MONTHLY SUMMARY: JANUARY 1996 UPDATED: 2-24-96 CORRECTION: Thanks to Bob Keehn of Brevard, NC who noted that the AVL snowfall data for January looked very odd (on the mailed version of this report)! I thought 0.1" of snow for JAN 96 was odd too. However, I failed to check it out! The report on which I relied was for DEC 1995 and was in the Weather- Brief folder for monthly summaries. All other station summaries in the folder were for JAN 1996. So, I've deleted the AVL (Asheville). --------------- Ladies and gentlemen: please, please, please fill out the ACON reporting forms accurately. MOST of you are and the time you invest is evident and appreciated. Furthermore, you know who you are. Thanks for your accurate reports. On the other hand, a FEW OF YOU are not accurately and consistently filling out your reports!! I love to see your personalized monthly summaries and wish I could share them with all! Keep sending them!! HOWEVER, I MUST HAVE THE ACON (VA/NC/SC) FORM FROM NOW ON!! I am spending too much time trying To analyze your personal weather summaries and make calculations from them which you must do on the ACON form. Remember, this is a volunteer group. We must all volunteer our time to make the data accurate. SUBMIT THE SIMPLE FORM, AT LEAST!! I am not particularly fond of the tabular method which is used to display our data. But to maximize the importance of our data for the Internet, the style must be used. By the way, we have a new member joining from the ACON exposure on the Internet. He plans to submit data starting with January 1996. Here are the points of confusion on the current ACON data form: --DAYS WITH TEMPERATURE... MAX. <=32 DEGREES --- I have never had a problem with this, but several of our members don't seem to understand that this is the number of days on which the high temperature is less than or equal to 32 degrees. Since the last time I clarified this, most everybody has gotten in line with this standard NWS data report. --GLAZE ... This is the total amount of ice (from freezing rain) or ice-mixed-snow or ice-mixed-ice pellets measured in inches on the ground surface. It is included in the snowfall total. We simply ask for the number of days you noted it! --ICE PELLETS ... These are more commonly known as sleet. Most everybody has this clarified now. --(BIGGIE #1!) SNOWFALL # OF DAYS WITH --- Count the number of days on which you observed any kind of snow. Your snowfall amount is normally located in a different column on most standard data forms. If you had five days of measurable snow and 4 days with flurries then you had a total 9 days with some type of snow. If we want to change this to days with measurable snow, then let me know your disposition. Perhaps changing this would be best. --(BIGGIE #2!) SNOWFALL WINTER TOTAL --- Unfortunately, the weather business has a variety of snowfall reports: daily snowfall records, monthly, seasonal, yearly, periodic... Apparently each of us prefers one period to another. In this ACON group, we're having problems reporting the winter (seasonal) total which, for our area, runs approximately from October until April (sometimes May!) It is important that you update your snow totals on each data form for the entire winter!! Simply go back to your records and fill in the boxes for the previous months, then update your total. Received a comment, "Don't like your method of summarizing." Does this mean the tabular forms, the prosaic accounts, or what? We can not make this more enjoyable for all if we don't specify what we'd like. I am the most adaptive person and will respond to all logical wishes. So, specify your concerns. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTES FROM "AROUND THE LEAGUE"- Arlington - NWS WBC notes that January was a snowy, cold, cloudy month. Temps ran slightly below normal at Washington National Airport but snowfall was four times the average. The lowest total sunshine was recorded in more than three years. As in most places, The Blizzard of 1996 was the major weather producer. The 17.1 inches on the 6th through the 8th was the fourth greatest snowfall from a storm. The top three storms included the President's Day Storm of 1979 (18.7") followed by the Blizzard of 1899 (20.5"), and the Knickerbocker Storm of 1922 (28.0"). Washington was paralyzed by for a week. The federal government was shut down for three days while schools were closed for a week. A second storm arrived on the 12th producing another 4.1 inches of snow. Flooding followed a quick warm-up on the evening of the 18th and morning of the 19th melted almost all of the snowcover. During that period nearly « inch of rain fell- more in the mountains- which led to major flooding. The river gauge at Wisconsin Avenue saw it highest level (13.9 feet) since Hurricane Agnes in June of 1972. The flood stage is 7 feet! Much of the waterfront, Water Street, Old Town in Alexandria, and the Parkway were flooded with several inches to a few feet of Potomac River Water. Snowfall for the month was the 3rd largest January total in the 124 year history of the station. Temps were slightly below normal (-1.7 degrees). So far Washington is only about half- way to the 49.8 inches of snowfall measured in the winter of 1899-1890. Bridgewater - Clayton Towers reports: "I don't ever remember a January that has has two major weather events such as this