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March 12/13/14 Blizzard/Winter Storm/WWA etc


Bostonseminole
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So happy to see/read so many of you cashed in on this event! :)

Personally, drove 19 hours back to Plymouth yesterday morning...after being back home only 36 hours from covering the two previous storms (3/1-10/18).  After napping 2 hours, awoke and dressed.  At the very moment I was setting up my tripod, a big rumble of thunder (8th or 9th separate event w/ TSSN)!  Consequently, just missed capturing it by mere seconds.

From there,  it was onto Brant Rock in Marshfield to film the surge and blizzard conditions...at the coast. 

Here's raw and completely unedited visual documentation of the powerful blizzard that hammered the Massachusetts coast, yesterday morning.     

https://youtu.be/3RqE7jk8R48

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3 minutes ago, Ginx snewx said:

Cocorahs

Snowfall is the maximum accumulation of fresh snow during the past day prior to melting or settling.

So many rules are vague.  I wish they kept it 6 hrs since so many are used to that. Previous records are based on that. 

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22 minutes ago, CoastalWx said:

So many rules are vague.  I wish they kept it 6 hrs since so many are used to that. Previous records are based on that. 

yeah... like, "...Prior to melting or settling.."  ?  

that's absurd.  Like, what about 'sublimation' then - 

You can't then measure snow ultimately, accurately at all, if it is 32.5 F and S+ because yeah, your accumulating, but you are simultaneously suffering an unknown negation ... Settling? Not much better, because it can snow 30" at 20 F and settle a lot more than 15" at 20, by shear weight... 

Bottom line, that statement really is horrible when considering the physicality of purpose/cause in the matter.  

Personally?  I think that stuff matters, melting and stettling and sublimating... all of it... when the snow stops, you measure... If the snow pack lost to those on-going negations that's part of the snow event, and cannot - or should not - be uncounted. 

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1 hour ago, dryslot said:

I think i did mine before that even, It was at the Auburn Public Library..........lol

Mine was during a similar early "oughts" timeframe, at the Somerset County Extension office in Skowhegan.  Can't remember who came up from GYX to present.  Since joining cocorahs, I very rarely call in snowfall, as it's easily available anyway, and since severe TS avoid my area consistently I've not bothered the folks at the phones in GYX much.

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Just now, tamarack said:

Mine was during a similar early "oughts" timeframe, at the Somerset County Extension office in Skowhegan.  Can't remember who came up from GYX to present.

Neither can I, It might have been John Jensenious if i'm spelling it right.

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8 minutes ago, CoastalWx said:

So many rules are vague.  I wish they kept it 6 hrs since so many are used to that. Previous records are based on that. 

 

Prior to 1998, it was max-depth unless instructed. I think max depth would maintain more congruence w/ historical record.

 I've previously provided reference to the current NWS guidelines. I checked with the NJ State Climatologist, who specializes in snow cover and was very much involved in the crafting of the guidelines. What he was able to explain to me was that traditionally, the six hour option has only been available to professional observers at airports. However, back in about 1998 the NWS rules were revised and the six hour option was added for Coop observers*.

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15 minutes ago, Isotherm said:

 

Per the NJ state climatologist: "When things were reconsidered in 2012, the 6-hour option was removed except for "when instructed."

Now, I'm not sure of the frequency of this usage, but apparently the 6-hour option is not in use, only when instructed to do so by the NWS (usually airport).

Tom it seems Nj removed a report of 31 inches off their report last week because the spotter told them he used the clearing off method.  Most areas in my county got 23-25 inches and that town which borders mine came in with 31 . Some questioned it and it was taken off the report . 

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2 minutes ago, rgwp96 said:

Tom it seems Nj removed a report of 31 inches off their report last week because the spotter told them he used the clearing off method.  Most areas in my county got 23-25 inches and that town which borders mine came in with 31 . Some questioned it and it was taken off the report . 

 

Correct. This is per Matt G who works with the State Climatologist.

