MARYLAND
WINTERS
SNOW, WIND, ICE AND COLD
by Barbara McNaught Watson
Maryland's greatest winter storms
are the "Nor'easters" or what some call the "White
Hurricane". To get heavy snow across the State, you must first have an
arctic air mass in place. High pressure builds over New England. Cold, arctic
air flows south from the high. The dense cold air is unable to move westward
over the Appalachian Mountains, so it funnels south down the valleys and along
the Coastal Plain. This is called "cold air damming". To the east of
the cold air is the warm water of the Gulf Stream. The contrast of the cold air
sliding south into the Carolinas and the warm air sitting over the Gulf Stream
creates a breeding ground for storms. With the right meteorological conditions
such as the position of the jet stream, storm development off the Carolinas may
become "explosive" (sudden, rapid intensification; a dramatic drop in
the central pressure of the storm).
The ideal position of the jet stream
has it entering the West Coast of the US and then splitting. The north branch
crosses the northern Rockies and Canada and the southern branch dips down to the
Gulf Coast states. The south branch then turns northeast
across Virginia and rejoins the north branch near Newfoundland. The north branch
of the jet supports the southward sinking cold air. The south branch carries a
disturbance from the Gulf Coast northeast to the Carolina coast where it
intensifies into the Nor'easter. Winds around the storm center carry warm, moist
air from over the Gulf Stream, up and over the cold inland air. The air rises,
cools and snow begins. The storm's speed and exact track to the north become
critical in properly forecasting and warning for heavy snow across Maryland. It
is quite common for the rain-snow line to fall right over the
Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. The heaviest snow band generally occurs
in a 50 mile wide swath about 150 miles northwest of the low pressure center
(represented as an "L" on the diagram). Closer to the low, the warm
ocean air changes the precipitation over to sleet, freezing rain, and eventually
rain. If the forecasted storm track is off by just a little bit, it can mean the
difference between heavy rain, freezing rain or sleet (marked as mixed
precipitation in the diagram), and a foot or more of snow.
Winds around the storm's center can
become intense. The strong northeast winds that rack the coast and inland areas
give the storm its name. The wind builds large waves that rack the coastline and
sometimes pile water inland causing major coastal flooding and severe beach
erosion. Unlike the hurricane, which usually comes and goes within one tide
cycle, the Nor'easter can linger through several tides, each one piling more and
more water on shore and into the bays.
In February 1994, a series of ice
storms struck Maryland. The region had been long over due for an ice
storm, but it was unprecedented to have several occur one after the other. Ice
storms are not an uncommon event in the valleys and foothills to the
east of the Appalachian Mountains. Utility company records show the frequency
with which fallen wires need to be repaired. The set up is not completely unlike
that for a snow storm. High pressure over New England funnels cold dry air south
over the state. The air tries to push west but can not rise over the Appalachian
Mountains and becomes trapped on the east side. A storm moves northeast from the
southern plains or Gulf Coast region. Instead of passing south and east of
Virginia, it moves up the west slopes of the Appalachians. Warm, moist air rises
over the mountains and the trapped cold air on the east side. Precipitation
begins (See diagram above).
The type of precipitation depends on
the depth of the cold air. At first it is often deep enough for snow, but as the
warm air associated with the nearing storm continues to erode the cold air east
of the mountains, the cold air mass gets shallower and shallower. Soon it is no
longer snow, but rain, falling into the cold air. The rain droplets freeze into
small ice pellets known as sleet. When sleet hits the ground, it
bounces and does not stick to objects. Therefore, it is generally considered no
more than a minor nuisance. However, during the February 1994 storms, several
inches of sleet (5 to 7 inches over parts of Frederick, Carroll and Montgomery
Counties) were enough to cause considerable problems on roadways.
Eventually, the cold air mass is so
shallow that the rain does not freeze until it hits the ground or other
surfaces. Any object with a temperature below 32° F will suddenly find a glaze
of ice accumulating on it. This is known as freezing rain and is
very dangerous. Ice on roadways and walkways is treacherous. As the ice
accumulates on trees and wires, the weight eventually causes them to break,
knocking out power and phone service. Sometimes, so much ice can accumulate that
structural damage can occur to buildings and communication towers can collapse
from the weight. Southern Maryland and portions of the Eastern Shore were
devastated by ice during the February 10-11, 1994 storm. Many people were
without power for a week.
