Best Mid-Atlantic winter storm of the last 40 years

[Deck Pic]

Anyone remember when Greaseman called Air Florida on air shortly after the accident? Wow. I was 13 at the time so unfortunately I thought it was funny...now...notsomuch. 

 

I think it was Howard Stern, no?

[EastCoast NPZ]

I think it was Howard Stern, no?

 

In my memory I thought it preceeded Greaseman by just a little too.

[Bob Chill]

Heh, yep it was Stern. Young memories mix things up. Grease dropped a few bombs on air that were far worse.

[HighStakes]

Jan. 82 was my favorite winter month as kid and is when my winter addiction began. I always loved snow up to that point but the combination of cold and snow that was seen during that month really got me hooked. Even though I was only 9 I can remember very clearly lot of details during that winter.

[PrinceFrederickWx]

We're getting a storm worthy of this list this winter. I make forecasts you can trust. 

 

Poll for "best winter period ever" will be coming towards the end of the season, I'm holding off cause I know some week this February will be making that list too.

[PrinceFrederickWx]

We're getting a storm worthy of this list this winter. I make forecasts you can trust. 

 

Poll for "best winter period ever" will be coming towards the end of the season, I'm holding off cause I know some week this February January will be making that list too.

 

QFT, with one minor adjustment lol

 

I don't think there's a way to add in a poll option though.

[Fozz]

The best question isn't which storm was the best--it's how much longer until we have another storm to add to the list. 

 

4 months?

 

 

8 years and 4 months?

 

oops 

[PrinceFrederickWx]

I actually would like to modify this poll and add the new storm in but it seems like if you add an option it deletes the whole poll? (I played around with a previous poll once and that's what happened). Maybe a mod or admin can edit it for me or tell me if there's a way to do it? idk

[NORVA]

93/94/96 - great childhood memories The 2000s were all college memories, not as much fun tbh

[PrinceFrederickWx]

Whew! It worked. Cool, now you can all change your votes.

[J.Mike]

I thought that the Snowmageddon event (both storms) would be the top of my list for a very long time. But I was still working and as a government contractor, I was considered essential and got permission to work from home for 4 days. The problem: the agency's aging servers could not keep up with the VM demands of everyone telecommuting and I lost a lot of work when everything crashed. Very stressful, and it took any joy out of enjoying the wondrous snowscape.

 

But this storm for me is very different. I'm retired, and my calendar is clear for the next couple of days. While my neighbors are digging out thinking they will go to work Monday (and with no snowplow in sight), I'm chillin in a hot bathtub with a cup of my favorite coffee and listening to some quality jazz. Later, I'll venture out with my Canon to take some quality pictures.

 

This storm had everything: a fun-filled 5 days of tracking with moments of high drama (fooking Euro); early start, and for some of us, moments of disappointment (DT, please!) with a 5 hour lull in DC followed by a stunning display of nature's fury. I sit with 2' and a 5 foot drift on my left side that's past the windowsills.  It's just glorious, and I can savor the beauty for many, many days.

[needbiggerboat]

PD I, Feb 79

First big snow after moving to the area. Magical as a kid, and the aftermath was fun. Still remember big pine trees in the yard swaying in the wind and whiteout conditions.

Was the event that got me interested in weather and climate.

Feb 5/6 2010 my #2, and yesterday at #3.

[Fozz]

Definitely yesterday's storm over Snowmageddon. I'd say it was even better than the Blizzard of 96, at least in the metro areas, but it may not get as high of a NESIS rating since it missed much SNE. 

[Bob Chill]

PD1 was the most influential so it takes my vote. 10 years old and blew my mind. Always loved snow but that one was the first hit to a lifetime addiction.

Wasn't living here during Jan 96 so as great as it sounds I missed the experience.

Jan 2000 will never happen again. Models are far more skilled. That kind of short range reverse bust is off the table. Maybe a small and localized bust is possible but nothing like that.

09-10 was mind blowing but after my years in the Rockies and older age, it can't top the wow factor of pd1

I changed my vote. 2016 was an incredible tracking and real time experience. The insane model runs and insane totals around the areas west of the cities led to an unimaginable period for winter wx enthusiasts. Biggest storm ever in my yard seals the deal.

