January 2025 General Discussion

[michsnowfreak]

5 hours ago, mississaugasnow said:

Happened to me last year. I brought it up this time of the year and you said unlikely it happens haha. Then we didnt see much snow the rest of the year 

Im a bit more skeptical it happens two years in a row though 

Heres a fun one for the Chicago peeps. Those dustbowl winters of the 1930s were full of bare ground then the occasional big blizzard. In the winter of 1930-31, Chicago did not exceed 1-inch snow depth ALL season long...until a 16-inch snowstorm hit March 7-8.

[madwx]

up to 57 at least.  broke the daily record by 10 degrees.   only 1 off of the monthly record so may have tied that,  will have to see the daily climate summary come in

[Brian D]

Stout warm spell today. Records fallen all over MN, and WI. In MN, I-Falls 39 (3rd), Hibbing 39 (3rd), Duluth 43 (2nd), Brainerd 48 (1st), Park Rapids 46 (1st), St Cloud 48 (1st), Minneapolis 52 (1st). In WI, Ashland 45 (T2nd), Rhinelander 43 (2nd), Green Bay 54 (1st +12 from 2nd), La Crosse 58 (1st +10 + Monthly rec), Madison 57 (1st +10), Milwaukee 55 (1st).

Here's my stat breakdown for these 3 significant records from these cities. I keep track, and will update next month. Max 5+ from 2nd place with 10+ specially noted.

 

[mississaugasnow]

6 hours ago, michsnowfreak said:

 

Well, any given year a futility record is unlikely. Meaning the all time lowest snowfall, because it a 1 in 100-150 shot (depending on the record length). Top 20 is another story, but usually when I hear someone talk about futility I assume they mean all time #1. And when you live in a place where it snows through April, its hard to discuss that in January not knowing the pattern the next several months.

How far back do Hamilton records go? I bookmarked the link because its so hard for me to find Canadian records/data lol.

Looking at Detroits snow data, which goes back 145 years, of the top 20, I have experienced 7 of the top 15 snowiest winters on record, and the worst I have experienced is the 16th least snowy.

#1 all time snowiest winter (2013-14)

#5 snowiest winter (2007-08)

#6 snowiest winter (2010-11)

#10 snowiest winter (2008-09)

#11 snowiest winter (2004-05)

#14 snowiest winter (2017-18)

#15 snowiest winter (2002-03)

*****

#16 least snowy winter (1997-98)

#18 least snowy winter (2023-24)

#19 least snowy winter (1999-00)

#20 least snowy winter (2003-04)

Ya, we discussed this last winter. The reason futility here is easier is because our lowest winters are still higher compared to Detroits. 

Toronto should do better compared to last year and has records back to 1937 easily available. But last year snuck in at #6 least snowy winter since 1937 

#1 least snowy winter  2011-12 16.5"

#2 least snowy winter 2009-10 20.5"

#3 least snowy winter  2006-07 24"

#4 least snowy winter 2015-16 25.6" 

#6 least snowy winter 2023-24 26.4"

Currently at 18.7" 

So this year in Toronto will almost certainly beat last years but the entire GTA has been struggling the last 20 years with snow. 

 

https://toronto.weatherstats.ca/charts/snow-wyearly.html

 

[mississaugasnow]

6 hours ago, michsnowfreak said:

Of those top least, 1961-62 (the 1st) is the only one that seems sketch, the other ones were all known to be low snow winters in much of the region.

The only thing I can say about 1961-62 is that it was a very low snow season thru Jan here, but then a snowy Feb saved it (at Detroit, 15.7" of the seasons 28.1" fell in Feb). I suppose its possible that Hamilton shared in the slow Dec/Jan but then missed out on the snowy Feb, but id think some M data is more likely.

Toronto reported 100 more cm so I think Hamiltons is wrong that year lol. Currently Hamilton is about 8" below Toronto back to back winters and that alone is weird but verifiable. Being 40" off makes no sense 

[Snowstorms]

14 hours ago, mississaugasnow said:

Hamilton is at 10" so far. Big difference the last 2 seasons across the GTA 

Lake effect snow is the reason why YYZ is at 19" for the season. Almost half of it is lake effect lol. 

The lack of storms this winter is truly appalling. But even more so has been the lack of extreme cold. YYZ has had a hard time cracking -10C for lows. I'm not sure if its because of the constant cloud cover and warm lakes or just strong UHI or the constant SW winds this winter. This month will finish right at average despite no warm ups and the warmest temp being only 4.1C (39F). 

[Snowstorms]

7 hours ago, michsnowfreak said:

 

Well, any given year a futility record is unlikely. Meaning the all time lowest snowfall, because it a 1 in 100-150 shot (depending on the record length). Top 20 is another story, but usually when I hear someone talk about futility I assume they mean all time #1. And when you live in a place where it snows through April, its hard to discuss that in January not knowing the pattern the next several months.

How far back do Hamilton records go? I bookmarked the link because its so hard for me to find Canadian records/data lol.

Looking at Detroits snow data, which goes back 145 years, of the top 20, I have experienced 7 of the top 15 snowiest winters on record, and the worst I have experienced is the 16th least snowy.

#1 all time snowiest winter (2013-14)

#5 snowiest winter (2007-08)

#6 snowiest winter (2010-11)

#10 snowiest winter (2008-09)

#11 snowiest winter (2004-05)

#14 snowiest winter (2017-18)

#15 snowiest winter (2002-03)

*****

#16 least snowy winter (1997-98)

#18 least snowy winter (2023-24)

#19 least snowy winter (1999-00)

#20 least snowy winter (2003-04)

Toronto records go back to 1840 and our futility winter is 2011-12 with only 16". What made 2011-12 even more horrible for us was that 2009-10 was the 3rd least snowiest winter on record and 2006-07 the 4th lowest. I'll give 2009-10 a pass because it was bad timing and strong blocking that killed any storm chances for us, but 06-07 and 11-12 were just horrible. 2015-16 is the 6th least snowiest and 2023-24 7th least snowiest since 1840. 

So I can feel @mississaugasnow frustration. Of the top 10 least snowiest, 5 have occurred in the last 18 years. 

YYZ botched the numbers for 2 storms in 07-08, but unofficially it will go down as the snowiest winter at YYZ. 2021-22 was the 8th snowiest on record at YYZ. 

 

[Snowstorms]

2 hours ago, mississaugasnow said:

Ya, we discussed this last winter. The reason futility here is easier is because our lowest winters are still higher compared to Detroits. 

Toronto should do better compared to last year and has records back to 1937 easily available. But last year snuck in at #6 least snowy winter since 1937 

#1 least snowy winter  2011-12 16.5"

#2 least snowy winter 2009-10 20.5"

#3 least snowy winter  2006-07 24"

#4 least snowy winter 2015-16 25.6" 

#6 least snowy winter 2023-24 26.4"

Currently at 18.7" 

So this year in Toronto will almost certainly beat last years but the entire GTA has been struggling the last 20 years with snow. 

 

https://toronto.weatherstats.ca/charts/snow-wyearly.html

 

Man the 1960s and 1970s were some of our best winters. Consistent cold and endless snow.

From 1960-1979, only 2 winters were below average, the rest were average or above average with 7 seasons above 60". Only one winter was above average temperature wise with 5 record breaking cold winters (1962-63, 1969-70, 1976-77, 1977-78, and 1978-79). Stark contrast from the mid 80's - present. 

[hawkeye_wx]

We hit 54º today as the clouds moved in.  That's three straight days of 50º.  Mason City hit 62º today.