2010/11 Top 10 Season Snowfall Qualifiers

[Chicago WX]

Season snowfall totals through May 17, 2011.

Akron/Canton OH

1) 82.0" - 1977/78

2) 81.5" - 1960/61

3) 75.7" - 1913/14

4) 75.2" - 1962/63

5) 72.7" - 1974/75

6) 72.3" - 1950/51

7) 68.1" - 2007/08

8) 65.4" - 1909/10

9) 65.3" - 1993/94

9) 65.3" - 2010/11

10) 61.7" - 1981-82

Columbia MO

1) 54.9" - 1977/78

2) 53.4" - 2010/11

3) 46.2" - 1911/12

4) 44.0" - 1959/60

5) 40.8" - 1905/06

6) 40.4" - 1978/79

7) 38.1" - 1973/74

8) 38.1" - 1899/00

9) 36.6" - 1904/05

10) 35.0" - 1976/77

Detroit MI

1) 93.6" - 1880/81

2) 78.0" - 1925/26

3) 74.0" - 1981/82

4) 71.7" - 2007/08

5) 69.1" - 1899/00

5) 69.1" - 2010/11

7) 66.5" - 1929/30

8) 65.7" - 2008/09

9) 63.8" - 2004/05

10) 63.1" - 1974/75

Dubuque IA

1) 78.7" - 2007/08

2) 75.7" - 1961/62

3) 75.0" - 1974/75

4) 71.5" - 1959/60

5) 71.3" - 1977/78

6) 70.4" - 1978/79

7) 65.9" - 1958/59

8) 63.8" - 1992/93

9) 63.5" - 2010/11

10) 59.8" - 1985/86

Flint MI

1) 82.9" - 1974/75

2) 82.8" - 2007/08

3) 78.6" - 1966/67

4) 76.6" - 1975/76

5) 75.3" - 1951/52

6) 73.0" - 2004/05

7) 72.9" - 1964/65

8) 72.8" - 2008/09

9) 72.1" - 2010/11

10) 64.9" - 1925/26

Fort Wayne IN

1) 81.2" - 1981/82

2) 60.6" - 1977/78

3) 59.1" - 1911/12

4) 49.8" - 1983/84

5) 48.3" - 1914/15

6) 46.9" - 1966/67

6) 46.9" - 1963/64

8) 46.7" - 2002/03

9) 46.5" - 2010/11

10) 44.7" - 2004/05

Green Bay WI

1) 147.7" - 1887/88

2) 103.6" - 1889/90

3) 92.6" - 2010/11

4) 87.7" - 2008/09

5) 87.4" - 2007/08

6) 82.7" - 1886/87

7) 80.1" - 1922/23

8) 77.5" - 1995/96

9) 77.0" - 1996/97

9) 77.0" - 1888/89

10) 72.2" - 1893/94

Kansas City MO

1) 67.0" - 1911/12

2) 58.5" - 1959/60

3) 54.7" - 1961/62

4) 44.2" - 2009/10

5) 42.4" - 1925/26

6) 38.6" - 1898/99

7) 37.3" - 1914/15

8) 37.1" - 1923/24

9) 36.9" - 2010/11

10) 36.3" - 1897/98

Lafayette IN

1) 68.1" - 1977/78

2) 61.5" - 1981/82

3) 56.4" - 1904/05

4) 53.8" - 1903/04

5) 49.3" - 1983/84

6) 49.0" - 2010/11

7) 46.3" - 1929/30

8) 43.8" - 2007/08

8) 43.8" - 1911/12

10) 43.0" - 1925/26

Madison WI

1) 101.4" - 2007/08

2) 76.1" - 1978/79

3) 75.9" - 1885/86

4) 73.7" - 1993/94

5) 73.1" - 2010/11

6) 72.4" - 1985/86

7) 72.0" - 2008/09

8) 71.2" - 1992/93

9) 70.9" - 1909/10

10) 70.7" - 1897/98

Mansfield OH

1) 91.0" - 1995/96

2) 86.6" - 2004/05

3) 84.1" - 2009/10

4) 79.6" - 2007/08

5) 77.6" - 1977/78

6) 66.9" - 1981/82

7) 64.3" - 2008/09

8) 61.8" - 1993/94

9) 59.1" - 2010/11

10) 58.3" - 1962/63

Minneapolis MN

1) 98.6" - 1983/84

2) 95.0" - 1981/82

3) 88.9" - 1950/51

4) 86.6" - 2010/11

5) 84.9" - 1916/17

6) 84.1" - 1991/92

7) 81.3" - 1961/62

8) 79.0" - 1951/52

9) 78.4" - 1966/67

10) 75.8" - 2000/01

Peoria IL

1) 52.5" - 2010/11

2) 51.6" - 1978/79

3) 47.1" - 1977/78

4) 46.9" - 1981/82

5) 44.0" - 1925/26

6) 42.4" - 1942/43

7) 42.3" - 1974/75

8) 41.6" - 1959/60

9) 41.5" - 2009/10

10) 37.7" - 1969/70

Saginaw MI

1) 87.2" - 1966/67

2) 83.5" - 1951/52

3) 80.0" - 2007/08

4) 79.4" - 2008/09

5) 76.2" - 2010/11

6) 75.4" - 1996/97

6) 75.4" - 2004/05

8) 74.9" - 1903/04

9) 72.4" - 1908/09

10) 68.4" - 1995/96

St. Louis MO

1) 67.6" - 1911/12

2) 66.0" - 1977/78

3) 43.2" - 1913/14

4) 42.4" - 1973/74

5) 38.4" - 1905/06

6) 36.8" - 2010/11

7) 36.6" - 1981/82

8) 36.3" - 1976/77

9) 35.2" - 1959/60

10) 33.7" - 1909/10

South Bend IN

1) 172.0" - 1977/78

