SE Snow Totals Since 2009/2010

[packbacker]

Thought I would pull together some numbers looking at major cities in NC seasonal snowfall over the past 5 years, including this season.  The intent of this is obvious, to track how the cities in the SE are doing.  I would love for someone to post numbers for CAE, GSP and ATL.

 

City seasonal averages are pulled from URL below which is valid through 12/2009 which is the start of the 5 year period that I analyzed below.  I know you can find numbers everywhere, some lower some higher, but this matched up with the numbers I have for RDU so thought it looked close enough and the SE Regional Climate Center is a fairly recognized entity.

 

http://www.sercc.com/climateinfo/historical/avgsnowfall.html

 

Example:  RDU has received 20.9" of snow since 2009/2010.  They average 7.6" of snow per season so over those 5 seasons the total would be (7.6" x 5 = 38"), thus they are at 55% of there seasonal snowfall average over the last 5 years (20.9"/38").

 

Location:  Total Snow (Total Average Snow) Percentage of Total

 

CAE - 19.2" (9.5")   = 202%

PGV:  31.9"  (20")   = 160%  (Note:  I believe PGV's seasonal average is 4")

ATL -  15.4" (10.5") = 147%

AVL:   109"  (74.5") = 146% (Note:  I used AshevilleDon's #'s)

GSO:  37.8" (46")    = 82%

HKY:   28"    (35")    = 80%

CLT:  19.6"  (29")     = 68%

RDU:  20.9" (38")    = 55% 

 

GSP - (32.5") ???

[jburns]

 

Thought I would pull together some numbers looking at major cities in NC seasonal snowfall over the past 5 years, including this season.  The intent of this is obvious, to track how the cities in the SE are doing.  I would love for someone to post numbers for CAE, GSP and ATL.

 

City seasonal averages are pulled from URL below which is valid through 12/2009 which is the start of the 5 year period that I analyzed below.  I know you can find numbers everywhere, some lower some higher, but this matched up with the numbers I have for RDU so thought it looked close enough and the SE Regional Climate Center is a fairly recognized entity.

 

http://www.sercc.com/climateinfo/historical/avgsnowfall.html

 

Example:  RDU has received 20.9" of snow since 2009/2010.  They average 7.6" of snow per season so over those 5 seasons the total would be (7.6" x 5 = 38"), thus they are at 55% of there seasonal snowfall average over the last 5 years (20.9"/38").

 

Location:  Total Snow (Total Average Snow) Percentage of Total

 

PGV:  31.9"  (20")  = 160%  (Note:  I believe PGV's seasonal average is 4")

AVL:   109"  (74.5") = 146% (Note:  I used AshevilleDon's #'s)

GSO:  37.8" (46")   = 82%

CLT:  19.6"  (29")   = 68%

RDU:  20.9" (38")   = 55% 

 

CAE - (9.5")

GSP - (32.5")

ATL -  (10.5")

 

WCS - 0.0 (0.5) =0%

 

We can't forget Metal.

[JQPublic]

We're due!

[Cold Rain]

Those numbers really tell the tale. Just sad.

[NavarreDon]

 

Thought I would pull together some numbers looking at major cities in NC seasonal snowfall over the past 5 years, including this season.  The intent of this is obvious, to track how the cities in the SE are doing.  I would love for someone to post numbers for CAE, GSP and ATL.

 

City seasonal averages are pulled from URL below which is valid through 12/2009 which is the start of the 5 year period that I analyzed below.  I know you can find numbers everywhere, some lower some higher, but this matched up with the numbers I have for RDU so thought it looked close enough and the SE Regional Climate Center is a fairly recognized entity.

 

http://www.sercc.com/climateinfo/historical/avgsnowfall.html

 

Example:  RDU has received 20.9" of snow since 2009/2010.  They average 7.6" of snow per season so over those 5 seasons the total would be (7.6" x 5 = 38"), thus they are at 55% of there seasonal snowfall average over the last 5 years (20.9"/38").