 

"One final thing regarding this past event. We did receive a 31.0" storm total snow report in Kinnelon (Morris County, NJ) that no doubt got at least a little attention, as it would represent, as far as I know, the largest event total in NJ from the storm. I checked in with the observer, and he confirmed that he cleared the board 3 times mid-storm to reduce the effects of compression. Unfortunately, that makes his inflated measurement invalid, at least in the context of the current guidelines (though even with the 6 hour rule, this must have been more like 1 hour clearings), so we've nixed the value. BTW, I'll personally be working on crafting a NJ snowfall map tomorrow based on hundreds of reports received. I post it here when complete."

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4 minutes ago, Isotherm said:

 

Prior to 1998, it was max-depth unless instructed. I think max depth would maintain more congruence w/ historical record.

 I've previously provided reference to the current NWS guidelines. I checked with the NJ State Climatologist, who specializes in snow cover and was very much involved in the crafting of the guidelines. What he was able to explain to me was that traditionally, the six hour option has only been available to professional observers at airports. However, back in about 1998 the NWS rules were revised and the six hour option was added for Coop observers*.

But now you have two different ways to measure snow. The airports who seem to do every 6 hours, and the COOP guys. Ugh. 

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30 minutes ago, weathafella said:

Hi Don-thanks as usual for your wonderful insight.   For the record, BOS added 0.3 after midnight so Logan is 0.1 away from 1906 and 0.5 from 1960...indeed 1.1 from 1967.  Top 3 are big mountains to climb but I think we move into 4th place without much effort.

Thanks Jerry. I will post updated numbers later today.

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Storm totals up here and NH

000
NOUS41 KGYX 141543
PNSGYX
MEZ007>009-012>014-018>028-NHZ001>015-150343-

Public Information Statement
Spotter Reports
National Weather Service Gray ME
1143 AM EDT Wed Mar 14 2018

The following are unoffical observations taken during the past 36
hours for the storm that has been affecting our region. Appreciation
is extended to highway departments...cooperative observers...Skywarn
spotters and media for these reports. This summary is also available
on our home page at weather.gov/gray

********************STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL********************

LOCATION          STORM TOTAL     TIME/DATE   COMMENTS
                     SNOWFALL           OF
                     /INCHES/   MEASUREMENT

MAINE

...Androscoggin County...
   1 E Livermore Falls   20.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   4 S Turner            20.0   602 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Mechanic Falls        19.0   647 AM  3/14  Public
   3 E Turner            18.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Turner                17.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   2 E Lewiston          16.0   734 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Lisbon Falls          14.7   715 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Poland                13.8   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Durham                11.2   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   2 WNW Auburn          10.0   809 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter

...Cumberland County...
   Gorham                19.5   941 AM  3/14  Social Media
   6 SSW Naples          18.5   900 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Bridgton              18.5  1154 PM  3/13  Social Media
   3 NNW Bridgton        18.1   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Standish              17.5   720 AM  3/14  Social Media
   1 ENE South Windham   17.0   853 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   1 WSW North Windham   15.4   922 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   3 SSE Gorham          15.2   924 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   North Sebago          15.0   940 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   Cumberland Center     15.0  1010 AM  3/14  NWS Employee
   2 NW Falmouth         14.9   709 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Brunswick             14.5   533 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   2 ENE North Windham   14.2   731 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Portland Jetport      14.0   824 AM  3/14  ASOS
   3 WSW Falmouth        13.2   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   1 SSW South Gorham    12.5  1109 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   New Gloucester        12.5   808 AM  3/14  Social Media
   3 WNW Falmouth        12.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   NWS Gray Office       11.8   800 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Gray NWS Office       11.8   811 AM  3/14  NWS Office
   1 SSW Freeport        11.0   630 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   4 WSW New Gloucester  10.5   426 AM  3/14  NWS Employee
   2 SSE New Gloucester  10.4   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob

...Franklin County...
   Jay                   20.0  1001 AM  3/14  Social Media
   1 ENE Rangeley        17.0   600 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Farmington            16.5   820 AM  3/14  Co-Op Observer
   1 NNW Farmington      16.5   800 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Carrabassett Valley   14.5   723 AM  3/14  Social Media
   1 NNW New Sharon      14.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Eustis                14.0   701 AM  3/14  0.69 melted
   9 E New Sharon        14.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   1 W Temple            12.4   730 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Rangeley 2nw          12.0   600 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob

...Kennebec County...
   Mount Vernon          19.5   824 AM  3/14  Social Media
   Fayette               17.0   842 AM  3/14  Social Media
   2 NNW Sidney          14.3   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Palermo               13.0   840 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter

...Knox County...
   3 W Union             19.0   705 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   1 SSW Camden          17.4   944 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Rockland              17.0   827 AM  3/14  Broadcast Media
   Camden                16.2   648 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   2 SW Rockport         16.0   900 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   1 SE Appleton         15.8   742 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   3 NW Union            14.5   730 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   1 N Union             14.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Hope                  12.0   745 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter

...Lincoln County...
   1 WNW Boothbay        17.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Westport              16.5   800 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Jefferson             15.5   849 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   1 NE Waldoboro        14.5   730 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   1 WSW Newcastle       13.5   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   3 SSW South Bristol   12.0   845 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Nobleboro             12.0   804 AM  3/14  Amateur Radio

...Oxford County...
   South Paris           24.0   816 AM  3/14  Social Media
   Bryant Pond           22.0   927 AM  3/14  Social Media
   Paris                 21.0   720 AM  3/14  Social Media
   1 W Otisfield         20.5   859 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Kezar Falls           20.0   627 PM  3/13  Social Media
   6 SSE Bethel          18.5   717 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Buckfield             18.0   721 AM  3/14  Social Media
   Otisfield             17.5   546 AM  3/14  NWS Employee
   Hartford              17.0   730 AM  3/14  Social Media
   Peru                  16.0   831 AM  3/14  Social Media
   1 N Hartford          15.5   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   4 WSW Turner          13.5   622 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Newry                 13.5   709 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   1 W West Minot        12.5   757 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   Hebron                12.0   523 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter

...Sagadahoc County...
   2 NW Bath             15.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   2 WNW Bath            15.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Bath                  12.0   742 AM  3/14  Social Media
   3 SSE Bowdoinham      11.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob

...Somerset County...
   Brassua Lake          17.5   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Moosehead Lake        15.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   1 ESE Hartland        15.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Harmony               14.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   4 ESE Solon           12.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Skowhegan             12.0   638 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   2 SSW Harmony         10.5   830 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   4 ENE New Portland    10.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Jackman                8.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob

...Waldo County...
   Winterport            22.0   834 AM  3/14  Social Media
   2 NNW Belfast         20.0  1109 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   2 WNW Jackson         19.5   842 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   3 ENE Searsmont       19.0   600 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   2 W Prospect          18.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   2 SSW Orrington       17.3   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Belmont Corner        15.0  1026 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   2 N Knox              14.7   653 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Lincolnville          13.0   800 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   4 WNW Searsmont       11.5   730 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob

...York County...
   Acton                 26.0   842 AM  3/14  Social Media
   3 NNE Limington       24.2   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Sanford               24.0   951 PM  3/13  Social Media
   3 SW West Newfield    23.5   544 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Limerick              23.5   514 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   4 W West Buxton       22.2   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   5 WNW Hollis          22.2   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   4 NE Shapleigh        22.0   652 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Berwick               22.0  1125 AM  3/14  Social Media
   2 NW Acton            21.1   530 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   2 WSW Shady Nook      21.0   825 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   Saco                  20.0   822 AM  3/14  Social Media
   3 SSE Kezar Falls     19.0   900 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Waterboro             19.0   852 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   Shapleigh             19.0   905 PM  3/13  Social Media
   2 NNW Ruin Corner     18.2   904 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   1 WSW Kittery         18.0   803 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Parsonsfield          18.0   432 PM  3/13  Social Media
   Biddeford             18.0   755 AM  3/14  Social Media
   1 WNW Kennebunk       17.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   3 NNW Saco            16.5   840 AM  3/14  Social Media
   2 NE Berwick          16.4   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Kennebunk             16.0   914 AM  3/14  Social Media
   Buxton                16.0   942 AM  3/14  Social Media
   3 NE Milton           16.0   459 PM  3/13  Social Media
   4 SW Wells            16.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   1 SSW Cornish         16.0   804 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   Cape Neddick          15.8   719 AM  3/14  Social Media
   3 WSW Steep Falls     14.5   805 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   1 WSW Ogunquit        14.4   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   2 NE Kennebunk        12.4   541 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Bartlett Mills        11.6  1032 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   1 ESE Biddeford       11.5   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   2 NNW Saco            10.5   840 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   1 ESE Ross Corner     10.0   252 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter

NEW HAMPSHIRE

...Belknap County...
   Gilmanton             18.5   743 AM  3/14  Social Media
   1 WSW Belmont         17.8   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   1 ESE Sanbornton      15.8   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   1 WNW Lochmere        15.8   749 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   4 E Gilford           14.5   730 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Lakeport              14.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   2 W Sanbornton        12.8   707 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Sanbornton            12.8   857 AM  3/14  Social Media
   2 SW Meredith         10.1   645 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   3 NNE Meredith         9.0  1200 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   2 SSW Ashland          8.2   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob

...Carroll County...
   Wakefield             24.5   826 AM  3/14  Social Media
   Tuftonboro            24.0   858 PM  3/13  Social Media
   Wolfeboro             24.0   813 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Wolfeboro Bay         22.4   847 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Union                 21.0   623 PM  3/13  Social Media
   Brookfield            20.0   735 PM  3/13  Social Media
   Freedom               16.0   942 PM  3/13  Social Media
   1 SE Madison          15.3   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Ossipee               15.0   520 PM  3/13  Social Media
   3 ENE Sandwich        11.5   630 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   1 N Madison           11.5  1152 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   Conway                11.0   808 PM  3/13  Social Media
   4 ESE Center Harbor   11.0   600 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   1 SW North Conway      9.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   3 SW Albany            8.6   800 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   North Conway           8.2   800 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   3 NW Jackson           8.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob

...Cheshire County...
   6 ESE Alstead         16.6   806 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   3 ESE Rindge          16.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   1 SE East Alstead     14.0  1127 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   2 S Rindge            12.4   849 AM  3/14  Social Media
   Otter Brook Lake      10.8   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Swanzey                8.0   644 AM  3/14  Amateur Radio
   2 NNW Keene            7.8   600 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Marlborough            7.0   425 PM  3/13  Social Media
   Surry Mountain Lake    6.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Keene                  6.0   600 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   WNW West Chesterfiel   4.6   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs

...Coos County...
   1 W Jefferson         19.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Berlin                13.0   719 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Lancaster             12.3   538 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Whitefield            12.0   958 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Milan                 12.0   735 AM  3/14  Social Media
   1 E Starr King        11.5   307 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   1 NE Randolph         11.5   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   North Stratford        7.5   800 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   6 NE Pittsburg         7.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Colebrook              5.5   600 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Pittsburg              5.0   913 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   First Connecticut La   5.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob

...Grafton County...
   3 ENE Sugar Hill      13.6   655 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   1 SSE Rumney          10.0   813 PM  3/13  Social Media
   1 NNW Bristol          8.3   802 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Bristol                8.3   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Plymouth               8.0   800 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob

...Hillsborough County...
   Hudson 1sse           26.3   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Merrimack             23.0   727 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   Manchester            23.0   722 PM  3/13  Social Media
   Goffstown             22.0   902 PM  3/13  Social Media
   4 SSE Hudson          22.0   825 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   3 NNW Merrimack       20.1   845 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Hudson                19.5   447 PM  3/13  Co-Op Observer
   1 E Nashua            18.0   646 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Nashua                17.7   758 AM  3/14  At the Nashua CWSU.
   2 SW Brookline        16.0   930 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   2 NW Reeds Ferry      15.5   359 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   Milford               15.0   730 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   East Milford          14.4   730 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Bedford               13.5   302 PM  3/13  Social Media
   3 SW Merrimack        12.0   703 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   2 W Bennington        11.0   816 AM  3/14  Social Media
   4 SW Milford          11.0   819 AM  3/14  Social Media
   4 SE Weare            10.5   703 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   2 S New Ipswich       10.1   528 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   2 S New Boston        10.0   319 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter

...Merrimack County...
   Pembroke              25.0   837 AM  3/14  Social Media
   Epsom                 23.0   734 PM  3/13  Social Media
   3 S Bow               20.5   600 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Concord ASOS          17.1   718 AM  3/14  ASOS
   2 SSW Chichester      17.0   310 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Pittsfield            17.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   2 E Tilton            15.5   527 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Bow                   15.2   532 PM  3/13  8" in 3 Hours
   1 NNW Bow             15.2   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   1 WNW Newbury         13.9   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   1 W Concord           13.0   802 AM  3/14  Social Media
   2 ESE Boscawen        12.5   715 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Penacook              11.7   735 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   2 SSE Boscawen        11.7   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Concord               11.0   612 PM  3/13  Social Media
   1 SE Concord          10.2   709 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   2 ENE Bradford         9.2   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   1 E New London         9.1   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   1 SSE Henniker         8.8   838 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   West Hopkinton         8.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob

...Rockingham County...
   3 WSW Deerfield       28.6   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Danville              27.0   726 AM  3/14  Social Media
   Raymond               27.0   859 PM  3/13  Social Media
   Northwood             27.0   845 PM  3/13  Social Media
   1 NNE Deerfield       27.0   808 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Derry                 26.8  1012 AM  3/14  Social Media
   Atkinson              26.5   859 PM  3/13  Social Media
   West Hampstead        26.2   800 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Windham               25.5   744 AM  3/14  Social Media
   Salem                 25.0   838 AM  3/14  Social Media
   Hampstead             25.0   823 PM  3/13  Social Media
   4 NNW Derry           25.0   605 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   North Londonderry     24.0   858 PM  3/13  Amateur Radio
   1 NW Chester          23.0   700 PM  3/13  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   1 E Auburn            23.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Fremont               23.0   930 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   2 N East Kingston     22.9   705 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   4 ESE Epsom           22.5   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Exeter                22.5   843 AM  3/14  Social Media
   1 WSW Epping          22.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   1 ESE East Derry      22.0   615 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   1 NNE Hampstead       21.4   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Candia                21.0   423 PM  3/13  Social Media
   2 ENE Bear Brook Sta  20.5   643 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   Londonderry           20.0   720 PM  3/13  Social Media
   1 ESE Exeter          19.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   2 NE Kingston         18.4   823 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   Greenland             18.0   621 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   2 ENE Stratham        17.0   631 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   2 WSW North Hampton   16.0   949 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   1 NNW Hampton         16.0   621 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Sandown               15.0   530 PM  3/13  Amateur Radio
   1 SW Bayside          15.0   845 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   2 E Brentwood         14.5   501 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   1 ESE Stratham        14.0   630 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   1 WNW Greenland       13.4   700 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Hampton               13.3   932 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   1 ESE North Hampton   13.0   947 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   1 ENE Fogg Corner     11.0   813 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   2 WSW Marshall Corne  10.5   229 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter

...Strafford County...
   Middleton             28.0  1127 AM  3/14  Social Media
   1 SSE Rochester       25.5   557 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Lee                   25.5   759 AM  3/14  NWS Employee
   2 ESE Strafford       24.5   800 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Dover                 24.0   943 AM  3/14  Social Media
   Milton                22.3   916 PM  3/13  Social Media
   3 E Barrington        21.6   730 AM  3/14  Contains 2 24-hr obs
   Farmington            21.5   927 PM  3/13  Social Media
   1 NE West Gonic       21.2   916 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   2 SSE Strafford       18.0   724 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   1 WSW Rollinsford     16.0   700 AM  3/14  Contains 1 24-hr ob
   Rochester             15.0   436 PM  3/13  Social Media
   Foundry               14.0   758 PM  3/13  Trained Spotter
   Barrington            12.0   648 PM  3/13  Amateur Radio

...Sullivan County...
   1 ESE Washington      18.0   755 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter
   Sunapee               13.0   856 AM  3/14  Trained Spotter

&&
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6 minutes ago, CoastalWx said:

But now you have two different ways to measure snow. The airports who seem to do every 6 hours, and the COOP guys. Ugh. 

