Saturday, December 19, 2009

Washington DC Snow Breaks December Record

For full season data, see: Winter 2009-2010 Snowfall Review

For other related posts, including the latest record report, see:

Sunday Evening Update: Here are a couple of other statistics from the National Weather Service:
THE 15.0 INCHES OF SNOW MEASURED YESTERDAY WAS THE THIRD
HIGHEST DAILY SNOWFALL ON ANY CALENDAR DAY AT WASHINGTON DC SINCE
SNOWFALL RECORDS BEGAN IN 1884.

THE 20.5 INCHES OF SNOW MEASURED YESTERDAY WILL GO DOWN AS THE FIFTH
HIGHEST DAILY SNOWFALL ON ANY CALENDAR DAY AT BALTIMORE SINCE
SNOWFALL RECORDS BEGAN IN 1893.
Sunday PM Update: Added monthly record chart, updated unofficial measurements.

Sunday AM Update: Final official daily and monthly (to date) snowfall amounts:
Washington National 15.0"/16.6"
Washington Dulles 16.0"/21.0"
Baltimore (BWI) 20.5"/22.2"
New records (previous in parentheses):
  • National: All-time December daily (11.5", 12-17-1932) and monthly snowfall (16.2", 1962)
  • Dulles: All-time December daily record (10.6", 12-12-1982) and second highest December snowfall (24.2", 1966)
  • Baltimore: All-time December daily (11.5", 12-17-1932) and monthly snowfall (20.4", 1966)
For Dulles and Baltimore, these are only the second double-digit daily amounts in December. For Washington, it's the fourth.

11 pm Update: As of 9 pm, Washington National reported 16.3" of snowfall from this storm. This brings the December total to 16.5", which is a new all-time December record, exceeding the 1962 amount of 16.2". This is also the 7th biggest snowstorm in Washington history. The 6 bigger ones are:
January 27-28, 1922 .... 28 inches
February 11-13, 1899 ... 20.5 inches
February 18-19, 1979 ... 18.7 inches
January 6-8, 1996 ...... 17.1 inches
February 15-18, 2003 ... 16.7 inches
February 11-12, 1983 ... 16.6 inches
9 pm Update: Yet another inch at BWI, now at 18". Light snow continues at all 3 locations.

8 pm Update: BWI reports another inch, 17" on the ground. No change at National or Dulles.

Given the inconsistency with the snow amount and the over 1" of liquid at Dulles, the National precipitation amount cited earlier (0.33") is most likely incomplete, possibly from freezing of the instrument or blowing of the snow away from the instrument.

7 pm Update: Dulles reports another inch, 17" on the ground. National is at 15", BWI no change.

6:30 pm Update: The National Weather Service preliminary climate reports have been updated. Here are the daily snowfall/storm total/monthly total amounts for the region as of 4 pm:
Washington National 14.0/15.4/15.6
Washington Dulles 15.0/15.0/18.0
Baltimore (BWI) 11.0/11.0/12.1
The 1.11" of liquid precipitation at Dulles is a record for the date.

6 pm Update: Baltimore (BWI) reports 16" on the ground in the latest hour. This would imply a total snowfall in the top 10 for Baltimore records dating back to 1891 and the highest in December. The 8th place snowstorm in the all-time record list is March 15-18, 1892 with 16.0".

Dulles is at 16", National no change.

5:30 pm Update: Updated unofficial reports.

5 pm Update: Dulles Airport now has an official report of 15" of snow on the ground; no increase at National. This puts Dulles close to the second highest December monthly total of 15.9" in 1969. The December record is 24.2" in 1966.

4:40 pm Update: The preliminary climate report for today has been issued with the snowfall amount listed as "MM" (missing), so the official record will be delayed. Interestingly, the precipitation amount is given as 0.33", which would have been only 3.3" at a typical snow/liquid ratio of 10:1.

4 pm Update: National adds another inch but depth on ground is still 14"; Dulles also at 14" on the ground with a cumulative amount of 16". Cumulative snowfall is probably now within the top 10 all-time biggest storms in Washington. Updated unofficial reports as of 3:23.

