Let's Talk October Snowfall

[Chicago WX]

Just a thread to talk about October snowfall, events, etc. Because, well we're getting close. Please feel free to add whatever October snowfall stuff you want to share. Trolls need not apply.

I'll start with the Octobers that had measurable snowfall at the four longterm climate sites in Indiana. Total October snowfall of each year below...

Evansville (1897 to present)

1917: 0.2"

1925: 5.0"

1989: 0.9"

1993: 4.6"

Fort Wayne (1897 to present)

1913: 1.6"

1916: 0.2"

1917: 5.6"

1925: 1.4"

1929: 1.4"

1930: 0.2"

1937: 0.4"

1952: 0.7"

1954: 0.1"

1957: 0.2"

1962: 0.6"

1972: 0.5"

1974: 1.4"

1980: 0.2"

1989: 8.0"

1992: 1.4"

1993: 1.0"

Indianapolis (1884 to present)

1890: 0.1"

1916: 0.4"

1917: 0.4"

1925: 1.4"

1929: 0.4"

1962: 1.2"

1989: 9.3"

1992: 0.1"

1993: 2.4"

South Bend (1897 to present)

1898: 0.5"

1906: 13.0"

1909: 1.0"

1910: 15.0"

1913: 2.0"

1916: 0.5"

1917: 3.6"

1925: 5.0"

1926: 0.6"

1929: 1.0"

1930: 0.5"

1937: 2.5"

1952: 2.0"

1954: 6.5"

1962: 8.6"

1965: 2.4"

1967: 5.0"

1972: 1.5"

1974: 0.6"

1976: 0.8"

1977: 0.3"

1980: 1.1"

1981: 0.1"

1988: 0.3"

1989: 8.8"

1992: 1.2"

1997: 0.2"

2006: 1.8"

2008: 0.7"

[KokomoWX]

I remember the 89 snow. I was living/working in Indy, had just met my wife, and drove an 85 Camero. Very miserable.

[mnweather]

October 31-November 3 1991, Duluth, MN had 36.9" of snow. Original forecast called for 6-12"! MSP also had 28.4" which is MSP greatest snowfall for any storm. Portions of southern MN, Iowa, and Nebraska had a crippling ice storm. 2-3" was common with 1" of ice reported in Omaha.

[Chicago WX]

I remember the 89 snow. I was living/working in Indy, had just met my wife, and drove an 85 Camero. Very miserable.

That Camero had to be awesome in the snow.

Thread from EUSWX about that event: http://www.easternus...of-the-century/

October 31-November 3 1991, Duluth, MN had 36.9" of snow. Original forecast called for 6-12"! MSP also had 28.4" which is MSP greatest snowfall for any storm. Portions of southern MN, Iowa, and Nebraska had a crippling ice storm. 2-3" was common with 1" of ice reported in Omaha.

A phenomenal event. Write up about that storm from the MN State Climatologist office: http://climate.umn.e...izzard_20th.htm

[IWXwx]

October 31-November 3 1991, Duluth, MN had 36.9" of snow. Original forecast called for 6-12"! MSP also had 28.4" which is MSP greatest snowfall for any storm. Portions of southern MN, Iowa, and Nebraska had a crippling ice storm. 2-3" was common with 1" of ice reported in Omaha.

That's an amazing amount of ice, especially that time of year. I think of ice storms occurring later when the ground is frozen.

[mnweather]

That's an amazing amount of ice, especially that time of year. I think of ice storms occurring later when the ground is frozen.

Yeah it is pretty wild and to think that some places that had ice flipped over to snow and still accumulated 10".

[dmc76]

October 31-November 3 1991, Duluth, MN had 36.9" of snow. Original forecast called for 6-12"! MSP also had 28.4" which is MSP greatest snowfall for any storm. Portions of southern MN, Iowa, and Nebraska had a crippling ice storm. 2-3" was common with 1" of ice reported in Omaha.

I remember as a kid following this event on TWC.

[mnweather]

I remember as a kid following this event on TWC.

I have tried to find TWC clips on it but have been unsuccessful. They are mostly on the "Perfect Storm" and didn't focus on the midwest much.