In western Maryland, another type
of snow storm can cause significant accumulations over Garrett County and
Allegany County west of Cumberland. This is called "Lake Effect Snow".
Winds out of the northwest blow across the Great Lakes. In the early winter, the
lakes are still quite warm. As the air moves across Lake Erie, it is warmed by
the water beneath. Evaporation occurs which increases the amount of water vapor
(or humidity) in the air. The warmer, moister air off the lake's surface begins
to rise (as steam would from a kettle). As the air rises, it cools forming
clouds and snow. Streets of clouds or snow bands can be seen on satellite
streaming off Lake Erie, across Pennsylvania, into the Appalachian Mountains in
Maryland. These are called "Snow Squalls". One minute
the sun is shining and the next it is windy and snowing heavily. As the air
rises up the west side of the Appalachians into areas such as Garrett County,
Maryland, the snow intensifies.
Because of Garrett County's elevation
above sea level, it is typically 10 degrees colder than areas to the east such
as Baltimore. Combine the colder air with the Lake Effect Snows and upslope snow
on the west side of the Appalachians and the county averages 100 inches of snow
per year. Deer Park recorded 175 inches of snow during the winter of 1901-1902.
Oakland holds the monthly record snowfall with 58 inches in January 1895.
However, recently, Piney Dam unofficially recorded 42 inches of snow during the
December 10-12, 1992 nor'easter and then received 31 more inches in the March
13-14, 1993 nor'easter. The recent winter of 1995-1996 gave Oakland 170 inches
of snow. Almost 3 feet of it fell during the January 7-8 nor'easter/blizzard.
Other types of weather systems
generally do not cause major problems for Maryland. Storms such as the
"Alberta Clipper," a fast moving storm from the region around Alberta,
Canada, or a cold front sweeping through from the west, generally does not bring
more than 2 to 4 inches of snow. An unusually strong clipper hit Maryland just a
day after snow ended from the January 1996 Blizzard and dropped a surprise 4 to
5 inches from DC, northeast across Baltimore.
MARYLAND'S HISTORIC WINTER EXTREMES:
Information on weather goes back a long time
in the Mid-Atlantic Region, thanks to early record keeping by weather observers
such as Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Listed below
are some of the historic winter storms, cold waves, and dramatic temperature
changes to impact the state.
January 28, 1772: This storm was named the "Washington
and Jefferson Snow Storm" since both of their diaries recorded it.
The storm left 36 inches of snow (3 feet) in the Washington area. Official
weather records did not begin until after the Civil War. Therefore, this storm
is not listed in the record books, but it did produce the greatest snow this
area has seen since the early settlements.
Winter of 1779-1780: This winter was so cold that ice was piled
20 feet high along the Delmarva Coast and stayed there until spring! The upper
portion of the Chesapeake Bay froze, allowing people to walk from Annapolis to
Kent Island.
February 24, 1852: The Susquehanna River ice bridge at Havre de
Grace broke up after 40 days of use. 1378 loaded freight cars crossed the bridge
on rails laid on the ice.
January 16-18, 1857: This was the "great blizzard
and freeze". More than a foot of snow fell with temperatures
near zero. Strong winds caused structural damage on land and wrecked ships
at sea. Great drifts blocked transportation through the state. Richmond was cut
off from Baltimore and Washington for seven days. Norfolk, Virginia was buried
under 20 foot drifts of snow! The cold became so extreme that all
Maryland and Virginia rivers froze. The Chesapeake Bay was solid ice a mile and
a half out from its coastline. At Cape Henry (at the mouth of the Chesapeake),
one could walk out 100 yards from the lighthouse on the frozen ocean.
December 1880: Parts of western and central Maryland received
nearly two feet of snow which aided in plummeting temperatures. The coldest
temperatures occurred between December 30, 1880, and January 1, 1881. Baltimore
dropped to -6° F, Emmitsburg -19° F, Woodstock (Howard County) -17° F, and
Northwest Washington, DC was -15° F.
April 9, 1884: A late season snow storm surprised the Baltimore
area with 8 inches of snow.
