New England snowstorm memories.

[EastonSN+]

Our snow came at the end from what I remember as the storm pulled away and colder air worked in. Most of it was a driving rainstorm with temps in the mid to upper 30's with ferocious winds.

That was correct. We rained big time with the 6 inch accumulation occurring the final day.

[CapturedNature]

1.38" at BDL.

 

Ahhh that is much different than what I was envisioning from MetHerb's post.

Yeah that's definitely a downslope screw job then. I thought the valley had 2-3" of QPF.

Disregard my previous post lol.

 

BDL may have had only 1.38" but like I said, places on the eastern edge of the valley had 1" more. 

 

I posted this earlier this year but I put up a video that my brother and I shot during the storm driving from Stafford up to Union and then on to Worcester, Hull and Boston before returning.  I measured around 24" in Union in the morning and when we returned there was about 30".  You can also see the transition from snow to rain and the wave action in Hull.

 

[CT Rain]

1.38" at BDL.

What a toaster bath

[Ginx snewx]

BDL may have had only 1.38" but like I said, places on the eastern edge of the valley had 1" more. 

 

I posted this earlier this year but I put up a video that my brother and I shot during the storm driving from Stafford up to Union and then on to Worcester, Hull and Boston before returning.  I measured around 24" in Union in the morning and when we returned there was about 30".  You can also see the transition from snow to rain and the wave action in Hull.

 

what a great historical account and it brings back so many memories

[powderfreak]

BDL may have had only 1.38" but like I said, places on the eastern edge of the valley had 1" more.

Fascinating. I don't know what the distances are around those parts, but very cool that the west slope of the ORH/Tolland Hills (eastern CT Valley) had that much more precip from spillover before the more severe effects of sinking air took over. Probably right on the gradient between 3-4" QPF and 1-2" in the valley bottom.

Would've been awesome to see in modern days with the amount of CoCoRAHS observers, could plot a very good liquid equiv map.

[CoastalWx]

I went through that March firehose event in 2013. Fun thread. I definitely was bearish on the 6th for my area, but funny how that changed in 24 hrs. Funny looking back at it....I must have still been jaded from 2011-Jan 2013. It was a tough call on the coast, but the firehose still should have been respected. Tough to get a sh*tty event on the coast with good cold at 925mb and a wicked deep layer fetch from the east. 

[tamarack]

 

I actually like the Natick coop....4.5" of QPF and 18." of snow, lol. That is gross.

 

Snowblower breaker, and gross is the right term.

I had about 60% of that in the mess of late Feb 2010 - the stuff fell like overly moist mashed potatoes, 2,68" water for 10.7" snow, then 1.14" catspaw rain on top, leaving an immovable 7" of glop.  Fortunately (?) my snowblower was already broken.  Pushing scoopfuls of that stuff across unfrozen ground is an experience I'd rather not repeat. 

[powderfreak]

I went through that March firehose event in 2013. Fun thread. I definitely was bearish on the 6th for my area, but funny how that changed in 24 hrs. Funny looking back at it....I must have still been jaded from 2011-Jan 2013. It was a tough call on the coast, but the firehose still should have been respected. Tough to get a sh*tty event on the coast with good cold at 925mb and a wicked deep layer fetch from the east.

It's funny knowing your posting style now after the past three winters of big storms and snow, and posting back in 2011-2013 until Feb. like a complete reversal in the winter threads with confidence now.

I'm going the exact other way, haha. I was confident after 2010-2011 winter, and even '11-'12 wasn't as bad here as elsewhere with a couple big events (upslope). The past few winters I've definitely been getting more and more jaded and antsy for a good run. January 2014 was the worst for me haha.

[CoastalWx]

It's funny knowing your posting style now after the past three winters of big storms and snow, and posting back in 2011-2013 until Feb. like a complete reversal in the winter threads with confidence now.

