San Francisco Snow? (Would Be) Fifth Occurrence in Last Century Update: No SFO Snow, 1976 Record Holds

Feb. 28 Update: Other than a few flurries, snow failed to materialize in San Francisco. The National Weather Service reports:

As it turns out, a few showers did linger during the early morning hours of February 26th to allow for snow all the way down to sea level. However, only trace snowfall was reported around San Francisco. Therefore the last measurable snowfall in San Francisco still remains 1976. Farther south toward Monterey, light snowfall dustings were also reported. Higher peaks above approximately 2000 feet received more measurable snowfall with a few inches, which is not unusual for this time of year. The overall airmass remained rather unstable during the afternoon of February 26th which resulted in convective rain and snow showers across the region. Several weather spotters reported snow down to sea level once again, but no accumulation was noted.

1:30 PM PST Update: (Headline modified to clarify event is only a possibility.) The latest forecast discussion from the National Weather Service confirms that measurable snow is unlikely below elevations of 500 feet:

 AFTER THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE RAIN WILL TURN TO SHOWERS. THE NORTH BAY
 MOUNTAINS COULD GET SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW LATER THIS MORNING INTO
 THE AFTERNOON...BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL END BY
 LATE AFTERNOON NORTH OF THE GOLDEN GATE. THERE COULD BE LIGHT
 RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS TONIGHT...WITH SAN FRANCISCO POSSIBLY SEEING SOME
 SNOWFLAKES OVERNIGHT...BUT NO ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. LOOKS LIKE
 THE MAIN AREA THAT HAS THE BEST CHANCE OF SEEING SIGNIFICANT SNOW
 WILL BE THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS AND THE EAST BAY HILLS SOUTH...AND
 SOUTH OF THE SANTA CLARA VALLEY IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS. 

Note to Ice Agers: The average change in temperature with height is 5.38°F/1,000 Ft, more when the air is especially cold aloft as in the current situation, so snowfall in the hills doesn't count for any records.

Meanwhile, very heavy rainfall rates have been reported this morning from the storm. A downpour in northeastern San Francisco recorded 0.11" of rain in 5 minutes, a rate of over 1" per hour. Over 2" were reported in 24 hours west of Cupertino.

Original post:
A strong upper-level low pressure area is bringing cold temperatures to the San Francisco Bay area and prompting the National Weather Service to issue a winter weather advisory for elevations above 1000 feet in the North Bay area:

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST
 FRIDAY. 
 
 * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 1 INCH 1000 TO 1500 FEET WITH 2 TO 4 INCHES
   ABOVE 1500 FEET. 6 INCHES OR MORE FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2500 FEET.
 
 * ELEVATION: HEAVIEST SNOW WILL BE ABOVE 1500 FEET BUT
   ACCUMULATING SNOW IS EXPECTED AS LOW AS 1000 FEET.
 
 * TIMING: A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING AND
   CHANGE TO ALL SNOW OVERNIGHT AS SNOW LEVELS DROP. STEADY PRECIPITATION
   WILL CHANGE TO SNOW SHOWERS BY FRIDAY MORNING.  

If measurable snow were to occur at sea level, it would be only the 5th such occurrence in the past century, according to Golden Gate Weather Services. Unofficial reports indicate that there were 7 such events in the second half of the 19th century.

H/T: NCAR AtmosNews

Minneapolis Sets Single-Storm Snowfall Record

Images (click to enlarge): Feb. 20-21, 2011 total snowfall amounts for metro Minneapolis and for surrounding southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin, from National Weather Service

The 13.8" of snow on February 20-21 in Minneapolis was the largest amount for a single storm in February. It was also the first time more than a foot of snow fell in a single February storm. Some nearby locations reported amounts up to 20".

Of the top 5 February storm totals at Minneapolis, 3 have now occurred in the last 7 years. Climate records at Minneapolis have been collected for 140 years (since 1871).

From the National Weather Service:

Top 5 February Snow Storms for the Twin Cities
1) Feb. 20-21 2011    13.8"
2) Feb. 1-3 2004      11.2"
3) Feb. 19-20 1952    10.5"
4) Feb. 22 1913        8.8"
5) Feb. 24-25 2007     8.7"  

The winter snowfall total of 74.9" to date at Minneapolis is now the 10th highest on record for a full season, but it's the 3rd highest to date. The record seasonal total was 98.6" in 1983-84.

The NWS points out that February on average is the least snowiest winter month in Minneapolis. The reason for this is that the upper Midwest is usually dominated by cold high pressure areas in mid-winter. These tend to be relatively dry, and they suppress the prevailing storm track to the south. Except for a stretch of several days in which temperatures failed to rise out of the single digits, this February has been relatively warm at Minneapolis. Through the first 3 weeks, the month has averaged 1.1° above the long-term climatological mean.