2) 135.2" - 1981/82

3) 129.2" - 1976/77

4) 110.6" - 1966/67

5) 105.6" - 2010/11

6) 102.5" - 1962/63

7) 101.3" - 1978/79

8) 95.1" - 1959/60

9) 89.8" - 1958/59

10) 88.3" - 1984/85

Youngstown OH

1) 118.7" - 2010/11

2) 102.8" - 2007/08

3) 90.2" - 2006/07

4) 86.5" - 2008/09

5) 85.3" - 1950/51

6) 82.5" - 1992/93

7) 82.0" - 1962/63

8) 81.2" - 2004/05

9) 81.0" - 1993/94

10) 78.9" - 1963/64

[michsnowfreak]

nice list!

[OHSnow]

Great list, but you're missing at least a couple. Akron/Canton, OH is at number 10 all-time with 63.2" and Mansfield, OH is at number 9 with 56.4".

[jdrenken]

Great list! Does the Columbia, MO include yesterday's 1.4"? Also, I can't find the link for those totals, could you post it?

[Chicago WX]

Great list! Does the Columbia, MO include yesterday's 1.4"? Also, I can't find the link for those totals, could you post it?

Columbia is up to date. You can find the current totals for all the sites via their respective NWS sites. As for the top 10 (and all season snow totals in some cases), here are the links to those:

Columbia and St. Louis: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lsx/?n=top10

Detroit and Flint: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dtx/cms.php?n=clitop

Madison: http://www.aos.wisc.edu/%7Esco/clim-history/stations/msn/msn-snow.html

Dubuque: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=dvn&storyid=48705&source=2

Peoria: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=ilx&storyid=63857&source=2

Youngstown: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/cle/climate/yng/records/yngtop10snow.html

Green Bay: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=grb&storyid=57425&source=2 and http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=grb&storyid=19497&source=2

Minneapolis: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=mpx&storyid=64379&source=2

MSP season snowfall list: http://climate.umn.edu/text/historical/mspsnow.txt

Kansas City: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/eax/?n=seasrank

South Bend and Fort Wayne: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/iwx/?n=comparingwinterseasons

[Chicago WX]

Great list, but you're missing at least a couple. Akron/Canton, OH is at number 10 all-time with 63.2" and Mansfield, OH is at number 9 with 56.4".

Yep missed Akron, but negative on Mansfield.

1) 91.0" - 1995/96

2) 86.6" - 2004/05

3) 84.1" - 2009/10

4) 79.6" - 2007/08

5) 77.6" - 1977/78

6) 66.9" - 1981/82

7) 64.3" - 2008/09

8) 61.8" - 1993/94

9) 58.3" - 1962/63

10) 57.7" - 1983/84

[jdrenken]

Columbia is up to date. You can find the current totals for all the sites via their respective NWS sites. As for the top 10 (and all season snow totals in some cases), here are the links to those:

Columbia and St. Louis: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lsx/?n=top10

LSX just put theirs on the front page. I appreciate the link regardless.

[trapperman]

MPX currently at number 4 all time: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=mpx&storyid=64379&source=0

Not that clown maps mean much, but here's the 18z GFS: http://wxcaster.com/gis-gfs-snow-overlays2.php3?STATIONID=MPX

Top 3 winter certainly attainable.

[Chicago WX]

Updated the OH sites and added Mansfield, which is now in the top 10, after yesterday's snowfall.

[Trent]

Saginaw, MI is at 8th with 73.3".

