All the seasons with 20+ days of 1"+ snow-cover at DCA

[gymengineer]

Borrowing stats from a spreadsheet Ian posted once (thanks Ian!), I compiled the list below of all the seasons at DCA that had 20 or more 1"+ snow-cover days. Any winter that gets to 20 days down at DCA had an impressive coinciding of cold with snow at least for one period.

 

 

                    # of 1"+ cover days     Seasonal total 

1947-1948:      22                              23.4"

1960-1961:      44                              40.3"

1962-1963:      27                              21.4"

1963-1964:      27                              33.6"

1966-1967:      26                              37.1" 

1976-1977:      24                              11.1"

1977-1978:      25                              22.7"

1978-1979:      23                              37.7"

1981-1982:      22                              22.5"

1987-1988:      22                              25.0"

1989-1990:      24                              15.3"

1993-1994:      23                              13.2" 

1995-1996:      25                              46.0"

1999-2000:      20                              15.4" 

2002-2003:      28                              40.4"

2009-2010:      30                              56.1"

2013-2014:      20                              32.0"

 

Some observations:

1) Four of these seasons had a less than 20" seasonal total. They maximized the coinciding of cold and snow-- 76/77 had the sustained cold of January; December 89 had the sustained cold after the early month storms; 93/94's modest snows held on in the persistent January cold, and early February added another stretch of sleet-cover; and late January 2000 was near ideal with three storms in the coldest part of the winter.

 

1999/2000 really stood out to me, because what could have been a complete stinker of a winter if the timing was off ended up making it onto this list over some of our legendary winters. 

 

2) Some 25"+ seasons didn't make it to 20 days-- 57/58 (40.4"), 65/66 (28.4"), 82/83 (27.6"), 86/87 (31.1"). They were all moderate to strong Nino winters and are all famous ones for the area-- the theme was big storms but also numerous periods of warmth.  

 

3) The 1960's- every winter in that decade except for 68/69 was well over 10 days of 1"+ snow cover. If you grew up then, your childhood memories would include lots of opportunities for sledding, building snowmen, etc. 

However, the late 70's through early 80's also wasn't a bad time to grow up-- many of those winters had extensive snow cover during the winter. 76-79 was also the only 3 consecutive winter stretch to hit 20 days. 

[WVclimo]

That's good stuff. Thanks for putting that together.

[EastCoast NPZ]

Interesting stats.  Nice job.  Indeed, I remember the mid and late 70s out here fondly for ample sledding and ice-skating opportunities

[gymengineer]

Is this for the longest consecutive period? If not, I'd really like to know what that is--especially compared to other locations.

This was total, not consecutive. For consecutive days at DCA, it's 29 days from 1/20-2/17 in the 1960/1961 season.

[Fozz]

There must be something really extraordinary about 1960-61

[WVclimo]

There must be something really extraordinary about 1960-61

It's officially the record holder for most snowfall in a season at MRB, since they quit measuring in 2001. I actually matched the 82" total here in 09-10, and also tied the other record at MRB from that season with 61 days of at least 1" of snowcover. But I am surrounded by farmland. Not sure how the airport fared.

[gymengineer]

There must be something really extraordinary about 1960-61

For DC, absolutely. A quick summary of the 1/19-2/12 period:

5 storms (a couple mixed). 7.7" followed six days later by 5.9" followed eight days later by 8.3" followed four days later by 6.4" followed four days later by 3.3".

Highest high temp during the period: 44F

Highest low: 37 F

Lowest high: 17 F

Lowest low: 4 F

Only one day had the low above freezing (that 44/37 day).

[Fozz]

It's officially the record holder for most snowfall in a season at MRB, since they quit measuring in 2001. I actually matched the 82" total here in 09-10, and also tied the other record at MRB from that season with 61 days of at least 1" of snowcover. But I am surrounded by farmland. Not sure how the airport fared.

 

That's very impressive... did your snow from the 12/19 HECS last beyond the Christmas rainstorm?

[Fozz]

For DC, absolutely. A quick summary of the 1/19-2/12 period:

5 storms (a couple mixed). 7.7" followed six days later by 5.9" followed eight days later by 8.3" followed four days later by 6.4" followed four days later by 3.3".

Highest high temp during the period: 44F

Highest low: 37 F

Lowest high: 17 F

Lowest low: 4 F

Only one day had the low above freezing (that 44/37 day).

 

That's amazing especially for DCA... I can only imagine how the burbs did

[Fozz]

That's amazing especially for DCA... I can only imagine how the burbs did

 

Just checked Woodstock, MD, in far northeast Howard county and likely the most similar place to my climo that has data....