 

Location:  Total Snow (Total Average Snow) Percentage of Total

 

PGV:  31.9"  (20")  = 160%  (Note:  I believe PGV's seasonal average is 4")

AVL:   109"  (74.5") = 146% (Note:  I used AshevilleDon's #'s)

GSO:  37.8" (46")   = 82%

CLT:  19.6"  (29")   = 68%

RDU:  20.9" (38")   = 55% 

 

CAE - (9.5")

GSP - (32.5")

ATL -  (10.5")

 

 

Remember my numbers are skewed because of a more favorable nwfs location vs downtown & dramatically more than KAVL the city's official reporting site.....which by the way finished with 0.9" yesterday. So the streak of 1" snow there continues. I  guess it doesn't matter if you are using mby averages to compare against.

[GaWx]

 

Thought I would pull together some numbers looking at major cities in NC seasonal snowfall over the past 5 years, including this season.  The intent of this is obvious, to track how the cities in the SE are doing.  I would love for someone to post numbers for CAE, GSP and ATL.

 

City seasonal averages are pulled from URL below which is valid through 12/2009 which is the start of the 5 year period that I analyzed below.  I know you can find numbers everywhere, some lower some higher, but this matched up with the numbers I have for RDU so thought it looked close enough and the SE Regional Climate Center is a fairly recognized entity.

 

http://www.sercc.com/climateinfo/historical/avgsnowfall.html

 

Example:  RDU has received 20.9" of snow since 2009/2010.  They average 7.6" of snow per season so over those 5 seasons the total would be (7.6" x 5 = 38"), thus they are at 55% of there seasonal snowfall average over the last 5 years (20.9"/38").

 

Location:  Total Snow (Total Average Snow) Percentage of Total

 

PGV:  31.9"  (20")  = 160%  (Note:  I believe PGV's seasonal average is 4")

AVL:   109"  (74.5") = 146% (Note:  I used AshevilleDon's #'s)

GSO:  37.8" (46")   = 82%

CLT:  19.6"  (29")   = 68%

RDU:  20.9" (38")   = 55% 

 

CAE - (9.5")

GSP - (32.5")

ATL -  (10.5")

 

 

ATL has kicked butt! They've already had 15.4" 12/09 through 1/14 vs. an average for 4.5 seasons of ~9.6". If you were to go back to 2008-9, ATL has had a whopping 19.6" vs. a longterm avg. of 11.7"! Four of these six season have been above the mean, much less the median.

[downeastnc]

PGV really is lucky we are often on the outside looking in but when we are not we tend to do pretty good

 

[packbacker]

ATL has kicked butt! They've already had 15.4" 12/09 through 1/14 vs. an average for 4.5 seasons of ~9.6". If you were to go back to 2008-9, ATL has had a whopping 19.6" vs. a longterm avg. of 11.7"! Four of these six season have been above the mean, much less the median.

 

Thanks GaWx!  Also, great call on yesterdays storm you had been eyeing that threat for sometime.

[packbacker]

We're due!

 

 

Those numbers really tell the tale. Just sad.

 

Part of the reason for doing this is I am curious how we compared against other cities, as I felt like we have been really lagging, had I gone back 10 years it would have only been worse for us.  I also think in 4 or 5 years our average against climo will have ticked up, it has to.  For example in 5 years to get our 10 year climo average up to say 80% over a 10 year period we will need 40" of snow over the next 5 years, which is 8" a year.  That should be attainable.

[packbacker]

PGV really is lucky we are often on the outside looking in but when we are not we tend to do pretty good

 

seasonal snow.gif

 

Thanks for posting the map, I was looking for something like that.  You guys have been kicking butt, quite a run your on, hope you guys keep it up!

[superjames1992]

You can make this even worse if you extend this back to 2005 or so.  The 2005-2008 period was awful for RDU (and for GSO, sans the surprise 2" V-Day storm in 2008).

[packbacker]

You can make this even worse if you extend this back to 2005 or so.  The 2005-2008 period was awful for RDU (and for GSO, sans the surprise 2" V-Day storm in 2008).

 

Yeah, I thought about going all the way back to 2005, but 2005-2008 was bad for everyone, so figure I would start with the "historic" winter of 2009/2010.   I can add onto this as the seasons go by, hopefully our averages start ticking up!