[clskinsfan]

I pulled my vote for PD2 and placed it into GB16. Just an incredible experience yesterday.

[CAPE]

PD II probably. Hard to pick honestly. '79, 83, 96, and the 3 biggies in '09-10 I put ahead of this storm. Its all based on location though!

[PrinceFrederickWx]

We're living in the era of HECS for sure. I expect the next one in 2023 (give or take a year)... or maybe late February. :-)

[snowfan]

BWIs top 10 is now all 20"+ snows. That's solid.

[North Balti Zen]

BWIs top 10 is now all 20"+ snows. That's solid.

Sure is - as befitting a snow town...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gymengineer]

BWIs top 10 is now all 20"+ snows. That's solid.

Well, it *would have been* except LWX knocked a few inches off of the 12/09 total later in the season to put it down to 18". 

[HighStakes]

Well, it *would have been* except LWX knocked a few inches off of the 12/09 total later in the season to put it down to 18". 

I think BWI also came a few tenths of an inch short on the 2/10/2010 measurement.

[snowfan]

Well, it *would have been* except LWX knocked a few inches off of the 12/09 total later in the season to put it down to 18".

I thought they lowered 2/5/10. Had no idea 12/09 was lowered.

[snowfan]

My personal top 5 is now:

1/96: was in southern PA with 3' totals and massive drifts. I'll most likely need to move to the country before experiencing this again.

2/10 part I

1/16

2/03

2/10 part II

[PrinceFrederickWx]

I thought they lowered 2/5/10. Had no idea 12/09 was lowered.

 

12/2009 was originally 21" but later lowered to 18"

 

2/5-6/2010 had two measurements: a 28.8" taken every hour and a 24.8" taken once at the end. There were no 6 hour measurements. 25.0" was a derived amount that was supposed to account for compaction. 1/30/10 was also adjusted down. Supposedly all the storms were overmeasured at BWI between 1998 and 2/5-6/2010, but none of the other ones were adjusted down.

 

I'm still trying to figure out if the 29.2" BWI got in this storm has been adjusted down or not- there's a discrepancy between two pages on LWX's website.

[EastCoast NPZ]

Jan. '96

Feb. '83

Jan. '16

2/5/10

Dec. '09

 

It's interesting that 3 of the top 5 have happened in the last 6 years.

[87storms]

I'd probably have to go with 16 now. I never stopped snowing Saturday. Stayed close enough to the deform band here that it was probably a little more than snow tv. The front end thump overnight Friday and the Saturday afternoon wraparound deform bands put it at or very near the top of its class here. 96 and 16 are the cream of the crop for snowstorms here at least N&W of the cities and pretty close to that for the cities themselves. Feb 03 was also special but a notch below in entertainment value. Feb 10 was bigtime but didn't have the temps to start out that 16 did.

16

96

03

10

09

93

00

That's probably the order for me. Too young for 83.

[gymengineer]

I'd probably have to go with 16 now. I never stopped snowing Saturday. Stayed close enough to the deform band here that it was probably a little more than snow tv. The front end thump overnight Friday and the Saturday afternoon wraparound deform bands put it at or very near the top of its class here. 96 and 16 are the cream of the crop for snowstorms here at least N&W of the cities and pretty close to that for the cities themselves. Feb 03 was also special but a notch below in entertainment value. Feb 10 was bigtime but didn't have the temps to start out that 16 did.

16

96

03

10

09

00

That's probably the order for me. Too young for 83.

You wouldn't put the second 2/10 blizzard above '00? 

[PrinceFrederickWx]

I'd still put the two Snowmageddons at the top of my list, but its an apples to oranges comparison since I was living in Glen Burnie. If I was up there for 2016, maybe I'd have it at #1, I don't know.

[87storms]

You wouldn't put the second 2/10 blizzard above '00?

Nah I was kinda fringed and I think that was made more epic because it was snowing on top of snowmageddon. Looking at them individually I gotta put that one below 00.

[weatherCCB]

My top 5 here in Rockville

2016

2010

1996

1979

2003