Big Snows

As I was departing my place of employment today, a co-worker (and loyal reader I might add...) so eloquently asked "well Smitty, are we ever gonna get a real storm this winter?"  Frankly, I forget my quick and not so thoughtful response...sorry...but it got me thinking that many of us think, living here in the sub-tropics of North America, that we should get major snow storms each and every year.  As a getting there "old-head", I've had my share!  You youngins...you had more than you should!  The true old timers are where the snowstorms regress to the mean...please let me explain.

The graphics that I'm using for the most part come from the heavy lifting of Dr Jon Nese of PSU; he recently did a segment on my favorite TV show "Weather World" about 10"+ snowfalls in PA!  The statistical breakdown was 2nd to none.  I will paraphrase his emphasis...

First, the number of 10"+ storms at his chosen 5 stations in PA since the late 1896...

...and then divided down to each decade period...(10 years y'all, I guess I'm still in the classroom!)

So basically every other year we should get a good one in these parts.  My loyal reader, likely more often since my loyal reader is skewed NW of KMDT towards KUNV but the names will be confidential so as to not admit as being identified as a "loyal reader"...!

As for KMDT...which I believe has a low bias snow measurement as does KDCA in Washington DC, we still have the first part of February before the frequency of such snow bombs begin to decline, albeit minimally...

The graphic below I found interesting as this was KMDT's snowiest winter on record...one of the only FIVE times...yes...FIVE times when these FIVE sites had 10"+ storms all from the same storm!

Of course the grand-daddy of east coast nor'easters...The superstorm of 1993...

I wasn't alive for the 1961 blast, but I'm sure most of y'all recall 1993!  It occurred on a Saturday into Sunday(thundersnow, too!) and we got back to school Thursday...it was a doooooozy!

Just an offshoot...KMDT's biggest snow is not even a big deal in the 4 other locations so much...take a look!  And y'all enjoyed that storm to be sure...(I did beat IV on the O/U for once!)

For those of you keeping records...here is the NorthEast Impact Snowstorm Scale broken down by years...please feel my pain; I lived the weather from the 70s through today; had a few fun ones lately and back in the Clinton years, but we all live here in the Sub-Tropics as I am so insistent!

OK...I've rattled long enough; some of 8th period is probably glad that they didn't have to hear my discourse, but for those of you who read and appreciate, a genuine "Thank You"...and one to Dr Jon Nese for the graphics and heavy statistical lifting...and one to my loyal reader who shall remain anonymous living halfway up 322 towards PSU!  Maybe not so much anymore...

OK, I'm out; big flakes with the wave spinning up the front currently over my place!  Looks like January outside to be sure; will feel like it the rest of this week!

Enjoy my song choice...and if any of you who listen to the songs have ideas associated with the weather, please let me know!  I'd really like that...

I do like Mumford and Sons...

Smitty

AA:  A nice snow event this afternoon into the evening, then the arctic emperor invades!  Check out these wind chills Thursday am... Brrrrrrrr!  Bundle up yourself and those darlings of yours!