3 pm Update: Added snow depth chart and updated total to 14".

2 pm Update: National has added 1" to reach 13" on the ground, BWI 2" to 10". Considering that National had 1" on the ground at midnight, that's at least 12" of new snow today, which breaks the daily record, and the total amount breaks the December single-storm record. Here's the raw report showing SNINCR (snow increase) to 13":
KDCA 191852Z 35014KT 1/4SM R01/1200V1400FT +SN VV003 M03/M06 A2965
RMK AO2 SLP039 DRSN ALQDS SNINCR 1/13 P0005 T10331056 $

Original post:
As of 1 pm, Washington National is reporting 1/8 mile visibility in heavy snow and an increase of 2" in the past hour with 12" on the ground. Unofficially, this is a new December daily record, exceeding the previous record of 11.5" set in 1932. Other regional amounts include:
Washington Dulles 12"
Andrews AFB 11"
Baltimore (BWI) 9"
Patuxent River MD 5"
Roanoke 15"
Richmond 7"
Unofficial reports include:
********************STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL********************

LOCATION STORM TOTAL TIME/DATE COMMENTS
SNOWFALL OF
/INCHES/ MEASUREMENT

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

..DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

THE MALL 16.0 615 PM 12/19

MARYLAND

..ALLEGANY COUNTY

LONACONING 17.4 412 AM 12/20
NORTH BRANCH 1 N 17.0 1015 PM 12/19
CUMBERLAND 1 SSE 14.5 702 PM 12/19
FROSTBURG 14.0 700 PM 12/19

..ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

GLEN BURNIE 22.5 915 PM 12/19
CROFTON 21.0 1030 PM 12/19
BALT-WASH INTL ARPT 21.0 1200 AM 12/20 KBWI
ANNAPOLIS 20.8 700 PM 12/19
OWINGS 1 NNE 20.0 845 PM 12/19
GREEN HAVEN 1 NE 19.9 424 AM 12/20
GAMBRILLS 1 NW 18.0 733 PM 12/19
MILLERSVILLE 18.0 815 PM 12/19
PAROLE 1 NNW 17.0 630 PM 12/19
RIVA 2 NW 15.0 933 PM 12/19

..BALTIMORE COUNTY

CATONSVILLE 20.5 847 PM 12/19
GUNPOWDER 1 WSW 20.5 933 PM 12/19
GARRISON 1 SE 20.4 1025 PM 12/19
ESSEX 20.0 1020 PM 12/19
PARKTON 20.0 655 PM 12/19
DUNDALK 1 SSW 19.5 700 PM 12/19
MONKTON 19.0 915 PM 12/19
REISTERSTOWN 19.0 945 PM 12/19
HAMPTON 1 W 18.0 618 PM 12/19
HUNT VALLEY 17.8 1005 PM 12/19
JACKSONVILLE 17.0 900 PM 12/19
RANDALLSTOWN 1 NW 16.5 715 PM 12/19
PARKVILLE 1 ENE 12.0 830 PM 12/19

..BALTIMORE CITY COUNTY

CARROLL 2 W 17.0 1115 PM 12/19

..CALVERT COUNTY

DARES BEACH 3 NW 19.0 800 PM 12/19
HUNTINGTOWN 18.8 1050 PM 12/19

..CARROLL COUNTY

LINEBORO 3 WSW 20.0 933 PM 12/19
MILLERS 19.0 1100 PM 12/19
WESTMINSTER 1 N 18.8 729 PM 12/19
LINEBORO 2 E 18.5 800 PM 12/19