Airports have 6 hour measurements going back to the 1940s even...though not all of them did.

The 6 hour clearing method will probably be more accurate in the long run than a coop who only sticks a ruler in the ground at 7am every morning. You lose way too much snow in the latter. Most NWS people I have talked to don't enforce the changes because they are pretty subjective and sometimes impractical. Besides, there is the subjective element of "when instructed"...and the NWS people can just say they instruct them to continue measuring with 6 hour increments. What is the point now of having a homogeneous record broken if someone has been measuring snow for a decade using the clearing method? Only in storms that have a big fluff band will the differences be really obvious anyway.

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17 minutes ago, CoastalWx said:

So many rules are vague.  I wish they kept it 6 hrs since so many are used to that. Previous records are based on that. 

That's the same argument I recall back in the 90s when this "standard" came into being.  Many of us argued that it would be impossible to compare systems from the past due to different measuring standards.  I, for one, started keeping records with the current standard and never adopted sweeping and measuring every 6 hours specifically so I could compare one storm with another.  Likewise, I can compare with anyone else that measures at the end of snowfall.  Personally, I think it should never have been implemented but that ship has long sailed and we have a mix now.

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2 minutes ago, ORH_wxman said:

Airports have 6 hour measurements going back to the 1940s even...though not all of them did.

The 6 hour clearing method will probably be more accurate in the long run than a coop who only sticks a ruler in the ground at 7am every morning. You lose way too much snow in the latter. Most NWS people I have talked to don't enforce the changes because they are pretty subjective and sometimes impractical. Besides, there is the subjective element of "when instructed"...and the NWS people can just say they instruct them to continue measuring with 6 hour increments. What is the point now of having a homogeneous record broken if someone has been measuring snow for a decade using the clearing method? Only in storms that have a big fluff band will the differences be really obvious anyway.

 

Agree, and I'd argue the once per day observation is the least accurate of all for sure. The clearing/vs maximum depth should be fairly similar in most storms that aren't > 32F at the surface.

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1 minute ago, MetHerb said:

That's the same argument I recall back in the 90s when this "standard" came into being.  Many of us argued that it would be impossible to compare systems from the past due to different measuring standards.  I, for one, started keeping records with the current standard and never adopted sweeping and measuring every 6 hours specifically so I could compare one storm with another.  Likewise, I can compare with anyone else that measures at the end of snowfall.  Personally, I think it should never have been implemented but that ship has long sailed and we have a mix now.

 

I concur with this too, I think they should have maintained the maximum depth standard.

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42 minutes ago, Isotherm said:

Just as an FYI, the latest NWS/COOP guidelines for measuring snowfall are to take the maximum accumulation of new snow in a 24 hour period. The 6 hour clearing method is no longer in effect, unless specifically instructed to by a NWS office (airports sometimes).

One final thing regarding this past event. We did receive a 31.0" storm total snow report in Kinnelon (Morris County, NJ) that no doubt got at least a little attention, as it would represent, as far as I know, the largest event total in NJ from the storm. I checked in with the observer, and he confirmed that he cleared the board 3 times mid-storm to reduce the effects of compression. Unfortunately, that makes his inflated measurement invalid, at least in the context of the current guidelines (though even with the 6 hour rule, this must have been more like 1 hour clearings), so we've nixed the value. BTW, I'll personally be working on crafting a NJ snowfall map tomorrow based on hundreds of reports received. I post it here when complete. 

Wow!  A shout-out to my old home town - lived there 1950-71.  Wonder if that reading came from the Smoke Rise section, which includes the town's highest elevations.  (We lived near West Fayson Lake @ 700'.)  Anyway, an excellent discussion - thanks.

I've been recording my wx obs at 9 PM since 1/1/76, and continued to do so after joining cocorahs in 8/09.  So my board-clearings come at those 2 times.  (For the current storm it was 9.0" at 9 PM and 5.0" at 7 AM, and for this time at least, the gain in depth - 23" to 37" - was equal to the sum of the 2 measurements.)

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3 minutes ago, ORH_wxman said:

Airports have 6 hour measurements going back to the 1940s even...though not all of them did.

