Days With Snow Cover - Historical view

[ChescoWx]

Today will mark our 25th day with snow cover >1" here in NW Chester County PA. In a normal winter season we average 31 days of snow cover (1894 to Present). For many the best measure of a good winter (for a winter enthusiast) is the number of days with snow cover - so you may be asking what are our top 10 greatest snow cover winter seasons? Well wait no more the answer is below

1. 1904-5 (74 days)
2. 2013-14 (72 days)
3. 1995-96 (69 days)
4. 1960-61 (67 days)
5. 1963-64 (64 days)
6. 1947-48 (64 days)
7. 1919-20 (63 days)
8. 2014-15 (62 days)
9. 1909-10 (59 days)
10. 1986-87 (57 days)

[KamuSnow]

7 minutes ago, ChescoWx said:

Today will mark our 25th day with snow cover >1" here in NW Chester County PA. In a normal winter season we average 31 days of snow cover (1894 to Present). For many the best measure of a good winter (for a winter enthusiast) is the number of days with snow cover - so you may be asking what are our top 10 greatest snow cover winter seasons? Well wait no more the answer is below

1. 1904-15 (74 days)
2. 2013-14 (72 days)
3. 1995-96 (69 days)
4. 1960-61 (67 days)
5. 1963-64 (64 days)
6. 1947-48 (64 days)
7. 1919-20 (63 days)
8. 2014-15 (62 days)
9. 1909-10 (59 days)
10. 1986-87 (57 days)

Good chance of you making it to 31 at least, even with the rain on Mon. nite/Tues. Does snow cover for you mean 100% coverage, or would you count 90% with some sunny south facing banks showing grass?

[ChescoWx]

The weather service says to never measure the snow or lack thereof on a hill - especially south facing hills - if you have both covered and non-covered spots you take an average of the covered vs non-covered

[RedSky]

I had .80" for January and was saved from my least snowy on the 31st with snow from the GD1 storm how did you manage 1" snow cover the last 10 days of January?

 

 

[The Iceman]

Just now, RedSky said:

I had .80" for January and was saved from my least snowy on the 31st with snow from the GD1 storm how did you manage 1" snow cover the last 10 days of January?

 

 

I think he's including the snow cover from December. He probably had 10 or so days with snow cover then. So new snow cover started jan 30th to present to give the 25 days... At least that's what I think

[KamuSnow]

4 minutes ago, RedSky said:

I had .80" for January and was saved from my least snowy on the 31st with snow from the GD1 storm how did you manage 1" snow cover the last 10 days of January?

 

 

I'm thinking that was for December. Had about 7 days here, maybe 6.

Ninja'd by Iceman!

[RedSky]

ahh I get it winter total 

 

[blue sky]

1 hour ago, ChescoWx said:

Today will mark our 25th day with snow cover >1" here in NW Chester County PA. In a normal winter season we average 31 days of snow cover (1894 to Present). For many the best measure of a good winter (for a winter enthusiast) is the number of days with snow cover - so you may be asking what are our top 10 greatest snow cover winter seasons? Well wait no more the answer is below

1. 1904-15 (74 days)
2. 2013-14 (72 days)
3. 1995-96 (69 days)
4. 1960-61 (67 days)
5. 1963-64 (64 days)
6. 1947-48 (64 days)
7. 1919-20 (63 days)
8. 2014-15 (62 days)
9. 1909-10 (59 days)
10. 1986-87 (57 days)

The late sixties,  all the seventies, early eighties...all were not good for snow cover in our areas..  Even the mega blizzard of 83 saw temps in the sixties the next day.  Snow  cover lasted a couple of weeks after late seventies big snow storms. 

I enjoy this stretch.

[ChescoWx]

37 minutes ago, RedSky said:

ahh I get it winter total 

 

Hi RedSky yes that is total days with snowcover - I am analyzing longest stretches of consecutive for my next historical post -thanks!

[LVwxHistorian]

where's 2009-10?