I'm going the exact other way, haha. I was confident after 2010-2011 winter, and even '11-'12 wasn't as bad here as elsewhere with a couple big events (upslope). The past few winters I've definitely been getting more and more jaded and antsy for a good run. January 2014 was the worst for me haha.

 

I still am objective when it comes to situations, and itś always easy to be a Monday morning QB, but sometimes you look back and say to yourself.."ḧmm...should have caught that.." Granted it was a tough call right at the coast. As a consolation....some mets really were bearish even as it was snowing that night. It was getting obvious much of the Boston area was going to see a significant snow event the morning of the event on March 7th, but some were barely giving the 128 region, 1-3¨ 

[powderfreak]

I still am objective when it comes to situations, and itś always easy to be a Monday morning QB, but sometimes you look back and say to yourself.."ḧmm...should have caught that.." Granted it was a tough call right at the coast. As a consolation....some mets really were bearish even as it was snowing that night. It was getting obvious much of the Boston area was going to see a significant snow event the morning of the event on March 7th, but some were barely giving the 128 region, 1-3¨

That thread is a good one with the amount of uncertainty even as it started. Those are always the fun ones to re-read. No one is really sure what's about to happen.

[Ginx snewx]

That thread is a good one with the amount of uncertainty even as it started. Those are always the fun ones to re-read. No one is really sure what's about to happen.

Will and our great late friend Scott absolutely nailed it.

[CoastalWx]

I think it was a tougher forecast for Boston. I know we talked about ORH county and interior SE MA doing well, but I remember not being sure for Boston regarding getting into the meat of the band. The red flag was the deep VV/RH coming in from the east. IIRC the ensembles were wetter than the op too. 

[CoastalWx]

Will and our great late friend Scott absolutely nailed it.

 

Yeah they did a great job. RIP Scott. 

[ORH_wxman]

I couldn't believe how low so many forecasts were even away from the immediate coast. BOS itself was definitely a tougher call...but those forecasts for the 128 belt down into interior SE MA were amazingly bearish.

[Ginx snewx]

Yeah they did a great job. RIP Scott. 

Man that storm was about as convuluted as it comes but those neg 850's were at historical levels. Pretty powerful stuff. Miss Scott

[ORH_wxman]

Man that storm was about as convuluted as it comes but those neg 850's were at historical levels. Pretty powerful stuff. Miss Scott

 

Hence why I had to dig out the term "firehose" from the arsenal. That was like a 700 mile fetch from off the Atlantic out of the east.

[CoastalWx]

The funny thing was that the area where I am now, was in the toilet bowl for snow amounts by many in the beginning...and ended up with 2ft. 

[ORH_wxman]

The funny thing was that the area where I am now, was in the toilet bowl for snow amounts by many in the beginning...and ended up with 2ft.

Did Weymouth get that much? I thought 2 feet was more like Randolph to stoughton to Walpole/Foxborough and further east was more like 16-20.

[CoastalWx]

Did Weymouth get that much? I thought 2 feet was more like Randolph to stoughton to Walpole/Foxborough and further east was more like 16-20.

 

Just going by the PNS, S Weymouth had 24.1 and another report of 23 from HAM radio. I was not there so I don know, but even Rockland and Whitman to the SE had 21-22" so my guess is 21-23 at least. They got it good overnight. The Quincy report looks high. 

[ORH_wxman]

Wow. Yeah you're right. They must have went insane that early morning. They ended up with the same that ORH got and interior elevated SE MA.

[LongBeachSurfFreak]

March 2011 had tremendous snow totals im the Catskills above 2500' 2" plus. I'm sir eithe highest elevations near 4k saw close to 48"

[HalloweenGale]

BDL may have had only 1.38" but like I said, places on the eastern edge of the valley had 1" more. 

 

I posted this earlier this year but I put up a video that my brother and I shot during the storm driving from Stafford up to Union and then on to Worcester, Hull and Boston before returning.  I measured around 24" in Union in the morning and when we returned there was about 30".  You can also see the transition from snow to rain and the wave action in Hull.