January. Of course, I'm referring to the huge record-breaking snowstorm on the 6th and 7th and the damaging floods on the 16th. The two storms caused millions of dollars worth of damage to the residents of Rockingham County. Mu house is about two blocks from the North River which runs by Bridgewater. The river was well out of its banks and I thought we were going to have to leave town. Water from the River backed-up in front of our house and was across part of our neighbor's property. However, the river stopped rising just in time. We were lucky." Clayton reports the most snow in a single snowstorm for at least 32 years, second greatest flooding in Bridgewater in 46 years and the greatest since 1985, and most precip for any January in at least 32 years! (Clayton, is it possible you could adapt your monthly report/ACON form to send to me via the Internet?) Charlottesville - According to John Stewart, January was a cold wet month, some 2.5 degrees below normal. The month will be remembered chiefly for the Blizzard of '96. The 21 inches of snow he measured is the most since coming to Charlottesville in 1954. March 5-7, 1962 measured a little more in some places nearby. We had just over 24" on the ground after multiple storms on 1/30/66 and 1/26/87. Chester Gap - Total snow for season-to-date now exceeds 1992-1993 season. With luck, still have a shot at my first 100-inch season ever! (Hope you make it Dave!!) Falls Church - Lowell Koontz reports that January was a wet and moderately cold month. The mean temp was 29.92" the third coldest in the station's 11 years of record. From the same database, the month was the wettest. The month was the cloudiest in the last 10 years of record. The largest single snow event was noted (18.2") since February 1983. The month saw a new record for the greatest temp range in 24 hours, from 60 to 16 degrees on the 19th. Fredericksburg - Notes from Ken McKneely: "The Blizzard of '96 left 15" of snow at my station, over 20" at others in the area. Another 4.5" fell at the end of thw week (of the blizzard). The temps for that 7-day period (6th-12th) were much colder than normal: highs 28.9, lows 13.7, mean 21.3 A strong cold front passed on the 19th, dropping temps from a high of 63 degrees that morning down to 14 degrees on the morning of the 20th. For the month, low temps were near normal, highs nearly 4 degrees below normal." Fredericksburg - Matt Michaelson reports: ---SIGNIFICANT WEATHER EVENTS--- Jan. 6-12, 1996. The Blizzard of '96. Jan. 6. High of 29. Evening light snow gave way to moderate snow at sundown accumulating to 3-3 « inches by 0000 EST. Jan. 7. Low of 16, and high of 22. Snow continues through the A.M. hours reducing visibilities to 1/5 mile. Breezy conditions dropped the wind chill to -10. Total accumulation at 1200 EST was 12-14 inches. During the afternoon, moderate sleet with so me moderate snow changed back to all snow through the evening and night hours. Windy conditions caused blowing and drifting snow with blizzard-like conditions. Total accumulation at 0000 EST was 14 «-15 « inches. Jan. 8. Low of 17, and high of 32. Light snow and very windy conditions continued through 1200 EST. No significant additional accumulation. Jan. 9. Low of 11, and high of 32. Occasional light snow before dawn and moderate snow after dawn until 1200 EST brought an additional «-1 inch of accumulation. Jan. 10. Low of 22, and high of 40. Warmer with partly cloudy skies melted several inches of snow. Jan. 11. Low of 11, and high of 29. Increasing cloudiness. Jan. 12. Low of 20, and high of 31. A.M. moderate snow with some mid-morning ice pellets accumulated to 4 «-5 inches. Snow depth at this time was 13-13 « inches. Hampton - Dave Kessel exclaimed, "What a wild month!!! The first snowfall of 4 inches or more in 7 years occurred on the 6th, 7th; however, totals were held down by rain on the 7th. Still, I had 1.0 or more on the ground through the 12th. Then, on the 10th, strong winds produced three significant gusts of wind in three hours: 49 mph at 10:30 AM, 52 mph at 11:35 AM, and 57 mph at 12:05 PM. Looking forward to February!" Herndon - From Robert Beall comes this report: "Substantial snowfall and a solid week of below freezing temperatures was a useful reminder of winter's potential - but hardly qualifying as a blizzard. Some drifting made daily max and monthly total suspect. Very few hints of spring this month." He adds that he doesn't like "your method of summarizing." Louisa - Mechanicsville - On his monthly summary, Glenn Martin reported "Heavy snow moved in on the 6th dropping up to 13 inches out of this storm. There was also around 1 inch of sleet that fell from this storm. On the 9th, 11th, and 25th, we experienced more snowfall. Had 2 days where there was thunder in the storms on the 1st and 19th." New Market - Joyce Winfree reports that January saw the most snowfall since 1966. 