..CHARLES COUNTY

BRYANS ROAD 2 ESE 21.2 1000 PM 12/19
DENTSVILLE 1 SW 13.5 1050 PM 12/19
WALDORF 4 SE 13.5 600 PM 12/19

..FREDERICK COUNTY

LIBERTYTOWN 2 N 22.5 931 PM 12/19
FREDERICK 1 ESE 22.0 1100 PM 12/19
NEW MARKET 2 NW 22.0 900 PM 12/19
MIDDLETOWN 21.0 930 PM 12/19
JEFFERSON 2 NE 20.2 931 PM 12/19
POINT OF ROCKS 19.0 930 PM 12/19
WALKERSVILLE 19.0 743 PM 12/19

..HARFORD COUNTY

EDGEWOOD 19.0 800 PM 12/19
FALLSTON 1 N 18.0 931 PM 12/19
BEL AIR 1 NE 16.5 840 PM 12/19

..HOWARD COUNTY

COLUMBIA 23.0 945 PM 12/19
SIMPSONVILLE 1 SSE 22.9 1200 AM 12/20
COLUMBIA 2 N 22.9 950 PM 12/19
ELKRIDGE 2 W 21.0 930 PM 12/19
GLENELG 1 ENE 19.5 1050 PM 12/19
SAVAGE 1 WSW 19.0 1128 PM 12/19
HANOVER 19.0 945 PM 12/19
SAVAGE 1 N 17.0 900 PM 12/19
ELLICOTT CITY 1 ESE 16.8 900 PM 12/19

..MONTGOMERY COUNTY

BETHESDA 24.0 500 AM 12/20
OLNEY 23.3 1030 PM 12/19
DERWOOD 23.0 900 PM 12/19
GLEN ECHO 22.8 930 PM 12/19
OLNEY 1 S 22.5 800 PM 12/19
GERMANTOWN 22.0 650 PM 12/19
GAITHERSBURG 1 NW 22.0 632 PM 12/19
NORBECK 21.3 1200 AM 12/20
ROCKVILLE 2 NW 21.0 932 PM 12/19
NORBECK 1 SE 21.0 1000 PM 12/19
COLESVILLE 21.0 900 PM 12/19
GLENMONT 21.0 737 PM 12/19
POTOMAC 3 ENE 20.6 1100 PM 12/19
DAMASCUS 20.3 918 PM 12/19
BETHESDA 2 NNW 20.0 743 PM 12/19
FAIRLAND 1 ESE 20.0 815 PM 12/19
ROCKVILLE 1 SSW 20.0 800 PM 12/19
NORTH POTOMAC 1 E 19.0 1000 PM 12/19
POOLESVILLE 19.0 1230 AM 12/20
DARNESTOWN 1 SW 19.0 815 PM 12/19
SILVER SPRING 1 ESE 18.0 1000 PM 12/19
GERMANTOWN 3 E 16.5 700 PM 12/19

..PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY

LAUREL 19.1 1000 PM 12/19
BOWIE 2 NNW 19.0 921 PM 12/19
BOWIE 18.8 802 PM 12/19
HYATTSVILLE 18.0 812 PM 12/19
GLENN DALE 3 ENE 18.0 1050 PM 12/19
FOREST HEIGHTS 1 SSE 17.0 720 PM 12/19
BELTSVILLE 1 SSW 15.0 1110 PM 12/19
ADELPHI 1 ENE 13.8 1000 PM 12/19

..ST. MARYS COUNTY

HOLLYWOOD 1 NNE 15.8 300 AM 12/20
HOLLYWOOD 14.5 950 PM 12/19

..WASHINGTON COUNTY

SMITHSBURG 21.0 742 PM 12/19
HANCOCK 16.0 630 PM 12/19

VIRGINIA

..ALBEMARLE COUNTY

EARLYSVILLE 3 NW 23.0 1045 PM 12/19
EARLYSVILLE 23.0 1010 PM 12/19
CROZET 22.0 600 PM 12/19
MONTICELLO 1 NW 19.0 1000 PM 12/19

..ARLINGTON COUNTY

BALLSTON 1 SW 20.5 100 AM 12/20
ARLINGTON 20.5 800 PM 12/19
BAILEYS CROSSROADS 1 19.3 945 PM 12/19
FALLS CHURCH 1 ENE 19.2 1100 PM 12/19
REAGAN NATIONAL AIRP 16.4 1200 AM 12/20 KDCA