Here are some reports of double-digit snow totals from southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin:

20.00   MADISON                  MN  LAC QUI PARLE    0830 PM
19.60   BLOOMINGTON              MN  HENNEPIN         0825 PM
19.00   3 NW EDEN PRAIRIE        MN  HENNEPIN         0515 PM
18.00   CREDIT RIVER             MN  SCOTT            0937 PM
18.00   BURNSVILLE               MN  DAKOTA           0519 PM
17.50   SPRINGFIELD              MN  BROWN            0840 AM
16.30   1 SSW MONTEVIDEO         MN  CHIPPEWA         0700 AM
15.50   2 W PRIOR LAKE           MN  SCOTT            0900 AM
15.10   LAKEVILLE                MN  DAKOTA           0814 PM
15.10   RICHFIELD                MN  HENNEPIN         0820 PM
15.00   OSCEOLA                  WI  POLK             0500 PM
15.00   MENOMONIE                WI  DUNN             0552 PM
15.00   3 SSW BURNSVILLE         MN  DAKOTA           0845 AM
14.20   1 N PRIOR LAKE           MN  SCOTT            0930 PM
14.00   INVER GROVE HEIGHTS      MN  DAKOTA           1002 PM
14.00   WOODBURY                 MN  WASHINGTON       0800 AM
14.00   EDEN PRAIRIE             MN  HENNEPIN         0809 PM
14.00   RED WING                 MN  GOODHUE          0730 PM
13.60   ANDOVER                  MN  ANOKA            1024 PM
13.50   MAPLEWOOD                MN  RAMSEY           1210 PM
13.80   MINNEAPOLIS(MSP AIRPORT) MN  HENNEPIN         1240 AM
13.70   CHANHASSEN (NWS OFFICE)  MN  CARVER           1240 AM
13.30   ST PAUL                  MN  RAMSEY           0610 AM
13.00   GRANITE FALLS            MN  CHIPPEWA         1013 AM
12.90   3 WNW RICE               MN  STEARNS          0700 AM
12.70   EDINA                    MN  HENNEPIN         0203 PM
12.70   1 NW BURNSVILLE          MN  DAKOTA           0700 PM
12.60   COON RAPIDS              MN  ANOKA            0638 PM
12.50   CARVER                   MN  CARVER           0700 AM
12.40   HASTINGS                 MN  DAKOTA           0907 PM
12.40   ROBERTS                  WI  ST. CROIX        0800 AM
12.30   5 SW ST PAUL             MN  RAMSEY           0845 AM
12.00   1 N CAMERON              WI  BARRON           0500 PM
12.00   MANKATO                  MN  BLUE EARTH       0333 PM
12.00   LAKE ELMO                MN  WASHINGTON       0800 AM
12.00   3 N BLOOMER              WI  CHIPPEWA         0730 AM
12.00   BALDWIN                  WI  ST. CROIX        0700 AM
12.00   3 SW MINNEAPOLIS         MN  HENNEPIN         0900 PM
12.00   SHAKOPEE                 MN  SCOTT            0854 PM
11.60   JORDAN                   MN  SCOTT            0710 AM
11.50   MILROY                   MN  REDWOOD          0700 AM
11.10   BLAINE                   MN  ANOKA            0917 PM
11.00   DURAND                   WI  PEPIN            1000 PM
11.00   SAUK RAPIDS              MN  BENTON           0800 PM
11.00   MORGAN                   MN  REDWOOD          0702 AM
11.00   4 NNE MAPLEWOOD          MN  RAMSEY           0830 PM
11.00   1 ESE CHASKA             MN  CARVER           0800 PM
10.60   3 NNW MINNEAPOLIS        MN  HENNEPIN         0346 PM
10.60   MINNETONKA               MN  HENNEPIN         0803 AM
10.50   CLAYTON                  WI  POLK             0616 PM
10.50   LITCHFIELD               MN  MEEKER           0420 PM
10.50   ELK MOUND                WI  DUNN             0600 AM
10.50   REDWOOD FALLS            MN  REDWOOD          0500 AM
10.30   7 S HILLMAN              MN  MORRISON         0335 PM
10.20   OAKDALE                  MN  WASHINGTON       0747 PM
10.00   GLENWOOD                 MN  POPE             0600 PM
10.00   ST JAMES                 MN  WATONWAN         0700 PM
10.00   MADELIA                  MN  WATONWAN         1245 PM
10.00   COMFREY                  MN  BROWN            1210 PM
10.00   BROWNTON                 MN  MCLEOD           1210 PM
10.00   NW GILMAN                MN  BENTON           0828 AM
10.00   ISANTI                   MN  ISANTI           0626 AM
10.00   EAU CLAIRE WQOW          WI  EAU CLAIRE       0500 AM
10.00   2 N MENOMONIE            WI  DUNN             1100 PM
10.00   1 W CARVER               MN  CARVER           0900 PM
10.00   4 SSW MINNEAPOLIS        MN  HENNEPIN         0700 PM
10.00   ST PETER                 MN  NICOLLET         0530 PM   