March 11-13, 1888: The Blizzard of '88 was also
known as the White Hurricane. The storm began in Maryland the
morning of March 11 and by evening, the Baltimore-Washington corridor and
surrounding area was an ice-entangled mess with fallen tree limbs, electric
lines and downed telegraph poles. The city was completely blacked out with the
exception of a few gas lights. On the morning of the 12th, people arose to find
a half a foot to a foot of snow and ice blanketing the city with up to a foot
outside the city. Winds blew up to 48 mph taking down any utility poles left
standing. All communication was cut off to the outside world. It took a week to
restore the links and for Washington to find out that Baltimore and New York had
been hit even harder. By storms end, New York was buried under 21 inches of
snow. Temperatures had been in the single digits and teens and the wind roared
at 35 mph with gusts up to 75 mph blowing drifts to 20 feet deep burying some
homes and buildings.
The strong northwest winds behind the
storm blew so hard that they emptied the Tidal Potomac. Boat builders said that
low tide was five feet below normal. Only a small channel down the middle of the
river contained water that soon froze. Dust was seen blowing along the dried out
riverbed! In Baltimore, the low tides grounded ships at their docks. Without
telegraph, officials reverted to sending messages by signal lamps from one old
watch tower to another. On the Chesapeake Bay, the water was at its lowest tide
on record preventing ships from sailing up it. Most of the craft that were on
the bay were driven to shore in the winds causing serious damage or complete
loss. At least 40 mariners died, most of which were on oyster dredges that
either capsized or were thrown onto the shore. On the coast of Maryland and
Virginia, there was flooding that submerged an entire island washing away a
large herd of cattle that had been wintering there.
April 10-12, 1894: What made this Mid-Atlantic Nor'easter
unique was how late in the season it struck. The whirling snow and gale winds
made the storm the most severe in many years in Maryland, Delaware, and the
District of Columbia where snow was 20 to 24 inches deep blocking
transportation.
February 1899: The Great Arctic Outbreak of '99
and the Great Eastern Blizzard of '99 occurred this month. Back to
back snowstorms sandwiched an extreme cold wave. On February 5 to 8, a great
blizzard struck the Mid-Atlantic Region. Baltimore received almost a foot of
snow and Washington 14 inches. As the storm moved out, record cold settled in
and on the morning of the 10th Laurel recorded a low of -18° F and on the
11th, Washington, DC recorded a record -15° F. A second blizzard struck on
Valentine's Day dropping 20 inches in Washington and 21 in Baltimore. An
amazing 34 inches fell on Cape May, NJ. Snow depths reached 34 inches in DC to
41 inches at Cape May! That would put about 3 feet of snow on the ground over
central and eastern Maryland! Winds drove the snow into 10 foot drifts. These
blocked transportation lines to the cities causing a major coal shortage that
resulted in rationing. Food was also rationed, though not as severely as the
coal. On February 16, an ice storm hit. Washington recorded its greatest monthly
snow total with 35.2 inches and its greatest seasonal snowfall total with 54.4
inches. Baltimore had a record 33.9 inches for the month with a record 51.1
inches for the season (This record stood for nearly a century until 1996).
Hagerstown also recorded its greatest February snow total with 31 inches for the
month. The winter of 1898-1899 was so cold over a large part of the US that ice
flowed from the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico! This has only been
recorded one other time. On February 13, 1784, ice flows blocked the Mississippi
River at New Orleans and then passed into the Gulf of Mexico.
March-April, 1907: On March 22, the temperature reached 90° F
in Northwest Washington, DC and 88° F in College Park. The next day, DC
recorded an amazing 93° F and on the 29th 90° F again with Salisbury reaching
93°F. Even western Maryland saw 90°F with Cumberland reaching it on the 28th
and Clear Springs on the 23rd. The average temperature for the last 10 days of
March was 62° F. With the arrival of April came a sharp contrast. By April 2,
the minimum temperature fell to 23° F in Washington and only 19° in Cumberland
and 9°F in Deer Park (Garrett County). For the first 22 days of the month, the
temperature averaged only 44° F. Western portions of the state saw snow on
several days. The mean temperature for April was the third coldest in the last
100 years at Baltimore. The cool spell continued through May and June.
December 25-26, 1909: The "Great Christmas Snowstorm"
struck the North Atlantic States hard. Maryland was on the southern edge with
the Upper Eastern Shore receive over a foot and a half of snow. Delaware and
eastern Pennsylvania averaged 20 inches. Philadelphia had 21 inches in 23 hours.
A band of 25 inch snowfall stretched from Sudlersville in Queen Annes County to
Dover, DE. Towson record 16 inches and Rockville 10 inches from the storm. The
storm did its greatest damage in New England. Winds gusted to 72 mph in Rhode
Island with the storm and the combination of wind and snow damaged poles and
wires. People were lost with their ships and a couple people drowned in tidal
flooding from the storm.