30" of snow fell in the blizzard on the 7th and 8th. High winds and flooding were recorded on the 18th. Snow remained on the ground for 13 straight days!! Newport News - Light snow began on the 6th around 3:30 PM with a temp of 25. By 7:30 PM, the snow had become moderate and the temp fell to 23. At Gary Leonard's observation time (2300), he had received 2.0" and it was still snowing at a moderate pace; BUT, the three Coastal Virginia signs of an impending changeover were beginning to rear their ugly heads: 1) the temp was beginning to creep-up, 2) increasing northeast winds, and 3) rapidly falling barometer. At 3:41 AM and temp up to 28 degrees, the first pieces of sleet began to pelt my northeast facing window. With 4.8" of snow when changeover began, it took about an hour for all snow to cease and become a mix of sleet and freezing rain with a temp of 30. By 6:30 AM, the temp was up to 33 and all precipitation was in the liquid form which continued for most of the day with a max temp of 36 reached at 11:16 AM. Total snow from the event was 7.7 inches. Norfolk - January was a rather cold and wet month according to the staff reporter at NWS ORF. The month was the third consecutive at ORF with below normal mean temps. Portsmouth - The Blizzard of '96 created profound effects for Southeastern Virginia. Snow began here on the afternoon of the 6th, accumulating to 5.5" before changing to ice pellets, then rain on the 7th. Some ZL during the evening of the 7th as temps dropped. Then wrap-around moisture on the 8th provided another snow cover of 2" on top of refrozen slush from the previous day. Storm total was 7.5 inches. On the 19th, set something of a record when for three consecutive hours, the wind gust each hour was over 60 mph!! (max was 64 mph) Don't recall that in this station's (since 1976) database, not even for the Blizzard of 1993!! Another month of below normal (-0.7 deg.) temperatures and above normal precip. 16 days with measurable precip!! Roanoke - Wendell Prillaman notes: "As I report, the deepest snow in a single storm (22.3") I've ever seen or shoveled out of the near blizzard of 1996 on 1-7-96 has fallen. I am now digging-out from under the 3rd major snow of 1995-1996 winter, the Ground Hog Day snow of 11 inches. This is also my wettest January on record 7.72", wettest previous being last Janaury and going back for 19 years. This month was 0.7 degrees below average temp." Roanoke - According to NWS ROA, this was the 3rd wettest January on record. Woodstock - Brevard - Bob Keehn reported via e-mail (note his new address below!): January was a cold month, the mean temp, 34.2 deg., compares with 40.9 deg. for the five 1990-1994 Januarys. Jan. 1995 had a mean of 38.9 deg. Precipitation-wise, Jan. 1996 is my new record for the month, 11.36" compared with a five year avg. of 6.52" and the previous record for the month of 8.37" in 1995. Jan. 1994 had a 8.02" rainfall so it looks like Brevard is heading into another wet year. Snow tends to be a rarity in this neck of the woods. We have had four significant snowfalls since we moved to Brevard in August 1989, the March Blizzard of 1993 with 18", the December 1994 storm, we were in Northern Virginia for that one. This January we had two, 12.8" fell on the 6-7th and another 4.9" fell on the 12th. We also had three days with trace falls. The folks around here talk about the really big snowfalls they have had when they were children, makes one wonder if we are in for a return to "the good old days". I hope not. Charlotte - Billy Brown reports in with: "On the 6th, 0.2" of snow fell followed by freezing rain till early morning on the 7th; total glaze 1/4". 1.6" of snow followed. Early on the 12th, 0.5" of mostly ice pellets fell. Due to the ice sheet, snow and ice was on the ground from the 7th through the 13th." Charlotte - NWS reports that Charlotte was affected by three major storms during the month, two of which provided wintry weather. The second of the three storms produced significant icing. Some flooding was reported from the third storm which produced 1 to 2 inches of rain across the area. Greensboro - NWS Greensboro reported 13.2 inches of snow with the normal of 3.2 inches Henderson - "If January wasn't bad enough, February has started out even worse! Today (Feb. 5th) the minimum was -1 degree and wouldn't you know the heat wouldn't come on this morning!" -report from George Stevenson, Jr. Raleigh - Bob Woodson notes a change in his location relative to the new main post office. He's still in the same spot but is only 7 miles NNW of the office now, down from 13 miles NNW. He reports: "Most sleet and snow since February 1989. The sleet on the streets and roads had a serious impact on transportation for over a week. Temperatures for the month were 1.8 degrees below normal while precip was 1.68 inches above normal." PLEASE NOTE BOB'S NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS: woods@usa.pipeline.com Roxboro - A low pressure system moved from west to east across the South and gathered strength as it picked up moisture from the Gulf region then moved toward the northeast. This storm brought the heaviest snowfall for this area in recent years. The "Blizzard of 1996" left 7.5 inches of snow along with « inch of ice pellets. Snow and ice remained on the ground during one period of 12 days!! (report from Merriell Jay) Greenville-Spartanburg - Ruby - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATED MEMBERS' E-MAIL ADDRESSES: (posted by permission) BRE Bob Keehn robertk891@aol.com POR Bill Trotter wtrotter@pen.k12.va.us wtrotter@delphi.com wtrotter@whro.org 71470.1535@compuserve.com FRD Matthew Michaelson mmichael@mwc.edu RAL Bob Woodson woods@usa.pipeline.com CEN Paul Bassett III pbassett@nmaa.org -----------------------------------------------------------------------------