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dtx/display_climate.php?file=snowseas.htm

See the bottom of the FNT climate report.

http://www.weather.gov/climate/index.php?wfo=dtx

[Chicago WX]

Saginaw, MI is at 8th with 73.3".

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dtx/display_climate.php?file=snowseas.htm

See the bottom of the FNT climate report.

http://www.weather.gov/climate/index.php?wfo=dtx

Added and thanks.

What a strange place for DTX to put Saginaw's snowfall.

[Trent]

Last week's snow pushed Saginaw into 5th at 76.2", Detroit into a tie for 5th at 69.1", Madison into 5th with 73.1", Green Bay into 3rd with 92.6", and MSP 4th with 86.6"

[michsnowfreak]

Last week's snow pushed Saginaw into 5th at 76.2", Detroit into a tie for 5th at 69.1", Madison into 5th with 73.1", Green Bay into 3rd with 92.6", and MSP 4th with 86.6"

Detroit MI

1) 93.6" - 1880/81

2) 78.0" - 1925/26

3) 74.0" - 1981/82

4) 71.7" - 2007/08

5) 69.1" - 1899/00

5) 69.1" - 2010/11

7) 66.5" - 1929/30

8) 67.2" - 1907/08

9) 65.7" - 2008/09

10) 63.8" - 2004/05

Its just remarkable that nearly half of Detroits top 10 in 131 years of record have occurred in the last 6 years

A note...on the flip side to all the midwest snowiness, Denver just saw its 2nd least snowy winter on record since 1882...

1.) 21.3" (1888-89)

2.) 22.8" (2010-11)

3.) 25.5" (1887-88)

[BowMeHunter]

Need 80.7 to crack the the top 10 in milwaukee. Not an easy feat.

[tacoman25]

Season snowfall totals through March 30, 2011.

Youngstown OH

1) 118.1" - 2010/11

2) 102.8" - 2007/08

3) 90.2" - 2006/07

4) 86.5" - 2008/09

5) 85.3" - 1950/51

6) 82.5" - 1992/93

7) 82.0" - 1962/63

8) 81.2" - 2004/05

9) 81.0" - 1993/94

10) 78.9" - 1963/64

What's up with this? The 4 top years are all in the last 5 winters? Unreal. I'd have to think the site changed location?

[tacoman25]

The groundhog storm really is noticeable in some locations this winter. Shows the size of the event. Chicago's winter was basically made from it. Take that away and it was run of the mill.

I would think that applies to most big winters. There tends to be 1-2 big storms that provide massive totals and make the winter historic. Not always, but often.

[huronicane]

OKC had a top-10 ...

http://www.srh.noaa....=63867&source=2

1. 1947-1948 25.2"

2. 1967-1968 24.4"

3. 1912-1913 23.5"

3. 1987-1988 23.5"

5. 2009-2010 23.2"

6. 1923-1924 21.5"

7. 1977-1978 20.4"

8. 2010-2011 19.6"

9. 1960-1961 18.0"

10. 1972-1973 17.4"

Looks like Tulsa had a #1:

1. 2010-2011 26.1"

2. 1923-1924 25.5"

3. 2009-2010 22.8"

4. 2002-2003 20.4"

4. 1969-1970 20.4"

6. 1904-1905 20.2"

7. 1958-1959 19.5"

8. 1959-1960 19.4"

9. 1978-1979 18.9"

10. 1987-1988 18.2"

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tsa/?n=climo_tulseassnow

[London snowsquall]

We still have about a 10 foot high snowpile left at work. Looking at the forecast I think it will last thru the end of next week.

[OHSnow]

What's up with this? The 4 top years are all in the last 5 winters? Unreal. I'd have to think the site changed location?

Well, you'd be wrong. They've been keeping records at the airport since the early / mid 1940s. The higher snow totals are mostly due to an increase in lake effect snow over the last decade or so.

[Hoosier]

Well, you'd be wrong. They've been keeping records at the airport since the early / mid 1940s. The higher snow totals are mostly due to an increase in lake effect snow over the last decade or so.

And possibly some questionable measuring techniques based on what I've read here.

[OHSnow]

And possibly some questionable measuring techniques based on what I've read here.

No. I'm from near there. The numbers are accurate. There were 24 and 16 inch multi-day LES storms in December. Before the last few years, it was very rare to get more than a few inches of LES.

[Hoosier]

No. I'm from near there. The numbers are accurate. There were 24 and 16 inch multi-day LES storms in December. Before the last few years, it was very rare to get more than a few inches of LES.

Hmm, I know people complain about Cleveland's low totals and I could've sworn that they were also saying that Youngstown's are too high.