 

a whooping 75 days of snow cover in 1960-61. 

[kurtstack]

I have extremely fond memories of the late 70s and early 80s winters.  Quite a stretch there.  I wasn't around for the 1960s, but the stats sure seem impressive. 

[HighStakes]

Just checked Woodstock, MD, in far northeast Howard county and likely the most similar place to my climo that has data....

 

a whooping 75 days of snow cover in 1960-61. 

Where did you find that data at?

[Fozz]

Where did you find that data at?

 

Found it at the NCDC site

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cdo-web/

 

Click Browse Datasets, then Daily Summaries, and you can use a search or map tool to find the station and then select the time range of the data. I used Woodstock since it's located on a similar SW-NE axis to my area, isn't too far, and has similar elevation (a bit lower but still decent).

 

I think there's also data for Westminster if you're interested.

[WVclimo]

That's very impressive... did your snow from the 12/19 HECS last beyond the Christmas rainstorm?

Yes, it did. The last of it melted away on 1/15. I had put a snow stick in the ground in November 09 for the first time since moving here, and had marked off up to 36" in one-inch increments. I remember my wife laughing at that then, but it paid off. I topped out at 36" at the 7:00 a.m. report on 2/11. Good times.

Late Dec from my Cocorahs reports- date, pcp, snw, snow depth

12/19/2009. 0.42 9.0 9,0

12/20/2009 0.67 9.8 18.0

12/21/2009 0.00 0.0 15.0

12/22/2009 0.00 0.0 12.0

12/23/2009 0.00 0.0 11.0

12/24/2009 0.00 0.0 10.0

12/25/2009 0.00 0.0 9.0

12/26/2009 0.93 T 5.0

12/27/2009 0.32 0.0 2.0

12/28/2009 T T 1.0

12/29/2009 T T 1.0

12/30/2009 0.00 0.0 1.0

12/31/2009 0.22 2.9 4.0

[gymengineer]

That's amazing especially for DCA... I can only imagine how the burbs did

That winter was 60"+ for much of DC's northern and western suburbs. Rockville cleared the 60" mark, which meant it was probably its snowiest winter until 95/96 barely beat it. 

[HighStakes]

Found it at the NCDC site

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cdo-web/

 

Click Browse Datasets, then Daily Summaries, and you can use a search or map tool to find the station and then select the time range of the data. I used Woodstock since it's located on a similar SW-NE axis to my area, isn't too far, and has similar elevation (a bit lower but still decent).

 

I think there's also data for Westminster if you're interested.

Thanks

[wxdude64]

Yes, it did. The last of it melted away on 1/15. I had put a snow stick in the ground in November 09 for the first time since moving here, and had marked off up to 36" in one-inch increments. I remember my wife laughing at that then, but it paid off. I topped out at 36" at the 7:00 a.m. report on 2/11. Good times.

Late Dec from my Cocorahs reports- date, pcp, snw, snow depth

12/19/2009. 0.42 9.0 9,0

12/20/2009 0.67 9.8 18.0

12/21/2009 0.00 0.0 15.0

12/22/2009 0.00 0.0 12.0

12/23/2009 0.00 0.0 11.0

12/24/2009 0.00 0.0 10.0

12/25/2009 0.00 0.0 9.0

12/26/2009 0.93 T 5.0

12/27/2009 0.32 0.0 2.0

12/28/2009 T T 1.0

12/29/2009 T T 1.0

12/30/2009 0.00 0.0 1.0

12/31/2009 0.22 2.9 4.0

We match up pretty well for that period-

12/19 1.96 20.6 19.5

12/20 0.27  3.0  19.3

12/21 T        T   17.5

12/22 T        T   15.8

12/23 0.00  0.0 13.0

12/24 0.00  0.0 11.5

12/25 T       0.0 10.5

12/26 1.01  0.0   6.5

12/27 0.00  0.0   4.0

12/28 T        T    3.0

12/29 0.01  0.2   3.0

12/30 0.00  0.0   3.0

12/31 0.29  3.2   6.0

[gymengineer]

It's officially the record holder for most snowfall in a season at MRB, since they quit measuring in 2001. I actually matched the 82" total here in 09-10, and also tied the other record at MRB from that season with 61 days of at least 1" of snowcover. But I am surrounded by farmland. Not sure how the airport fared.

60/61 and 09/10 have a pretty amazing parallel in terms of how the snow season played out. Both had a historic December storm in the 12/10-12/20 period and then relative quiet until late January. 1/20-2/13 in 1961 was a period similar to 1/29-2/11 in 2010. Storm after storm with a couple of bullseyes over the area.... And then it all ended in mid-February. All deposited.