 

My dad took me to see the houses getting washed out to sea during the nor'easter. We lived on ACK. I'll never forget the waves. The air smelled of the sea. Downtown was impassable in spots, very much like it was during the No Name Storm, or the Perfect Storm as it is now known. My mom wanted to kill him for taking me so close to the breakers (I was 4.) We recorded it in the storm album, which he maintains to this day. He said of the December 1992 nor'easter that it reminded him of the March 30th 1984 storm. He was in the coast guard then and he went to go check on Great Point Light. The Galls, a tombolo which connects Great Point with the rest of Nantucket were breached and he had to time the waves. They were breached in 1991 and this storm. Here is a picture of Great Point right after the 1984 storm:

 

The Storm of the Century in 1993 gave us 75 mph winds and officially 2 inches of snow, but dad and I recorded 7 inches in the parking lot of RB Corcoran and our apartment. My theory on the 2 inches is because it was measured at the airport, which is on a broad open plain and the wind whipped everything away.

[ORH_wxman]

BDL may have had only 1.38" but like I said, places on the eastern edge of the valley had 1" more. 

 

I posted this earlier this year but I put up a video that my brother and I shot during the storm driving from Stafford up to Union and then on to Worcester, Hull and Boston before returning.  I measured around 24" in Union in the morning and when we returned there was about 30".  You can also see the transition from snow to rain and the wave action in Hull.

 

 

 

 

This is awesome, thanks for sharing.

 

That is some excellent video of the changing conditions. Even just being in downtown ORH, the video captures the wind well, the wind was relentless even inland...of course, its on another level on the coast.

[HIPPYVALLEY]

I went through that March firehose event in 2013. Fun thread. I definitely was bearish on the 6th for my area, but funny how that changed in 24 hrs. Funny looking back at it....I must have still been jaded from 2011-Jan 2013. It was a tough call on the coast, but the firehose still should have been respected. Tough to get a sh*tty event on the coast with good cold at 925mb and a wicked deep layer fetch from the east.

I think we had about 3" here while parts of ORH Co. 25mi from here had over 20". Toaster bath.

[OceanStWx]

I still am objective when it comes to situations, and itś always easy to be a Monday morning QB, but sometimes you look back and say to yourself.."ḧmm...should have caught that.." Granted it was a tough call right at the coast. As a consolation....some mets really were bearish even as it was snowing that night. It was getting obvious much of the Boston area was going to see a significant snow event the morning of the event on March 7th, but some were barely giving the 128 region, 1-3¨ 

 

Well, wind off the water right? Must mean no snow inside 128.

 

[wxmanmitch]

I don't know about their accuracy, but here are some totals I found of the December 1992 storm in this area (source: http://www.cbs6albany.com/weather/features/past-notable-storms/).

 

It looks like there was considerable spillover into the Berkshire Valley if these totals are to be believed as Adams and Pittsfield are typically both notorious downslope spots in E flow. However, with such a strong LLJ it's likely Froude numbers were high enough to allow unblocked flow. In addition, there was probably just enough elevation around here that it was snow instead of rain. The Hudson River is pretty much sea level but the Berkshire Valley is generally 800-1200' ASL.

 

Unfortunately, I was residing in far SW CT at the time and we had heavy rain and wind on day 1 followed by 6" of wet snow on the backside on day 2. However, I remember driving up through Becket around Xmas and they still had about a 30" glacier. Adams must've had ~15", but my memory is a bit foggy as it was long ago. Regardless if they still had that much snow around more than 2 weeks later, then those totals may in fact be legit. 

[Ginx snewx]

I don't know about their accuracy, but here are some totals I found of the December 1992 storm in this area (source: http://www.cbs6albany.com/weather/features/past-notable-storms/).

