ChescoWx Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 To put it in perspective here in NW Chester County PA where we have records back to January 1894. So with 122 years of historical data this month of February will finish with an average temperature of just 20.9 (Average High was 29.3 and the Average Low was 12.5) this is not just the 3rd all-time coldest February in history (behind only 1934 at 19.3 and 1979 at 20.7) but among all months this will be the 6th coldest month ever!! The top 5 months are below January 1977 - 17.8 February 1934 - 19.3 January 1940 - 20.0 January 1918 - 20.2 February 1979 - 20.7 February 2015 - 20.9 I also went back and looked at last winter from November thru February and the same period this year. This winter period has actually averaged 0.5 degrees colder than the same period last year. With this year averaging 31.0 during the period and last year during that same timeframe averaging 31.5. The big difference between last year is the amount of snow. While we are already above average for normal snowfall here in NW Chester County with 36.0" so far....by this time last year we had already recorded 76.0" of snow. So as many folks base their view of winter on snow this one will pale in comparison to 2013/14....and it has been very strange as Chester County averages at least 2 storms per winter in a normal season that will exceed 6" of snow in a single storm - and yet we have had not one storm over 6"....the largest storm was the 5.3" that fell back right before Thanksgiving. Another interesting anomaly is the fact that through February for both 2013/14 and 2014/15 we have had exactly the same amount of below 32 degree low temps at 92 days and the exact same number of sub-freezing days (32 )for both 2013/14 and 2014/15 winter seasons - very unusual. The one difference is last year we had 2 sub zero lows....while this year we have had 3 such days with sub-zero lows. While not a forecaster....I have a strong suspicion that there is some significant winter weather that lies ahead for the NW Philly burbs during March....I will not be surprised if we experience our largest winter storm of the season during the next few weeks....it may very well be elevation driven event with places above 500ft having a significant storm while folks below the fall line have a couple inches of wet snow. Any way you slice it in my mind this has been a truly fascinating winter.....this one has just continued to underscore in my mind how incredible a NWS team we have here in Mount Holly....If I had to shovel all the snow either the NAM/GFS or my Wxsim program indicated we would have been Boston like....thanks again to all the true professionals in Mount Holly and of course to out great professional asset out in NV - Ray who always keeps it real!! Thanks to all! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowwors2 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Great stuff Paul! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birds~69 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Nice write up and yes it's been/is a strange winter. Although it hasn't been the snowiest, it's been grinding. Another thing which adds to the cold, it's been a gusty/windy winter. I try to take a walk early in the morning or evening but it's been brutal many...many days which goes "right through you" along w/wind burn. I can handle 10 degree or less days but throw in the winds....forget about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSky Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 November was colder this winter, Dec was +2F warmer and Jan was +1F warmer than last. February has been 7F colder than last. How do these winters end up within .5F ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChescoWx Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 Season Nov Dec Jan Feb Avg 2013/14 41.1 34.1 23.8 27.0 31.5 2014/15 40.3 36.6 26.2 20.9 31.0 Difference (0.8) 2.5 2.4 (6.1) (0.5) November was colder this winter, Dec was +2F warmer and Jan was +1F warmer than last. February has been 7F colder than last. How do these winters end up within .5F ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lab94 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I finished Feb -9.9 Max mean 27.6mean low 4.5mean temp 17.2Lowest temp -12.0highest 42.2all 28 nights made it below 32 and 10 made it below 0. A total of 11 nights below 0 for the winter to date18 days did not make 32 for high temps in Feb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 TTN averaged 22.7 for February 2015. Coldest month since January 1977. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bliz299 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 In 129 years of record excluding 1934 as their was no station here that year. Avg. 26.3°, 2nd coldest Feb.(1979, coldest, 26.0°); 5th coldest any month. 10.5° below normal. I'm confident 1934 was colder. Max.- min. were 54°,8th, & 3°,20th & 21st(individual AM's). 12.6" snowfall, 6.3" above normal; greatest since 2010(36.0"). I had a 3° min. last January. Going back to the `60's, and with 1977 in mind, I don't believe their has been such extensive ice considering all the waterways. Brutal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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