[cyclone77]

I strung together archived satellite images for the 1991 storm from NCDC. Unfortunately they are missing data for almost 2 days during the height of the storm. The data cuts off just as the Midwest storm was about to go ape**** early on Halloween day. Still pretty interesting, especially with the "Perfect Storm" spinning off the east coast.

[mnweather]

^Nice satellite loop. Were you in Iowa when this storm struck?

[cyclone77]

^Nice satellite loop. Were you in Iowa when this storm struck?

Thanks, but really wish there wasn't so much missing data. Hopefully someday they'll fill in many of the gaps they have in missing imagery time sections.

I lived in the QC at the time, right about where the surface low tracked through. Some of my cousins in southwest Iowa (near Shenandoah) dealt with quite an ice storm. This storm always fascinated me as it was such an early season powerhouse snowstorm. That and it coincided with the infamous "Perfect Storm".

[Geos]

I remember the snow in 1989 pretty well. I think that's the only October snow I can really recall around here - that stuck more than an inch. Had a few dustings since then.

[cyclone77]

Found this a bit ago. Pretty choppy, but some nice imagery of the 91 blizzard...

http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/HallowLoop.gif

[mnweather]

yeah, nice imagery, I would love to see a radar loop but good luck finding that. Best I can find is old newscasts with radar being shown, better than nothing though.

[Chicago WX]

I remember the snow in 1989 pretty well. I think that's the only October snow I can really recall around here - that stuck more than an inch. Had a few dustings since then.

Get anything up there with October 8, 2000?

Radar: http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/current/mcview.phtml?prod=lotrad&java=script&mode=archive&frames=30&interval=5&year=2000&month=10&day=8&hour=0&minute=0

MDW had TSSN with that event: http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KMDW/2000/10/8/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA

[michsnowfreak]

For Detroit:

Chronological order, Octobers with measurable snow:

1880- 0.4"

1895- 0.1"

1909- 0.4"

1925- 2.0"

1926- 0.4"

1930- 1.4"

1936- 0.3"

1943- 1.0"

1980- 2.9"

1981- 0.1"

1989- 2.7"

1992- 0.4"

1993- 0.4"

1997- 0.1"

2006- 0.2"

So in 132 years of record...

15 Octobers had measurable snowfall

52 Octobers had a trace of snowfall

65 Octobers had no snowfall

So its a pretty much 50/50 shot of seeing flakes in October in Detroit.

October snow facts at Detroit:

Most consecutive Octobers with NO snow: 7 (1944-1950...note we are at 5 consecutive Octobers now with no official snow)

Most consecutive Octobers with snow: 4 (1934-1937....1979-1982....1986-1989)

Decade with the most Octobers seeing snow: 1930s, 1960s, 1980s (7 of 10 Octobers saw snow)

Decade with the least Octobers seeing snow: 1940s (only 2 of 10 Octobers saw snow)

Earliest snow on record: Oct 1, 1974 (T)

Earliest measurable snow on record: Oct 12, 2006 (0.2")

Octobers snowfalls ranked by size (I included the date since all Oct's with measurable snow occurred on 1 or 2 days).

2.9" - Oct 27/28, 1980

2.7" - Oct 19, 1989

2.0" - Oct 28, 1925

1.4" - Oct 19, 1930

1.0" - Oct 16/17, 1943

0.4" - 1880 (0.2 on Oct 18 & 20)

0.4" - Oct 13, 1909

0.4" - Oct 25, 1926

0.4" - Oct 20, 1992

0.4" - Oct 30/31, 1993

0.3" - Oct 26, 1936

0.2" - Oct 12, 2006

0.1" - Oct 20, 1895

0.1" - Oct 23, 1981

0.1" - Oct 27, 1997

[snowstormcanuck]

October flakes are about a 50/50 shot here as well. Last "measurable" October snowfall was in 2010 when 0.1" fell on Halloween at Pearson. Prior to that you'd have to go back to 1997 to find measurable October snowfall in Toronto. Roughly a once per decade proposition here.

[michsnowfreak]

For Detroit:

Chronological order, Octobers with measurable snow:

1880- 0.4"

1895- 0.1"

1909- 0.4"

1925- 2.0"

1926- 0.4"

1930- 1.4"

1936- 0.3"

1943- 1.0"

1980- 2.9"

1981- 0.1"

1989- 2.7"

1992- 0.4"

1993- 0.4"

1997- 0.1"

2006- 0.2"

So in 132 years of record...