[Trent]

Hmm, I know people complain about Cleveland's low totals and I could've sworn that they were also saying that Youngstown's are too high.

KYNG will report 1 hour worth of light snow with 7 mile visibilities and then report 4" for the day. They are definitely an anomaly as of the past 5 years. No doubt the snow has increased, but shave 25-30% off YNG for a more realistic number. I think they measure in a drift where snow blows off a roof.

Even the CLE winter maps have to extend the 100" line way south to account for the anomaly. It just doesn't make sense with typical wind flows and band placements:

[michsnowfreak]

I would think that applies to most big winters. There tends to be 1-2 big storms that provide massive totals and make the winter historic. Not always, but often.

I think that is very true for many regions, especially the east coast, but the Great Lakes is probably the one region where big winters are not usually made by one massive storm (though it was in Chicago this winter).

Here is the biggest snowstorm for each winter of Detroits top 20 snowiest. Often times here, a massive storm doesnt make or break the winter (sometimes it certainly helps). Note that Detroits biggest snowstorm of 24.5" occurred in a winter that is not in the top 20 (it ranks #21 with 56.7"). Years in the 21st century highlighted in red.

Also note...in the original post, 1907-08, the 8th snowiest winter, was accidentally ommitted so I fixed it in my posts.

Detroit MI

1) 93.6" - 1880/81......biggest storm 12.5"

2) 78.0" - 1925/26......biggest storm 8.9"

3) 74.0" - 1981/82......biggest storm 11.8"

4) 71.7" - 2007/08......biggest storm 9.0"

5) 69.1" - 1899/00......biggest storm 16.1"

5) 69.1" - 2010/11......biggest storm 10.3"

7) 66.5" - 1929/30......biggest storm 13.8"

8) 67.2" - 1907/08......biggest storm 12.6"

9) 65.7" - 2008/09......biggest storm 7.9"

10) 63.8" - 2004/05....biggest storm 12.2"

11) 63.1" - 1974/75....biggest storm 19.3"

12) 61.7" - 1977/78....biggest storm 10.1"

13) 60.9" - 2002-03....biggest storm 7.3"

14) 60.8" - 1884/85....biggest storm 7.7"

15) 60.2" - 1898/99....biggest storm 11.4"

16) 59.9" - 1892/93....biggest storm 6.0"

17) 58.6" - 1951/52....biggest storm 6.8"

18) 58.0" - 1911/12....biggest storm 8.6"

19) 57.0" - 1903/04....biggest storm 8.5"

20) 56.9" - 1922/23....biggest storm 10.0"

[michsnowfreak]

KYNG will report 1 hour worth of light snow with 7 mile visibilities and then report 4" for the day.

very few airports receive no criticism from the local weather folks regarding snow-measuring, and its rare that the complaint is that the airport inflates rather than lowballs, but I definitely have heard from some people they think YNG inflates. I do remember one time in October they had reported measurable snow when there was a temp of like 37. I was like wtf? That said, LES and snow in general has certainly increased in this region the past decade.

[Harry]

KYNG will report 1 hour worth of light snow with 7 mile visibilities and then report 4" for the day. They are definitely an anomaly as of the past 5 years. No doubt the snow has increased, but shave 25-30% off YNG for a more realistic number. I think they measure in a drift where snow blows off a roof.

Even the CLE winter maps have to extend the 100" line way south to account for the anomaly. It just doesn't make sense with typical wind flows and band placements:

I think you just said/explained it yourself and thus *typical* wind flows and band placements. They have been anything BUT normal for a few years now but who is to say this is not the new normal as we do go through clime/pattern changes over periods of time? See below..

very few airports receive no criticism from the local weather folks regarding snow-measuring, and its rare that the complaint is that the airport inflates rather than lowballs, but I definitely have heard from some people they think YNG inflates. I do remember one time in October they had reported measurable snow when there was a temp of like 37. I was like wtf? That said, LES and snow in general has certainly increased in this region the past decade.

Kinda depends on where you are as far as increased LES. I remember GRR doing a study on it a few years back and per their study LES had increased inland ( by alot in some cases ) while areas right at the lake shore saw none and even decreases. They *think* it had to do with warmer lake waters. This *could* explain the numbers down there in Ohio as well. Heck look at the snowfall averages here which have been coming up over the past 40+yrs and really skyrocketed in the past 11 or so years. Ofcourse all of it cant be blamed on LES either as we have had a number of very active winters too such as 04-05, 07-08, 08-09 etc. Ofcourse this past winter and for several now we have seen a large number of nnw/nw/n flow events too and well YNG is downwind of BOTH Erie and Huron as well.

