OH
CAK Akron OH
MFD Mansfield OH
TOL Toledo OH
YNG Youngstown OH
DAY Dayton OH
CLE Cleveland OH
COU Columbia MO
STL St. Louis MO
MCI Kansas City MO
BWG Bowling Green KY
LEX Lexington KY
SDF Louisville KY
JKL Jackson KY
Images (click to enlarge): Total winter snowfall to date vs. average, snowfall deficit in inches, and snowfall percentage deficit; all data from December 1, 2011 through February 7, 2012 from National Weather Service, charts by CapitalClimate; Michigan snow depth on ground departure from average, February 4, 2012, from National Weather Service

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

2011-12 Northeast/Mid Atlantic Snow Drought: Deficit Near 60%

With 3 weeks left in February, the winter of 2011-12 enters its fourth quarter with a major snow deficit in much of the U.S. In sharp contrast with last season, Northeast and Mid Atlantic winter snowfall to date is averaging nearly 60% below the climatological mean.

National Weather Service reports through February 6 show that stations from northern Maine to central North Carolina have all seen snowfall amounts below normal. In absolute terms, the deficit amounts range from 2.8" at Caribou, Maine to over 41" at Syracuse, New York. Percentage-wise, Caribou is only 5.3% below normal, while the southern locations in Virginia and North Carolina are at 100%, with no measurable snow reported.

The 3 major reporting locations in the Washington, DC region are all over 80% below normal, with Baltimore's BWI at nearly 90%.

The stations shown in the charts are:
CAR Caribou ME 
BGR Bangor ME
BTV Burlington VT
PWM Portland ME
CON Concord NH
ALB Albany NY
BGM Binghamton NY
SYR Syracuse NY
BOS Boston MA
ORH Worcester MA
PVD Providence RI
BDL Hartford CT
BDR Bridgeport CT
NYC Central Park NY
EWR Newark NJ
AVP Scranton PA
ACY Atlantic City NJ
PHL Philadelphia PA
ABE Allentown PA
ILG Wilmington DE
BWI Baltimore MD
DCA Washington DC
IAD Dulles VA
RIC Richmond VA
ORF Norfolk VA
RDU Raleigh NC
Images (click to enlarge): Total winter snowfall to date vs. average, snowfall deficit in inches, and snowfall percentage deficit; all data from December 1, 2011 through February 6, 2012 from National Weather Service; charts by CapitalClimate

Out-of-Season Downpour in Key West Sets New All-Time February Daily Rainfall Record;
9th Wettest February in 1 Day


The National Weather Service reports that the 4.34" of rainfall at Key West, Florida on February 5 is a new all-time daily rainfall record for the month of February. It also put this month into the position of 9th wettest February in climate records extending back to 1871. The 0.22" of precipitation as of 4 pm today moves the month up to 8th place, barely behind the 4.63" just 2 years ago.

The wettest February at Key West was in 1872, when 7.19" was recorded. Three of the wettest Februaries at Key West have now occurred in the last 15 years (1998, 2010, and 2012).

Key West also set a daily precipitation record by a wide margin on October 17, when the 6.91" smashed the previous record of 4.08" in 1910.

From the National Weather Service:
RAINFALL ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 5TH TOTALED 4.34 INCHES AT KEY WEST   
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THIS BROKE THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 2.89
INCHES...WHICH WAS SET IN 1872. IN FACT...THIS WILL ALSO GO DOWN AS
THE WETTEST FEBRUARY DAY IN HISTORY. THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 4.04
INCHES WAS SET ON FEBRUARY 28TH...1954.

..24-HOUR RAINFALL TOTALS...IN INCHES...FOR AVAILABLE STATIONS

KEY WEST INT'L AIRPORT 4.34
KEY WEST WFO 3.79
KEY LARGO NORTH--HANDAR 2.74
BIG COPPITT KEY--COCORAHS 2.26
CUDJOE KEY--COCORAHS 1.68
CURRY HAMMOCK--COOP 1.50
BIG PINE KEY--HANDAR 1.26
CUDJOE KEY 1.08
MARATHON AIRPORT 1.03
Image (click to enlarge): Radar-estimated rainfall for the Key West, Florida region, February 5, 2012, from wunderground.com

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