[franklin NCwx]

PGV really is lucky we are often on the outside looking in but when we are not we tend to do pretty good

seasonal snow.gif

that map is way off, it makes no sense. Who produced that?

[packbacker]

that map is way off, it makes no sense. Who produced that?

 

What doesn't look right?  It seems right, at least for RDU, GSO, INT, PGV and CLT, they fall into the respective ranges.   Also seems correct for the coast.  I don't know much about the foothills/mountains, is that what looks off?  Not sure where it was pulled from.

[franklin NCwx]

What doesn't look right? It seems right, at least for RDU, GSO, INT, PGV and CLT, they fall into the respective ranges. Also seems correct for the coast. I don't know much about the foothills/mountains, is that what looks off? Not sure where it was pulled from.

it has the mtns off. Look what it has for the smokies and northern Haywood county.

[superjames1992]

That map was posted in one of NWS Raleigh's case studies of a winter storm, IIRC.  Not sure which storm.

 

EDIT: Ah, yes, it was the case study of the December 2000 storm:

 

http://www4.ncsu.edu/~nwsfo/storage/cases/20001203/

[J.C.]

I haven't been in CAE since 2009, however I do know we had 3" last night, 3.6" in Feb of 2010, 8.6" in March of 2010, 4" in January of 2011.  I'm sure there is more, but that is all I can think of.  I'm sure somebody from this area knows. That is at least 19.2" so far.  

 

I didn't live in Atlanta, but Dallas, GA (30 miles NNW of ATL) and we had 12" alone in 2010.  In that five year period there has been at least 20", which is pretty good considering 2012-2013 didn't have very much.

[packbacker]

That map was posted in one of NWS Raleigh's case studies of a winter storm, IIRC.  Not sure which storm.

 

EDIT: Ah, yes, it was the case study of the December 2000 storm:

 

http://www4.ncsu.edu/~nwsfo/storage/cases/20001203/

 

LOL, another PGV jackpot!  Also, that was a painful bust.

[packbacker]

I haven't been in CAE since 2009, however I do know we had 3" last night, 3.6" in Feb of 2010, 8.6" in March of 2010, 4" in January of 2011.  I'm sure there is more, but that is all I can think of.  I'm sure somebody from this area knows. That is at least 19.2" so far.  

 

I didn't live in Atlanta, but Dallas, GA (30 miles NNW of ATL) and we had 12" alone in 2010.  In that five year period there has been at least 20", which is pretty good considering 2012-2013 didn't have very much.

 

Columbia had 8.6" in March 2010?  

[downeastnc]

LOL, another PGV jackpot!  Also, that was a painful bust.

LOL that's why I didnt link the whole study didn't wanna look like I was rubbing it in.....really though I would put PGV numbers since I was born in 1972 up against just about anywhere in the state outside the mts and I bet we are neck and neck in that time frame.

[EmersonGA]

15.25" which is probably about average for five years. A few years back I averaged out my area and I think it came out a hair under 3". 1993 helped to salvage the crappy 90s as a whole.

[burrel2]

Clemson, SC

 

09/10 total= 3.1 inches(February storm) 

10/11 total= 7.5 inches(1.5 for the christmas storm)(6 inches in the January storm)

11/12 total= 0

12/13 total= trace snow/trace of ZR

13/14 total= 1.2 inches(Jan 28)

 

5 year grand total = 11.8 inches 

[Met1985]

it has the mtns off. Look what it has for the smokies and northern Haywood county.

Lol was just fixing to say the same thing. All the mountains on that map do not look right.

[calculus1]

As best as I can make out, Hickory (at the official airport station) has had around 28 inches of snow combined in these last five winters.  With an average of 7 inches per winter, that puts Hickory at 80% of normal snowfall.  However, all of that outside of 1.5 inches came in those first two winters, 09-10 and 10-11.

 

So, Hickory is at 7% of normal snowfall over the current three-winter period.  It's fun to use arbitrary endpoints. 