Record Temperatures Reach Mid-Atlantic; 120-Year Washington, Baltimore Minimums Broken

Feb. 18 Update: Added more reports for Ohio, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina.

Midnight Update: The midnight temperatures are: National 59°, Dulles 55°, and BWI 55°, so the record high minimums hold.

Quantico and College Park are still at 60° and 61°, respectively. On the Maryland Eastern Shore, Ocean City is a summer-like 65°, and Salisbury is 63°.

The National Climatic Data Center preliminary report shows nearly 200 new record highs on Feb. 18 alone. Following a similar number the previous day, the month-to-date count is now almost tied with record lows.

6 PM Update: Nearly all major National Weather Service reporting locations in Pennsylvania tied or broke high temperature records (see list below). Reports to be added as available.

Original post:
Temperatures soared into the 70s for the second consecutive time today in the DMV (DC/Maryland/Virginia) region. The highs of 77° at Washington National and 75° at Dulles were both new records, and the 74° at Baltimore/BWI missed the record by only 1°. The Washington high is 30° above normal.

In addition, the morning lows were all new record high minimums. Assuming they hold through midnight, which appears to be likely, the minimums will break 120-year-old records.

Note that these record high February temperatures, which follow a record hot summer, broke records which followed the previously warmest summer of 1980.

The new records (old records and dates in parentheses) are:

                     High           Low
Washington National  77 (76, 1981)  52 (50, 1891)   
Washington Dulles    75 (73, 1981)  53 (50, 1976)  
Baltimore/BWI                       51 (50, 1891) 

More records set or tied in other states:

Zanesville OH    66 (64, 2006)
Youngstown OH    59 (tie, 1994)
Greenville SC    78 (73, 1916)
Raleigh NC       78 (75, 1948)
Greensboro NC    75 (71, 2008)
Charlotte NC     78 (tie, 1891) 
Richmond VA      77 (tie, 1976) 
Wallops Is. VA   73 (64, 1986) 
Danville VA      77 (tie, 1976) 
Lynchburg VA     75 (tie, 1927)
Blacksburg VA    65 (tie, 1976) 
Roanoke VA       72 (tie, 1971) 
Pittsburgh PA    66 (65, 1981)
Williamsport PA  66 (63, 1981)
Harrisburg PA    69 (tie, 1890)
Allentown PA     67 (66, 2008)
Philadelphia PA  69 (tie, 1891, 1890)
Reading PA       71 (70, 1981)
Atlantic City NJ 72 (69, 1981)
Trenton NJ       72 (tie, 1890)
Newark NJ        71 (69, 1981)
Kennedy Airpt NY 67 (57, 1981) 
LaGuardia NY     67 (66, 1981)
Binghamton NY    58 (57, 1981)

Image (click to enlarge): U.S. surface temperature map at 3 pm EST, February 18, 2011, shows 70° readings as far north as the Mason-Dixon line (from Unisys)

Nano Ice Age Update II: Record Temperatures From Kansas to New Jersey

8 PM CST Update: Additional records, including Lincoln, Illinois breaking a century-old record by 4°:

Des Moines IA  68 (tie, 1981)
Lincoln IL     63 (59, 1911) 
Peoria IL      64 (tie, 1890)
Springfield IL 68 (67, 1911 and 1890)
Muskegon MI    51 (50, 2008 and 1911)  
Zanesville OH  66 (64, 2006) 
Beckley WV     66 (63, 1975)
Huntington WV  70 (tie, 1975)
Bluefield WV   66 (65, 1961) 
Harrisburg PA  67 (65, 1891)
Binghamton NY  55 (tie, 1981)   

Original post:
As warm air spread eastward from the southern Plains, more daily high temperature records were set or tied today across a wide area and by wide margins. In several cases, those margins were as much as 5 degrees in periods of record extending back over a century. For example, Burlington, Iowa, whose observations began in 1897, saw its old record from 1994 smashed by 5° with a reading of 66°.

Rolla, Missouri broke its 1971 record by 4° with a reading of 73°. Records there date back to 1888.

Columbia, Missouri smashed its 1994 record by 6° with a high of 74°. The period of record in Columbia began in 1890.