January 13-14, 1912: A Record Cold Wave
settled in over the state. It began in western Maryland on January 13. Oakland
(in Garrett County) recorded the state's all time record low temperature
of -40° F. Deer Park was -33°F and Gransville was -25°F . In Allegany County,
Westernport was -17°F and Frostburg -14°F. The next day, Hagerstown and
Chewsville in Washington County reported -27° F and Keedysville -26°F. In
Frederick County, Emmitsburg was -23°F and Frederick -21° F. In Carroll
County, Taneytown reached -21°F, In Montgomery County, Great Falls was -21° F
and Rockville was -10°F. In Prince Georges County, College Park was -26°F,
Laurel -19° F, Cheltenham -16°F and Tacoma Park -8° F. In Baltimore
County, Towson was -14°F. Baltimore City was -2°F, Annapolis -3°F,
Leonardtown -6°F, Cambridge -5°F, Denton -11°F, Salisbury and Princess Anne
-4°F.
April 3, 1915: A spring nor'easter brought the
biggest late season snow on record to the Delmarva Peninsula. The storm dropped
15 inches of snow in a swath from Sudlersville (Queen Annes County) to Dover,
Delaware. Ten inches of snow fell on Salisbury. This area typically gets only 8
to 10 inches total snowfall per year. It was the heaviest April snowfall on
record. Baltimore received 4.5 inches of snow and Washington, DC, 3.5 inches. No
snow fell west of Frederick. Near blizzard conditions were created by 30 to 35
mph winds from the northeast during the storm. Princess Anne reported damage to
telegraph and telephone lines.
April 8-9, 1916: North-central Maryland was struck
with a late season snowfall. Darlington in Harford County recorded
a foot of snow, Towson had 9 inches, Baltimore 5 inches, College Park and Laurel
received 8 inches and Union Bridge in Carroll County also had 8 inches.
Washington, DC recorded less than 2 inches.
January 1918: This was the coldest January in a hundred
years according to Baltimore records. Only the January of 1977 would eventually
have a colder average temperature. Even today, with 190 years of records, it had
the coldest average high temperatures for any January. December 1917 had also
been unusually cold. Snowfall for the month was about 3 times the normal in many
areas and all but the southern most portion of the state remained under a white
blanket. Western Maryland saw monthly snowfall of 30 to 45 inches, central
Maryland and the Upper Shore saw around two feet of snow. Southern Maryland and
the Lower Eastern Shore saw around 18 inches. By the end of the month, heavy ice
covered the entire Chesapeake Bay and its triburtaries south to the Potomac
River. On the coast, Chincoteague Bay was also frozen with ice 10 inches thick
across its mouth.
March 29, 1921: An early spring abruptly ended when a cold
front passed through on the afternoon of March 28 and brought the greatest
24 hour temperature change to the state. Strong northwest winds ushered
in the cold air and gave snow to Garrett County. On March 27, Westernport in
Allegany County hit 90°F and Hancock in Washington County hit 91°F. By
the 30th, Hancock would fall to 18°F. In Washington, it was 82°F at noon on
the 28th, but after wind gusts to 50 mph behind the cold front, the temperature
had fallen to 26°F by the morning of the 29th. A fall of 56°F in just 18
hours. It was typical across the state. The greatest temperature change of 67°F
occurred at State Sanatorium in Frederick County. In College Park, the
temperature fell from 83°F to 25°F and reached a minimum of 20°F on the 30th.
The warm temperatures early in the year caused an early bloom on the fruit trees
in the state. March was the warmest on record at the time. The sudden downfall
of temperatures at the end of March into early April caused great damage to the
crop (several millions of dollars - 1921 dollars) for the year.
January 28, 1922: Exactly 150 years after the Washington and
Jefferson Storm, a powerful nor'easter brought the deepest snow of this
century and the storm of record to Maryland and the District of Columbia.
College Park and Cambridge both set record one day totals with 24 inches of snow
in 24 hours. A maximum snow swath of 30 to 32 inches lay across southern
Baltimore, eastern Howard, northern Prince Georges, northern Anne Arundel and
portions of DC. Weather stations at Baltimore and Washington, DC recorded their
all time greatest storm totals with 26.5 inches in Baltimore and 28 inches in
Northwest Washington. Southern Maryland saw 20 inches, the Eastern Shore 8
inches, Washington County 12 inches and 25 inches in the Allegany Mountains
highlands. Strong northeast winds (gisting up to 50 mph) created blizzard
conditions and heavy drifting blocked roads. Some remained impassable for days.