[Chicago WX]

First post updated...I assume for the last time this season.

[Harry]

Need 80.7 to crack the the top 10 in milwaukee. Not an easy feat.

I *think* it is 81.3" that is needed here to break into top 10?

What's up with this? The 4 top years are all in the last 5 winters? Unreal. I'd have to think the site changed location?

Not really. See my last post. For here this was the first normal winter since 05-06. All the rest were above average by atleast 11+ inches and 3 of them were in the top 4. This area/W.MI was a anomaly though this winter compared to the rest of the region which did very well compared to average. Heck Detroit finished with 10 inches above here which is rare.

I would think that applies to most big winters. There tends to be 1-2 big storms that provide massive totals and make the winter historic. Not always, but often.

This winter actually provided the biggest storm since moving here ( in July 2004 ) with 14" and thus the ground hog storm. While the number of medium/small storms have come up the number of massive storms ( well over a foot and or 18+ ) have actually gone down. 08-09 is now the snowiest winter ever with 109.6" yet the biggest storm was a foot. However in cases like 66-67 the big storm ( 28.6"/31" ) did help the cause but even removing that storm the winter would have ended up decently above climo especially the climo of back then when snowfall averages ( 1930-1960 30yr average ) in this area were in the low/mid 40s i do believe? Seasonal total was 96.8" in 66-67. Ofcourse the 1930s till the early 1960s were the least snowiest and or at the bottom of the trend line going back to the late 1800s which started out with higher snowfall averages ( close to todays averages ) and then decreased and bottomed out during that period ( 1930-early1960s ) and then began to rise again. That is per the climo guy at GRR and what numbers they do have for here match it. Same at other nearby areas in the GRR area/W.MI and even Detroit/DTX..

[Chicago WX]

Top 20 snowiest seasons for Chicago and 10"+ snowstorms during those seasons. Longterm average annual snowfall for Chicago is currently 36.9".

1) 89.7"...1978/79 (Jan 12-14: 20.3")

2) 82.3"...1977/78 (Jan 25-27: 12.4" and Feb 6-7: 10.3")

3) 77.0"...1969/70 (Dec 22-23: 11.3", Mar 25-26: 14.3", and Apr 1-2: 14.3")

4) 68.4"...1966/67 (Jan 26-27: 23.0")

5) 66.4"...1951-52 (Dec 14: 10.0")

6) 64.1"...1917-18 (Jan 6-7: 14.9")

7) 60.3"...2007-08 (None)

8) 59.5"...1903-04 (Dec 12-13: 11.6")

9) 59.3"...1981-82 (None)

10) 58.9"...1961-62 (Dec 22-23: 11.7")

11) 58.3"...1973-74 (None)

12) 58.2"...1929-30 (Dec 17-19: 14.8" and Mar 25-26: 19.2")

13) 57.9"...2010-11 (Jan 31-Feb 2: 21.2")

14) 56.6"...1895-96 (Nov 25-26: 12.0", Feb 3-4: 12.5", and Feb 12-13: 12.0")

15) 54.4"...1950-51 (Dec 5-8: 13.3")

16) 54.2"...2009-10 (Feb 9-10: 12.9")

17) 54.1"...1976-77 (Jan 9-10: 10.9")

18) 54.0"...1884-85 (None)

19) 52.7"...2008-09 (Jan 9-10: 12.0")

20) 52.5"...1940-41 (None)

[michsnowfreak]

I think you just said/explained it yourself and thus *typical* wind flows and band placements. They have been anything BUT normal for a few years now but who is to say this is not the new normal as we do go through clime/pattern changes over periods of time? See below..

Kinda depends on where you are as far as increased LES. I remember GRR doing a study on it a few years back and per their study LES had increased inland ( by alot in some cases ) while areas right at the lake shore saw none and even decreases. They *think* it had to do with warmer lake waters. This *could* explain the numbers down there in Ohio as well. Heck look at the snowfall averages here which have been coming up over the past 40+yrs and really skyrocketed in the past 11 or so years. Ofcourse all of it cant be blamed on LES either as we have had a number of very active winters too such as 04-05, 07-08, 08-09 etc. Ofcourse this past winter and for several now we have seen a large number of nnw/nw/n flow events too and well YNG is downwind of BOTH Erie and Huron as well.

No doubt LES is increasing. We can pick and prod at whos doing the measuring all we want, but there is ZERO doubt that large LES events are increasing in all the belts. Even here in SE MI we have seen so much more LES this decade than last. Nothing major, but I mean in the '90s I remember very few LES events other than a few dustings, and its now common to get 1-2" here, 1-3" there, dustings galore. And of course synoptic snow is way above normal.