Working copy: January 15, 1995: MONTHLY SUMMARY: DECEMBER 1995 As I've noted, we're posting now on the Internet; so, I update daily or periodically as your reports come in. As I prepare this report, it's interesting to note not one of us had any idea of the pending severe weather of January 1996. Of course, after being snow starved this decade, payback was heck!! It will be quite a pleasure to read your reports and transcribe them for the internet and the mailed form!! Most of us were acting crazy over the light snows that fell in early December. Wonder what your reactions would be now to a trace or couple inches of snow!? Wonder if I'll hear from some of you as the postal service may not have gotten to you yet!! And winter is less than half over!! At the moment, I'm enjoying a thaw with the month's high of 55 degrees. Wonder what next week will bring? Can't take much more snow, although we've only had 7.8" so far this winter in Portsmouth, most of which has lingered for over a week!! Paul Bassett of Centreville has been ill but appears much better now. He's slowly getting back up to snuff. I revised the November 1995 report with his data but only online at http://www.infi.net/~bsmoot/acon.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTES FROM "AROUND THE LEAGUE"- Arlington - NWS DCA noted a mean December temp (42.4) nearly 4 degrees (-3.8) below normal. Monthly precip was 2.17 inches, nearly an inch (-0.95) below normal with 1.3 inches of snowfall for the month. Bridgewater - Clayton Towers notes that five winter-like precipitation spells occurred in November and December, producing freezing rain, sleet, snow, or a mix. Chester Gap - Dave Lesher noted that his temps were at or below freezing continuously from December 18 until December 28th!! (Now, that's cold!!) Falls Church - December, says Lowell Koontz, was cold and dry! The month was the coldest since 1989. He noted 26 days- egads!- with temps at or below 32 degrees. Fredericksburg - Ken McKneely experienced a December much colder than normal, the 2nd consecutive month as such. The high temp averaged nearly 7 degrees below normal while low temps were over 2 degrees below normal. In one 11-day stretch, the high temperature was 40 degrees while 12 daily low temps were below 20 degrees. Fredericksburg - Matt Michaelson informs us that the first significant snowfall fell on the 7th. Moderate snow fell through the early morning hours into mid-morning. An average accumulation of 0.9" was measured on grassy areas. Hampton - Dave Kessel reported December was colder and drier than normal. Snow stayed just about 15 miles north and west of his station on the 7th with only a trace at this station. Louisa - John Bullock notes that "December 1995 was slightly cooler. Monthly means was 30.47 degrees." Mechanicsville - Glen Martin reports that a thunderstorm on the 6th moved through the area bringing snow shortly after the severe weather had passed and temperatures had plummeted. New Market - Joyce Winfree noted the 3rd coldest December (monthly mean) since records began in 1982. The minimum mean was the 2nd coldest during the same period while the maximum mean was the 4th coldest. Norfolk - NWS AKQ compiles Norfolk's summaries now and noted: "A cool, dry December; the average temperature was well below normal making this the 2nd month in a row with below average temperatures following 17 consecutive months with the monthly average temperatures being above normal. No records were equaled or broken during December." Portsmouth - This month's highlight would be the far below normal temps. December was 4.5 degrees below the norm, the second straight month of below normal temps, a rarity in this decade! In addition to the cold, everyone enjoyed a two to three hour period of snow- on the heels of an hour of occasionally moderate sleet- which, combined with the sleet- measured 0.3", mostly on grassy areas. Richmond - According to Roy Britt, the December snow on the 7th only accumulated on grassy areas at his house. Northeast of Richmond and near Ashland, there was from 1 to 4 inches. This heavier amount was caused by a snow thunderstorm. His related newspaper article appears in the monthly report. Roanoke - Wendell Prillaman reports he did not receive the 10.0" of snow that NWS ROA and northern portions of his area did; however, he did record 7.5". His monthly snowfall was the second greatest on record with the normal December snowfall, 2.0". The record amount is 12.3" in 1989. Temps were below normal as was precipitation. Wakefield - Received memo from Fay Crossley of NWS Wakefield including the following: (after noting installation of new MMTS [max-min temperature sensoring system]) "Additionally, starting with January 96 data, we will be providing our own data to a private data collection group called ACON. Mr. Bill Trotter heads up this group. He has been after us to help him out since we opened the office. This will require no additional work on the shifts' parts. Either myself or Mr. Foster will tabulate the data and get the information to Mr. Trotter by mail, as soon after the first of each month as possible." Welcome AKQ! Woodstock - The month was colder and drier than normal according to M. L. Walton. This past November and December period was unusually cold. That period mean was 38 degrees while the normal period mean was 43. Yet, this period was not match-up for 1989 when the two month mean was a frigid 36! Henderson - December featured below normal temps and rainfall. Only a trace of snow was reported, says George Stevenson, JR. Brevard - Bob Keehn reported via e-mail that the November-December 1995 period saw monthly means of 42.3 and 33.6 degrees, respectively. This is to be compared with the means of 48.0 and 44.1 for the previous five years. He also notes that Brevard experienced a near record rainfall of 76.24" compared to the five year average of 66.7" and with the record of his station, 82.6" in 1994. Bob adds, "May 1996 be a happy and prosperous year for you." Raleigh - Bob Woodson noted December was similar to November with below normal temps. No frozen precip was observed. Roxboro - Merriell Jay reports: "December began with a few mild, sunny days but then quickly reminded us that it was nearing winter. The rest of the month was cold and dry with breezy northwest winds." Greenville-Spartanburg - December was s somewhat colder month and not too active. Near the end of the month a persistent northwest flow brought several dry cold fronts through the area keeping the temperatures well below normal. Despite the cold weather, no temperature records were broken. Ruby - Franklin Hancock notes that the month of December seemed to be colder than in past years (it surely was, Franklin!). Ruby had at least 14 days with temps in the teens and low 20's. Rainfall was light this month, however. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATED MEMBERS' E-MAIL ADDRESSES: (posted by permission) BRE Bob Keehn r.keehn3@genie.com POR Bill Trotter wtrotter@pen.k12.va.us wtrotter@delphi.com wtrotter@whro.org 71470.1535@compuserve.com FRD Matthew Michaelson mmichael@s850.mwc.edu RAL Bob Woodson Woods@usa.pipeline.com CEN Paul Bassett III pbassett@nmaa.org -----------------------------------------------------------------------------