The main highways were opened in two to four days. The weight of the snow was
too much for the Knickerbocker Theater on 18th Street and Columbia in Northwest
DC. The roof of the theater collapsed taking the balcony down with it. It
crushed 98 people to death and injured another 130. The storm became now known
historically as the Knickerbocker Storm. In Baltimore, the cost of
cleaning the streets was $50,000 and losses to railroads and businesses was
$60,000.
April 1, 1924: This April Fools Day Storm
produced the largest recorded April snowfall for Baltimore. A nor'easter brought
3 to 10 inches of snow to central Maryland. Westminister, Frederick and Freeland
received 10 inches of snow, Baltimore 9.5 inches, College Park 9 inches,
Aberdeen 8 inches, Chesapeake City 8 inches, . Princess Anne recorded 3 inches
of sleet and thunderstorms struck areas on the Eastern Shore. A trace of snow
fell on May 9, 1923. The latest seasonal measured snowfall was 0.1 inch on April
28, 1898. On April 9, 1884, 8 inches of snow fell in Baltimore marking the
latest significant snow for a season.
February 1926: Two coastal storms (nor'easters) struck this
month. The first one hit on February 3-4 and dropped 11 to 19 inches of snow
across western Washington County and Allegany and Garrett Counties and brought a
coating of ice to the Baltimore region and high winds to the Upper Eastern
Shore. The second storm hit on February 9-10 and dropped heavy snow across all
but the Lower Eastern Shore. Snowfall amounts ranged from 10 to 13 inches in the
Allegheny Mountain region with 10 inches in Montgomery, Howard, northern Prince
Georges, Baltimore, Harford and Cecil Counties. The heaviest band of snow, 14 to
16 inches, fell across Kent and northern Queen Annes Counties. Snow
drifted badly on the 11th.
April 27-28, 1928: A late season heavy snow storm struck
western Maryland. A nor'easter brough heavy snow, sleet and rain to Frederick,
Washington, and Allegany Counties with rain and gale force winds east of there.
The Allegany Mountain highlands received 25 to 30 inches of snow. It melted
within two to three days causing the upper Potomac River to flood. Telegraph,
telephone and electric services were completely knocked out. Damages to these
services were estimated at $200,000 (1928) dollars. High winds accompanied the
storm. In Middletown, Frederick County, a number of houses were unroofed and
many trees were uprooted, signs and outbuildings blown down, and the baseball
park granstand was demolished. In Baltimore, the press stand at the stadium was
unroofed, severl plate glass store windows blown in, signs and billboards
blowndown, and trees were uprooted.
March 6-7 and 27-28, 1932: A strong storm on March 6-7 struck
from Virginia to New York with heavy snow and high winds. Three to 7 inches fell
in Allegany region, 6 to 9 inches over the Blue Ridge region, and 3 to 6 inches
between the two. Rain fell to the east. Strong northwest winds on the back side
of the storm caused heavy drifting. Five foot drifts in the Blue Ridge area
stranded hundreds of motorists. The combination of heavy wet snow and high winds
took out communication lines and poles isolating communities in Frederick
County. A week past before some areas saw service restored. Chesapeake and
Potomac Telephone Company estimated one million dollars in damage to replace
21,400 poles, 10,000 miles of open wire lines, and 60 miles of cable in
Maryland, Virginia and eastern West Virginia. Potomac Edison saw $75,000 in
damages and the Postal Telegraph Company $12,500. A severe cold spell followed
the storm from the 7-16th killing fruit blossoms and turning winter grains
brown. It was also reported to have killed 10 people. This cold wave broke what
had been the warmest winter in 114 years.
On the 27-28, another storm struck
the state with high winds and heavy snow, again, targeting western Maryland.
Garrett and Allegany Counties saw 10 to 17 inches of snow. More communications
lines came down along with 100 telephone poles resulting in another half a
million dollars in damages. Roads were blocked by 7 to 8 foot drifts. Severe
northwest winds behind the storm on the 28th damaged homes, barns, and uprooted
trees. In all, the two storms were estimated to have produced more than
two million dollars (1932) in damages. Garrett County recorded a total snowfall
of 27 to 32 inchesand Frostburg had 23 inches. Monthly totals dropped
dramtically to the east with Frederick County reporting 8 to 13 inches.