15 Octobers had measurable snowfall

52 Octobers had a trace of snowfall

65 Octobers had no snowfall

So its a pretty much 50/50 shot of seeing flakes in October in Detroit.

October snow facts at Detroit:

Most consecutive Octobers with NO snow: 7 (1944-1950...note we are at 5 consecutive Octobers now with no official snow)

Most consecutive Octobers with snow: 4 (1934-1937....1979-1982....1986-1989)

Decade with the most Octobers seeing snow: 1930s, 1960s, 1980s (7 of 10 Octobers saw snow)

Decade with the least Octobers seeing snow: 1940s (only 2 of 10 Octobers saw snow)

Earliest snow on record: Oct 1, 1974 (T)

Earliest measurable snow on record: Oct 12, 2006 (0.2")

Octobers snowfalls ranked by size (I included the date since all Oct's with measurable snow occurred on 1 or 2 days).

2.9" - Oct 27/28, 1980

2.7" - Oct 19, 1989

2.0" - Oct 28, 1925

1.4" - Oct 19, 1930

1.0" - Oct 16/17, 1943

0.4" - 1880 (0.2 on Oct 18 & 20)

0.4" - Oct 13, 1909

0.4" - Oct 25, 1926

0.4" - Oct 20, 1992

0.4" - Oct 30/31, 1993

0.3" - Oct 26, 1936

0.2" - Oct 12, 2006

0.1" - Oct 20, 1895

0.1" - Oct 23, 1981

0.1" - Oct 27, 1997

Just to expand a bit further.....both Detroits snowiest (93.6" in 1880-81) and least snowy (12.9" in 1936-37) winter began with measurable snow in October. 0.2" on Oct 18th and again on Oct 20th in 1880 were just the beginning hints of what would become one of the most severe winters the midwest had ever known.....and meanwhile, 0.3" on Oct 26th in 1936 was a cruel tease to a bare winter that truly was a "Great Depression" for snowlovers.

[dmc76]

Pretty cool video from the Snowstorm on Oct 12th 2006. I was not in the area I was coming back from Italy. When I came back the 13th seen Snowmen in my neighbors yards and was in awww. According to neighbors/Family and friends 2-3" fell that day. To come from a tranquil October Europe weather to bone chilling cold was pretty cool and the Tigers were whipping Oakland in the ALCS. Here's a TWC forecast

[Entropy]

A little known snowstorm impacted parts of northeast Ohio, northwest Ohio, and western New York, on October 10-11, 1906, with 6 to 12 inches of lake-effect snow. Flurries fell as far south as Louisville, Kentucky.

Here is a representative report from Hiram, Portage County, Ohio:

On October 11, 2006, the high was 34 and the low was 24, along with 8.0" of snow. The daily comment describes the scene as "almost a blizzard." The observer also noted elsewhere "Nature dies a violent death this fall. No brilliant autumn colors." and "On the 11th, the trees in full foliage were so loaded with snow as to break off many limbs. It seemed like a snowstorm in June."

And at Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio:

There was a two-day storm total snowfall of 7.7" at Warren on the 10th-11th. The high and low were 38 and 24, respectively, on the 11th. The remark reads: "The storm on the 10 [sic] broke down many shade and fruit trees. Leaves were still green and flowers in bloom, apples on trees or under them."

[Entropy]

Another big early-season cold spell and lake effect snowfall occurred on October 18-19, 1930. Up to 4 feet of snow was observed in parts of western New York, with snow drifts reportedly as high as 10-12 feet.

"On October 18 and 19, one of the worst snow storms of record occurred between South Buffalo and Erie, Pa., being worst in the Hamburg-Angola section. The fall of snow varied from six inches to four feet, and drifts were reported 10 to 12 feet deep. Hundreds of automobiles were stranded for 24 hours or more, apple orchards and shade trees were badly damaged, telephone and power lines torn down, railroad and bus transportation hindered, and much damage done to buildings due to the weight of the snow. The press reported the following losses: a building at the Angola Airport caved in; also the roof of the Angola Hotel, causing an estimated damage of $3000. The roof of the Acme Veneering Co. at Orchard Park collapsed, resulting in $5000 damage to the building and machinery. The roof of the Famous Store in Dunkirk caved in and caused a loss of $15,000, and the roof of the Floral Hall at the County Fair Grounds was also demolished. Damage to shade trees and shrubbery, South Park, Buffalo, was estimated at $50,000. Heavy snow also fell on the above dates over the region east of Lake Ontario, varying in depth from three inches at Watertown to nearly four feet at Gouverneur. Hundreds of automobiles were stalled in drifts, and much damage done to trees, shrubs, telephone and power lines."