The St. Louis high of 76° missed a century-old record by only 1°.

Other record reports from the National Weather Service (old record and date in parentheses):

Topeka KS      76 (74, 1913)
Wichita KS     78 (75, 1970)
Moline IL      63 (62, 1981)
Kansas City MO 74 (72, 1970) 
Joplin MO      74 (73, 1971)
Trenton NJ     67 (tie, 1976) [records began 1865]
Newark NJ      66 (tie, 1976)
Reading PA     64 (tie, 1976) [records began 1869] 

More reports to be added as they become available.

Washington's 2nd February Day of 70°+, 3rd on Tap

Today's high of 72° in Washington was the second this month of 70° or higher, and there's a third one on tap for tomorrow. While unusual, this event is not unique. The last time there were 2 days with 70°+ in February was in 2000. There were 4 such events in 1997.

The record for February since observations began at or near the current location of National Airport in 1930 was 7 in 1976, which benefited from being a leap year. There were 2 spans of 3 consecutive days each: Feb. 16-18 (73°, 79°, and 76°) and Feb. 27-29 (71°, 74°, and 77°). The high was also 71° on Feb. 25 that year.

The chart shows all of the previous years since 1930 with 2 or more 70°+ days in February.

Nano Ice Age Update: Records Roasted

11 PM CST Update: Imperial, Nebraska absolutely crushed its old record by 7° with a high of 76°, which was 32° above average. The previous record of 69° was set in 1970 and tied in 1981. Records at Imperial began nearly 120 years ago, in 1893.

North Platte, Nebraska blasted through its old record by 5° with a high of 71°. The previous record was set 130 years ago, in 1880, and tied in 1916 and 1981. North Platte records date back to 1874.

Another long-period record was broken by a wide margin at Valentine, Nebraska, where the high of 71° exceeded the old record of 65° from 1951 by 6°. Records at Valentine began in 1885.

Temperatures in the mid 60s reached into South Dakota, where downtown Rapid City hit 66°, tying the record set in 1916. The airport reading of 67° exceeded the old record of 63° set in 1950 and tied in 1981. Records have been kept at Rapid City since 1888.

8 PM CST Update: Another record report from the National Weather Service:

THE MEDICINE LODGE AIRPORT [Kansas] ALSO SET A RECORD HIGH OF 77 DEGREES. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 75 DEGREES SET IN 1898 AND THEN TIED IN 1934. RECORDS DATE BACK TO 1893.

6 PM CST Update: The preliminary record at Garden City is 81° at 4:48. This is 31° above normal for the date.

Original post:
A surge of early spring heat is tumbling high temperature records across the southern Plains from Texas to Nebraska.

The 86° at Midland, Texas at 3:22 pm local time blasted away the old record for February 16 of 81° from 2006. Midland climate records began in 1930.

At 2:30 local time, Dodge City, Kansas reported a temperature of 76°, which exceeded by 2° the previous record originally set almost a century ago in 1916 and tied 50 years ago in 1961. By 4 pm, the temperature had reached 80°, beating the old record by 6°. Dodge City climate records began in 1874.

Garden City, Kansas also broke its 1961 record by 2° with its reading of 78°. The temperature there continued to rise to 80° by 3 pm. It's held at that level for the next 2 hours. Garden City climate records began in 1948.

Some other records reported by the National Weather Service (old record and date in parentheses):

Sidney NE      68 (66, 1950)
Scottsbluff NE 67 (tie, 1916)
Chadron NE     68 (64, 1982)
Russell KS     73 (71, 1961)
Goodland KS    75 (72, 1991) 
Rolla MO       72 (tie, 2006) 

Updates to be posted as they become available.

Image (click to enlarge): U.S. temperature map as of 4 pm CST, February 16, 2011, shows 60° readings as far north as Wyoming and South Dakota, from Unisys

Shortest Ice Age on Record? Whole Lotta Meltin' Goin' On

Here's an update on how that ice age is coming along:
Nano Ice Age Update: Records Roasted

With all the hoopla recently about record snowfalls, all-time record low temperatures, and so forth, here's a chart you're not likely to see on the ice-age monger sites. At midnight EST on February 14, the middle of February, the U.S. temperature map above (from Unisys, click to enlarge) shows that these are the only substantial areas in the contiguous 48 states with temperatures below 30°:

• Central Rockies
• Eastern Montana and extreme northeastern Wyoming
• Extreme northern border of Minnesota
• Northern Vermont and New Hampshire
• Non-coastal Maine

The Weather Channel reported on-air this evening that the area of the U.S. with snow on the ground decreased by over 10 percentage points in the last 24 hours.