[packbacker]

As best as I can make out, Hickory (at the official airport station) has had around 28 inches of snow combined in these last five winters.  With an average of 7 inches per winter, that puts Hickory at 80% of normal snowfall.  However, all of that outside of 1.5 inches came in those first two winters, 09-10 and 10-11.

 

So, Hickory is at 7% of normal snowfall over the current three-winter period.  It's fun to use arbitrary endpoints. 

Thanks for the data! I actually couldn't believe that Hky only averages 7", I had to double check that. Starting with 09/10 wasn't completely arbitrary, I thought about starting with 04/05 to get a 10 year window but 05-08 were bad for most, plus 09/10 was the start of a new decade.

[calculus1]

Thanks for the data! I actually couldn't believe that Hky only averages 7", I had to double check that. Starting with 09/10 wasn't completely arbitrary, I thought about starting with 04/05 to get a 10 year window but 05-08 were bad for most, plus 09/10 was the start of a new decade.

 

I'm just jerking your chain a little, packbacker. 

 

I was getting in my mathematical jab that an individual can almost always find some statistic to back up whatever viewpoint they want to convey.  If I want Hickory to appear to be in a snow drought (it sure feels like it is), I'll use my convenient 3-year window to demonstrate only 7% of average snowfall.  If I want Hickory to appear close to the long-term average in snowfall, I'll use the 5-year window right now to demonstrate 80% of average snowfall.

[DeepSouthSC]

Columbia had 8.6" in March 2010?  

 

I believe that person has things a tad mixed up.

 

CAE had nearly 9" (8.6") on February 12-13, 2010.  I'm guessing he or she made a mistake with the March, 2010 totals.  The other totals sound about right.  As, we all know totals can differentiate depending where you reside in the city (I know this synopsis are about totals in the heart of the city). 

[packbacker]

I'm just jerking your chain a little, packbacker. 

 

I was getting in my mathematical jab that an individual can almost always find some statistic to back up whatever viewpoint they want to convey.  If I want Hickory to appear to be in a snow drought (it sure feels like it is), I'll use my convenient 3-year window to demonstrate only 7% of average snowfall.  If I want Hickory to appear close to the long-term average in snowfall, I'll use the 5-year window right now to demonstrate 80% of average snowfall.

 

LOL, it's all good.  I really appreciate the numbed, I have feeling your going to be adding to your totals the next couple of weeks :-)!

 

I am still baffled on why HKY only averages 7" per year, your right in between AVL and GSO/INT but average more than 20% less than INT/GSO.  Do the mountains tend to your snow chances for overrunning events?  And your to far west for coastals or something?

[calculus1]

LOL, it's all good.  I really appreciate the numbed, I have feeling your going to be adding to your totals the next couple of weeks :-)!

 

I am still baffled on why HKY only averages 7" per year, your right in between AVL and GSO/INT but average more than 20% less than INT/GSO.  Do the mountains tend to your snow chances for overrunning events?  And your to far west for coastals or something?

 

Hickory is in an interesting geographic location.

 

Any clipper-type events will pretty much miss us completely due to the down-sloping off the mountains.  GSO and CLT are far enough away that they can be affected by clippers (GSO usually more so than CLT).

 

We get our best snows via gulf-lows that travel up the SE coast.  If the low were to travel over CAE, FAY, and RDU we usually pick up quite a bit.  If the low is much closer than that, we tend to end up with rain or ice.  If it is much farther away than that, we are usually too far away from the main body of precipitation to pick up too much.

 

In essence, we have to perfectly thread the needle to get a big storm, as is the case with many other locations down here too, I know.

[Brick Tamland]

You can make this even worse if you extend this back to 2005 or so.  The 2005-2008 period was awful for RDU (and for GSO, sans the surprise 2" V-Day storm in 2008).

 

 

I have said it before, but it has been either feast or famine for here ever since the Carolina Crusher of 2000. I think we had a good snow before the crusher, and then after the crusher we didn't have anything the rest of winter. Since then we have either had one or two good snows or nothing at all for winter. Maybe this winter we can get back to having more than one or two events. I recall when I was a kid in the 80s that we used to have winters with three or four snows because we were always going to school on spring break.