The 6 hour clearing method will probably be more accurate in the long run than a coop who only sticks a ruler in the ground at 7am every morning. You lose way too much snow in the latter. Most NWS people I have talked to don't enforce the changes because they are pretty subjective and sometimes impractical. Besides, there is the subjective element of "when instructed"...and the NWS people can just say they instruct them to continue measuring with 6 hour increments. What is the point now of having a homogeneous record broken if someone has been measuring snow for a decade using the clearing method? Only in storms that have a big fluff band will the differences be really obvious anyway.

I guess most co-ops these days do that but when I was a co-op observer I always measured at the end of the snowfall.  I believe the guy in Staffordville does that but some of his totals baffle me as too high since we are so closer.  I honestly feel like his gets snow blown off the lake when that happens...lol.

Your point about a homogeneous record is why I did not support the adoption of the method but for those that have been doing it for nearly 20 years should continue to do so.  For me personally, I stuck with the old method for just such as reason.

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10 minutes ago, ORH_wxman said:

Airports have 6 hour measurements going back to the 1940s even...though not all of them did.

The 6 hour clearing method will probably be more accurate in the long run than a coop who only sticks a ruler in the ground at 7am every morning. You lose way too much snow in the latter. Most NWS people I have talked to don't enforce the changes because they are pretty subjective and sometimes impractical. Besides, there is the subjective element of "when instructed"...and the NWS people can just say they instruct them to continue measuring with 6 hour increments. What is the point now of having a homogeneous record broken if someone has been measuring snow for a decade using the clearing method? Only in storms that have a big fluff band will the differences be really obvious anyway.

I agree...that 24 hours is too long to wait, particularly if it snows for 6 hours and one intends to/has to wait 18 hours for that measurement.  

However, I suggest that when the snow stops, and it is systemically clear that it's really the end of the event, then the measurement is taken.  

However, during the event, I disagree (if perhaps this is a strawman argument) that 6-hour clear should be done, because as I was just describing, storm circumstancial melting/settling/or even sublimation - though that would rarefied, should be considered part of the event. 

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1 minute ago, Ginx snewx said:

Powers back it's dumping tree snow and ice and it friggin hurts lol. Never thought I would be chopping ice for the first time all winter

That's weird because I spent more time chopping ice this year than any other year since I bought my first home (2011).  It seemed like after the big January storm every other storm for me was a kitchen sink / rain-ice-snow-ice-rain storm.

The last few weeks have been great though!  Big windy rain storm followed immediately by two huge snowstorms have been fun for me.

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42 minutes ago, CoastalWx said:

I thought OceanSt was saying many first order stations clear the board or what have you, every 6 hrs.  And what the heck defines intermediate depth measurements? every hr? every 6 hrs? 

I know up here we have 5 climate sites. PWM and CON have paid observers measuring every 6 hours, GYX obviously is staffed round the clock and does 6 hour measurements, and MHT as far as I know reports their 24 max snowfall at midnight (AUG doesn't have snow obs :()

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Should be a clear standard for this.  I'm a fan of the ruler in the snow at the end of the storm, but that is clearly not ideal for long duration or major snowstorms.

I feel like adding a disclaimer that my measurements are for entertainment purposes only.

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Obviously the big issue is melt/compaction with the once a day measurement. 

If you aren't checking for the max depth, you are likely to miss it. If you work from home it's easier to check frequently. But say it snows in the morning, you head to work, it stops at lunchtime, you come home, sleep, get up and measure at 7 AM the next day and the whole time temps were around freezing. You could "lose" a bunch of snow in that case.

This is why our spotter training focuses mainly on snow (sorry @weatherwiz)

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4 minutes ago, OceanStWx said:

Obviously the big issue is melt/compaction with the once a day measurement. 

If you aren't checking for the max depth, you are likely to miss it. If you work from home it's easier to check frequently. But say it snows in the morning, you head to work, it stops at lunchtime, you come home, sleep, get up and measure at 7 AM the next day and the whole time temps were around freezing. You could "lose" a bunch of snow in that case.

This is why our spotter training focuses mainly on snow (sorry @weatherwiz)

:angry: 

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