..AUGUSTA COUNTY

STUARTS DRAFT 28.8 600 PM 12/19
FISHERSVILLE 26.0 600 PM 12/19

..CITY OF ALEXANDRIA

BARCROFT 2 ESE 20.0 1244 AM 12/20
ALEXANDRIA 19.0 741 PM 12/19
ALEXANDRIA 1 SE 15.0 614 PM 12/19

..CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE

CHARLOTTESVILLE 21.0 600 PM 12/19

..CITY OF WAYNESBORO

WAYNESBORO 28.0 600 PM 12/19

..CLARKE COUNTY

BERRYVILLE 1 NW 22.0 857 PM 12/19
BERRYVILLE 22.0 720 PM 12/19
BERRYVILLE 2 NE 21.0 700 PM 12/19

..FAIRFAX COUNTY

CENTREVILLE 1 SE 23.0 820 PM 12/19
CHANTILLY 1 N 22.0 1230 AM 12/20
GREAT FALLS 2 NW 21.8 1120 PM 12/19
HERNDON 1 NNE 21.0 1000 PM 12/19
BURKE 1 NNW 21.0 1200 AM 12/20
LORTON 20.8 1000 PM 12/19
VIENNA 20.5 700 PM 12/19
CHANTILLY 3 SE 20.0 845 PM 12/19
RESTON 20.0 845 PM 12/19
FAIRFAX STATION 1 NN 19.2 1100 PM 12/19
LINCOLNIA 1 W 19.2 940 PM 12/19
FRANCONIA 1 N 18.0 1227 AM 12/20
RAVENSWORTH 17.5 830 PM 12/19

..FAUQUIER COUNTY

OPAL 21.8 1035 PM 12/19
MARSHALL 21.0 1107 PM 12/19
WARRENTON 4 SE 20.5 900 PM 12/19
BEALETON 1 ESE 18.0 900 PM 12/19

..FREDERICK COUNTY

WHITACRE 1 ESE 19.0 600 PM 12/19
STEPHENS CITY 2 E 18.5 945 PM 12/19
WINCHESTER 18.0 930 PM 12/19
WINCHESTER 5 NE 17.8 800 PM 12/19

..GREENE COUNTY

RUCKERSVILLE 1 W 19.5 815 PM 12/19
MCMULLEN 16.5 702 PM 12/19

..LOUDOUN COUNTY

LUCKETTS 22.0 1000 PM 12/19
BLUEMONT 21.0 745 PM 12/19
DULLES INTL 3 NW 19.3 1200 AM 12/20 NWS OFFICE
ASHBURN 19.0 710 PM 12/19
LOVETTSVILLE 19.0 611 PM 12/19
ARCOLA 1 SSW 18.5 810 PM 12/19
DULLES INTERNATIONAL 18.0 1200 AM 12/20 KIAD

..NELSON COUNTY

WINTERGREEN 30.0 600 PM 12/19

..PAGE COUNTY

LURAY 1 SW 17.0 1130 PM 12/19

..PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY

WOOLSEY 3 NNW 19.3 932 PM 12/19
MANASSAS 18.0 1200 AM 12/20

..ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

GROTTOES 22.0 1100 PM 12/19
MASSANUTTEN 1 SE 20.5 607 PM 12/19

..SHENANDOAH COUNTY

TOMS BROOK 3 SSE 17.5 900 PM 12/19

..SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY

BELMONT 4 SE 19.0 649 PM 12/19
CHANCELLORSVILLE 4 S 18.5 721 PM 12/19

..STAFFORD COUNTY

FALMOUTH 14.0 1000 PM 12/19

..WARREN COUNTY

LINDEN 2 N 26.8 800 PM 12/19
FRONT ROYAL 1 ENE 21.0 748 PM 12/19

WEST VIRGINIA

..BERKELEY COUNTY

VANVILLE 1 SSW 21.0 951 PM 12/19
BUNKER HILL 1 WNW 20.0 1000 PM 12/19
MARTINSBURG 20.0 800 PM 12/19
GERRARDSTOWN 19.5 622 PM 12/19
FALLING WATERS 2 N 19.5 613 PM 12/19
FALLING WATERS 1 NNW 17.0 1015 PM 12/19
GERRARDSTOWN 1 ESE 14.5 900 PM 12/19

..HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

SPRINGFIELD 22.0 739 PM 12/19
LEHEW 2 WNW 20.0 739 PM 12/19
CAPON BRIDGE 6 SW 19.0 936 PM 12/19

..JEFFERSON COUNTY

SHENANDOAH JUNCTION 20.0 900 PM 12/19

..MINERAL COUNTY

KEYSER 21.0 738 PM 12/19

Friday, December 18, 2009

Washington DC Snow Freqs: December Records

For related and more recent posts, see:Generations of Washington area snow freaks have learned the hard way not to count their flakes until they're baked, but all indications are that a Big One is cooking in the kitchen of Momma Nature's Weather Grill. The latest National Weather Service forecast, updated within the hour, is calling for total snow accumulations of 14-16" by Saturday night. Stu Ostro of The Weather Channel has his usual excellent analysis of the storm here:
It's as easy as A + B = C.

In order to see how big the forecast amount really is, Momma's data dicers dusted off a chart originally published three years ago. Including the two trace amounts and 2.6" recorded in the meantime, the fraction of years with no measurable December snow now stands at 23% for the 121 years since official records began in 1888. Only 11 times (9%) have monthly totals exceeded 10". The most recent occurrence was in 1973 with 11". The others were:
1962 16.2"
1966 16.1"
1932 14.5"
1904 13.2"
1890 13"
1910 12"
1957 12"
1908 11.5"
1935 11"
The 1973 amount consisted mainly of 6" on the 16th and 4.2" on the 17th. The last time 10" fell on a single calendar day was Dec. 4, 1957 with 11.1". Since records began at the current National Airport location in 1929, there have been only two other December days with 10" or more: the 26th in 1941 (10") and the 17th in 1932 (11.5"). The 11.5" in 1932 holds the all-time December daily snowfall record. Of the 12 heaviest 3-day snow totals (12.7" or higher), none have occurred in December.

Images (click to enlarge): Precipitation forecast from The Weather Channel;
CapitalClimate chart from National Weather Service data, photo © Kevin Ambrose;
Energy and math symbols holiday snowflakes from MIT, animated version here.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Comedy Central Covers Copenhagen Climate Conference

"It snowed in Houston!!! And, they elected a lesbian mayor!!! And, scientists get paid!!!"

The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10c
World of Warmcraft
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show
Full Episodes
Political HumorHealth Care Crisis

New Orleans Doubles December Rainfall Record
3 Daily Records in 4 Days


Dec. 21 Update: After several days of drying out, the latest 5-day precipitation forecast (to the right) issued this morning from the National Weather Service/NCEP shows the Gulf Coast getting hammered again, and the forecast discussion from New Orleans indicates the likelihood of severe weather as well.

Noon Update: An additional 0.68" fell after midnight, raising the monthly total to 24.93", just 0.18" below the all-time record.

Baton Rouge also set a daily record with 2.41", exceeding the 2.35" in 1961.

The 13.14" through midnight at Mobile is a new December record, breaking the record which has stood since 1853. Unofficially, Mobile has received another 0.63" since midnight.

December 18 Update: A total of 1.77" on Thursday brings the New Orleans December rainfall to 24.25", within less than an inch of the all-time record for any month. The Thursday amount is a new daily record for December 18, the third time this has happened in the last 4 days. The old record was 1.46" in 1995.

Original post:
El Niño events tend to bring heavy rainfall to the southern U.S., including the Gulf Coast, and the current one is expected to be no different, but the first half of December has gotten off to a spectacular start. Aided by two consecutive record-breaking days, New Orleans Airport has doubled its previous December monthly rainfall record in just two weeks.