7 hours ago, ChescoWx said:

Today will mark our 25th day with snow cover >1" here in NW Chester County PA. In a normal winter season we average 31 days of snow cover (1894 to Present). For many the best measure of a good winter (for a winter enthusiast) is the number of days with snow cover - so you may be asking what are our top 10 greatest snow cover winter seasons? Well wait no more the answer is below

1. 1904-15 (74 days)
2. 2013-14 (72 days)
3. 1995-96 (69 days)
4. 1960-61 (67 days)
5. 1963-64 (64 days)
6. 1947-48 (64 days)
7. 1919-20 (63 days)
8. 2014-15 (62 days)
9. 1909-10 (59 days)
10. 1986-87 (57 days)

 

[The Iceman]

10 minutes ago, LVwxHistorian said:

where's 2009-10?

 

If I remember correctly, that year wasn't great for snow cover despite the big totals. We got a big rainer after dec 19 storm like before Christmas that wiped most of that pack, then we had another big warm up I believe after snowmageddon. I'm pretty sure the snowpack was almost erased by the storm at the end of February hit. Then March that year torched. I bet he finished with like 30-40 snow cover days despite the large snow totals

 

[LVwxHistorian]

1. 1986-87 (57 days) seems high, ABE only had 42

[KamuSnow]

11 hours ago, LVwxHistorian said:

1. 1986-87 (57 days) seems high, ABE only had 42

Probably had something to do with this event on Feb. 23rd:

Edit - Paul's house is probably under that dark blue dot, lol. I know I measured 18" in Delco.

[ChescoWx]

13 hours ago, LVwxHistorian said:

where's 2009-10?

 

That season "only" had 47 snow cover days - although as others noted we did have 31 consecutive days of snow cover from Feb 5th to March 7th so not too shabby. I have to finish the analysis of most consecutive days with snow cover but they may be up there

[ChescoWx]

1 hour ago, KamuSnow said:

Probably had something to do with this event on Feb. 23rd:

Edit - Paul's house is probably under that dark blue dot, lol. I know I measured 18" in Delco.

Correct - 23.5" from that storm

 

[LVwxHistorian]

oh yeah, i think there was one in Jan that we missed too

[ChescoWx]

Through today here in East Nantmeal Twp. in Chester County PA with the 10" snow cover still on the ground this is our 21st consecutive day with snow cover. This represents our longest consecutive days with snow cover since the 48 straight days recorded back in 2015 from January 23rd till March 11th.  There have been 39 snow cover streaks of greater than 20 days since 1894. That list is attached - our current streak is good for #35.

Overall this area averages a total of 31 days of snow cover in an average winter season. Through today we are at that exact average with our 31st such day so far in Winter 2020-21.  Below is a chart showing total days with snow cover for the last 12 complete decades since 1900. Let me know if any questions - thanks! 

[yak]

20 hours ago, ChescoWx said:

Through today here in East Nantmeal Twp. in Chester County PA with the 10" snow cover still on the ground this is our 21st consecutive day with snow cover. This represents our longest consecutive days with snow cover since the 48 straight days recorded back in 2015 from January 23rd till March 11th.  There have been 39 snow cover streaks of greater than 20 days since 1894. That list is attached - our current streak is good for #35.

Overall this area averages a total of 31 days of snow cover in an average winter season. Through today we are at that exact average with our 31st such day so far in Winter 2020-21.  Below is a chart showing total days with snow cover for the last 12 complete decades since 1900. Let me know if any questions - thanks! 

Always appreciate your updates, especially since my microclimate in Southern Berks at a similar elevation is about the same.  I was wondering if there has ever been a February with snow cover throughout the month.  Looks like you had that in consecutive years in 2014 and 2015.  I guess we can credit 1920 as well considering the leap day.

Curious if Philly has ever had a calendar month with full snow cover.  Can we maintain it through next week to make it 3 years out of 8 with a snow covered February?