[Hoosier]

If you want to go in the way back machine, Chad Evans has a brief writeup about a snow event in 1805:

October 25, 1805

An early-season heavy snowfall struck central & northern Indiana. At the White River Mission, a fort on the White River in Madison County, a diary mentioned that “it began to snow hard” on the afternoon of the 25th. It also stated “the Indians were frightened on account of it. They said they had never seen the like, this time of year, in this place….” By the morning of the 26th, the entry read, “it looks as it does in mid-winter.” Fort Wayne reported 12” of snowfall.

http://blogs.wlfi.com/2012/09/19/on-these-dates-in-local-weather-history-september-20-october-29/

[Geos]

Those old weather records are really cool to look at Entropy!

I was just thinking, what's the earliest lake effect snow has been reported? Probably the second week of October?

[Entropy]

Those old weather records are really cool to look at Entropy!

I was just thinking, what's the earliest lake effect snow has been reported? Probably the second week of October?

It looks like there were a few mixed lake effect snow and rain showers on October 2, 2003. Cleveland reported 0.3" of snow and sleet, and Youngstown reported 0.1" of snow and sleet. The October 10-11, 1906 event is probably the earliest recorded significant lake effect snowfall. I'm not aware of any snow ever having been observed in September in this area.

On the other end of the spectrum, snow flurries and sleet were observed on June 23, 1902, at several locations in northern Ohio.

[Fickle Heights]

Finally, my J&C column about the '89 October snowfall ran today. Really couldn't discuss much of the meteorology due to space issues, but it's a pretty good general overview. http://www.jconline.com/article/20120929/COLUMNISTS/309290025/Derrick-Snyder-Freak-snowstorm-brought-winter-blast

[DLMKA]

October 31-November 3 1991, Duluth, MN had 36.9" of snow. Original forecast called for 6-12"! MSP also had 28.4" which is MSP greatest snowfall for any storm. Portions of southern MN, Iowa, and Nebraska had a crippling ice storm. 2-3" was common with 1" of ice reported in Omaha.

I remember this well, we lived just SW of Minneapolis about 10 miles from town. I was in 5th grade and remember heavy snow coming down when we got let out of school at noon. Mom took us trick or treating and we got stuck in the neighbors driveway which ended the night pretty quick for us kids. I remember tunnelling out snow drifts in the backyard at our farmhouse with caverns high enough that we could stand up in. Since it got so betterly cold afterwards the top of the snow got really hard and we could walk on top of the snow.

[Hoosier]

Finally, my J&C column about the '89 October snowfall ran today. Really couldn't discuss much of the meteorology due to space issues, but it's a pretty good general overview. http://www.jconline.com/article/20120929/COLUMNISTS/309290025/Derrick-Snyder-Freak-snowstorm-brought-winter-blast

Chad has a post on his blog:

http://blogs.wlfi.com/2012/10/04/65952/

[Fickle Heights]

Chad has a post on his blog:

http://blogs.wlfi.co...12/10/04/65952/

Thanks for sharing. I guess if I could change one thing about my article, I would try to put the Oct. 1989 storm into historical context. I found the first comment about an October snowfall in 1869 to be really interesting. I'd love to know more about that storm.

Nice contouring on that snowfall map, BTW.

[Hoosier]

Thanks for sharing. I guess if I could change one thing about my article, I would try to put the Oct. 1989 storm into historical context. I found the first comment about an October snowfall in 1869 to be really interesting. I'd love to know more about that storm.

Nice contouring on that snowfall map, BTW.

Me too. It's hard to find good info about the old time stuff especially prior to the late 1800s.

[Hoosier]

I noticed something kinda interesting regarding October 1989. The remnants of Hurricane Jerry moved through the Ohio Valley just a couple days before the snowstorm.