Monday's 3.28" broke the December 14 record of 2.04" set in 1976, and Tuesday's 5.70" almost doubled the daily record of 2.87" set in 1970. Halfway through the month, the December total of 22.48" is more than double the airport record of 10.77" set in 1977. It also exceeds the metro New Orleans December record of 14.43" in 1905. This is now the wettest month ever recorded at the airport since records began in 1947, easily surpassing the 21.18" in May 1995. The total is also within about 2.5" of the all-time New Orleans area monthly record of 25.11" mainly produced by a tropical storm in October 1937. Area records extend back to 1871.

The excessive rain has led to widespread street flooding in the New Orleans metro area.

The monthly rainfall so far of 12.70" at Mobile is the second wettest December total in records extending back to 1842. The record is 13.09" in 1853.

Images (click to enlarge): 5-day precipitation forecast through 6 am CST December 26, December precipitation departure from average through 6 am CST December 16, 5-day precipitation forecast through 6 am CST December 21, all from National Weather Service

Monday, December 14, 2009

Time-Lapse History of Human Global CO2 Emissions



From the posted description at YouTube:
Animated time-lapse video of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions in map form, spanning the 18th century until this current first decade of the 21st century. Shows the start in England and radiating to Europe, US and then Asia.

The video makes it easy to visualize the geographical distribution and trends in post industrial revolution anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions over 255 years.

Whether you are worried about the consequences of carbon pollution or a sceptic of global warming, you should take a look, since this data is based on recorded use of fossil fuels, gas flaring and cement production, but not land-use changes.

The majority of anthropogenic CO2 emissions are represented in this video by Robert W. Corkery using data from ORNL on a Nasa Blue Marble background image. Music copyright Robert W. Corkery 2007.

Mid Atlantic Precipitation: December Update II

See here for more Washington, DC weather records.

While not as drenching as the previous event, Sunday's precipitation added almost another half an inch to Washington's soggy December totals. The month-to-date amount of 3.47" is now well above the average for an entire December and over 150% of the month-to-date average. Even an average amount through the rest of the month will be enough for the total to finish over 50% above average. The year-to-date amount of 43.58" is also well above the yearly average of 39.35", although it's almost 3" below last year's near-record total.

Here are the daily (Sunday), month-to-date, and year-to-date totals for the Washington-Baltimore region:
Washington National 0.43"/3.47"/43.58"
Washington Dulles 0.58"/3.07"/45.71"
Baltimore (BWI) 0.67"/4.35"/51.86"
Images (click to enlarge):
Washington DC monthly precipitation amounts and percentages above or below average, CapitalClimate charts from NWS data

Friedman to Copenhagen: Get Real

Thomas Friedman, author of Hot, Flat, and Crowded (just released in a paperback edition), stopped at CNBC for an extended interview this morning on his way to the Copenhagen climate conference. His basic message was that economic revival is strongly dependent on green technology. He pointed out that one out of three wind turbine systems worldwide is now made and exported by Denmark. "If you don't believe in hot," he said, "Just focus on flat and crowded." Video below:





Meanwhile, economic assistance to developing countries and the size of emission cuts by rich countries continued to be the main points of contention at the conference:





Jeroen Van De Veer, former CEO of Shell, discussed the role of business in the development of climate policy:





Jean-Pascal Tricoire, CEO of Schneider Electric, also expressed his views on the subject:



Climate Chief Q & A

Thomas Karl, Director of NOAA's National Climatic Data Center, held an online Q & A session on Friday. His concluding comments:
What I hope we all got out of this is that the Earth is warming at an unprecedented pace, that there is ample evidence for that, and that human activity is largely to blame. It is now up to the United Nations Framework Convention, 15th Conference of the Parties in Copenhagen, to help us solve this problem.
Full text is at the silicon-based WaPo.

Seasonal Outlook

Latest seasonal forecast: Click here.


Latest 3-month temperature outlook from Climate Prediction Center/NWS/NOAA.