It looks like there was considerable spillover into the Berkshire Valley if these totals are to be believed as Adams and Pittsfield are typically both notorious downslope spots in E flow. However, with such a strong LLJ it's likely Froude numbers were high enough to allow unblocked flow. In addition, there was probably just enough elevation around here that it was snow instead of rain. The Hudson River is pretty much sea level but the Berkshire Valley is generally 800-1200' ASL.

Unfortunately, I was residing in far SW CT at the time and we had heavy rain and wind on day 1 followed by 6" of wet snow on the backside on day 2. However, I remember driving up through Becket around Xmas and they still had about a 30" glacier. Adams must've had ~15", but my memory is a bit foggy as it was long ago. Regardless if they still had that much snow around more than 2 weeks later, then those totals may in fact be legit.

crushed

[CT Rain]

Remember the 24"-36" NYC got in this years January blizzard?

[ORH_wxman]

I don't know about their accuracy, but here are some totals I found of the December 1992 storm in this area (source: http://www.cbs6albany.com/weather/features/past-notable-storms/).

 

It looks like there was considerable spillover into the Berkshire Valley if these totals are to be believed as Adams and Pittsfield are typically both notorious downslope spots in E flow. However, with such a strong LLJ it's likely Froude numbers were high enough to allow unblocked flow. In addition, there was probably just enough elevation around here that it was snow instead of rain. The Hudson River is pretty much sea level but the Berkshire Valley is generally 800-1200' ASL.

 

Unfortunately, I was residing in far SW CT at the time and we had heavy rain and wind on day 1 followed by 6" of wet snow on the backside on day 2. However, I remember driving up through Becket around Xmas and they still had about a 30" glacier. Adams must've had ~15", but my memory is a bit foggy as it was long ago. Regardless if they still had that much snow around more than 2 weeks later, then those totals may in fact be legit. 

 

 

Those are interesting totals...when I made my map years ago, there was a thin stripe of <=18" totals down the Housatonic Valley. I think Lanesboro had 18" and Great Barrington had 13". I never did find a Pittsfield number as they stopped reporting snow in 1970 at their site. I would suspect Pittsfield did ok since they are above 1,000 feet, but 30 inches would surprise me a bit. The Stockbridge coop discontinued in 1985 and Adams in 1978, so unfortunately nothing official there.

 

The Kocin Book has what looks to be 13" in AQW, but can't say for sure that is where the number comes from since it isn't labeled on those maps. He does have a couple 48" amounts on what looks like the spine of the Berkshires...I never found those totals (best I found was 44.5"), but they are probably pretty accurate given what we know about that storm.

[powderfreak]

I don't know about their accuracy, but here are some totals I found of the December 1992 storm in this area (source: http://www.cbs6albany.com/weather/features/past-notable-storms/).

It looks like there was considerable spillover into the Berkshire Valley if these totals are to be believed as Adams and Pittsfield are typically both notorious downslope spots in E flow. However, with such a strong LLJ it's likely Froude numbers were high enough to allow unblocked flow. In addition, there was probably just enough elevation around here that it was snow instead of rain. The Hudson River is pretty much sea level but the Berkshire Valley is generally 800-1200' ASL.

Unfortunately, I was residing in far SW CT at the time and we had heavy rain and wind on day 1 followed by 6" of wet snow on the backside on day 2. However, I remember driving up through Becket around Xmas and they still had about a 30" glacier. Adams must've had ~15", but my memory is a bit foggy as it was long ago. Regardless if they still had that much snow around more than 2 weeks later, then those totals may in fact be legit.

If it was a deep uniformed easterly flow with no inversion as I think Will mentioned earlier, you'd definitely have an unblocked flow. Probably centering the heaviest QPF over the crest with equal amounts on east and west slopes, or maybe even favoring the lee side a little bit due to the strong wind causing drift. But then you'd see a very sharp QPF gradient as you got to the end of that spill over.