December 17, 1932: 6 to 8 inches fell across western
Maryland with 8 to 13 inches in north-central and southern Maryland. Baltimore
recorded 11.5 inches of snow. On the Eastern Shore, 4 to 6 inches fell over the
lower portions with the greatest amounts from the storm, 10 to 15 inches, across
the Upper Shore counties.
February 1936: The winter of 1935-1936 was cold and snowy. The
mean temperature averaged 6 degree below normal. It was the coldest since the
winter of 1917-1918. Ice Conditions on the Chesapeake Bay were bad with the
upper Bay and tributaries completely frozen over and the lower Bay mostly
frozen. A storm on the Februaty 7 struck southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore
the hardest. La Plata reported 21 inches of snow and Ferry Landing in Calvert
County had 18 inches. The Washington, DC area had over 14 inches of snow. The
Baltimore area only saw 3 to 6 inches, but just south of the city had 6 to 13
inches. Over on the Lower Eastern Shore there was 13 to 18 inches of snow.
Princess Anne and Easton both reported 18 inches. With fresh snow on the ground,
once the clouds were gone temperatures fell below zero. Bell (Prince Georges)
dropped to -17°F on the 8th. Boyds (Montgomery) reached -11°F, College Park
-12°F, Lutherville (Baltimore County) -13°F, Darlington (Harford) -8°F,
Millington (Kent County) -6°F, La Plata (Charles) and Solomons (Calvert)
reached -4°F, and Aberdeen (Harford) -3°F. Baltimore City estimated the
expense of removing snow from the streets, thawing water pipes, and ice-breaking
activities at $250,000 and repairing streets damaged by the severe cold at
$350,000. Ice on the bay destroyed 163 unattended lights and 39 unlighted pile
beacons. The cold, snowy winter went on to a March thaw which lead to the Great
Spring Flood of March 1936 on the Potomac River.
November 24-25, 1938: The Thanksgiving Day Storm
was an early season snowstorm that marked a dramatic change from the mild warm
weather that mark the 1st through the 23rd of the month. It is the November
storm of record. It dumped 14 inches on Aberdeen (Harford) and Georgetown (Cecil
County). Kent County and Baltimore County saw 10 to 12 inches, 6 to 9 inches
fell across Southern Maryland, and the Batimore and Washington areas. Baltimore
recorded 8.5 inches and Washington 7 inches. Talbot, Caroline and Queen Annes
saw 8 to 10 inches with 4 to 7 inches across the Lower Eastern Shore.
Lake-effect snowfall on the back side of the storm added to totals in Garrett
County with stations reporting 12 to 14 inches. Hundred of automobiles were
snowbound on the highway during the Thanksgiving Holiday travel period.
January 23-24, 1940: Storm struck all the way from Mississippi
to New Jersey. Over 15 inches fell in Louisville, MS. One to two feet of snow
fell across portions of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. Cheltenham (Prince
Georges) recorded 24 inches. A path of 12 to 24 inches of snow fell across
Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore. Washington, DC recorded 9.5 inches.
March 29-30, 1942: The Palm Sunday Snowstorm
dumped the state's heaviest March snow on record in Maryland. The storm began as
rain but changed over to a wet heavy snow. The snow stuck to power lines, trees
and shrubs damaging them under its weight. Many of the fruit trees had begun to
blossom. Over 20 inches fell over northern Anne Arundel, Howard, Southern and
western Baltimore County, Carroll County, eastern and northern Frederick County,
and north-central Washington County. Maximum amounts reported were 31 inches at
Clear Springs (just 12 days earlier the temperature had reached 79°F here), 32
inches at Westminister, 30 to 36 inches at State Sanatorium (Frederick County)
and 36 inches at Edgemont (Washington County). Baltimore City received its
greatest snow in 20 years with 22 inches measured. Hagerstown and Westminister
reported 22 inches in 24 hours. Washington, DC received a total of 12 inches of
snow.
November 6-7, 1953: A slow moving nor'easter brought an record
early snowfall to portions of the state. It was the earliest recorded
significant (defined as 4 or more inches) snowfall at Baltimore with 5.9 inches.
The greatest snowfall amounts with the storm were reported outside the
metropolitan areas with 14 inches in Elkton (Cecil) and a swath of 10 to 12
inches stretching west across the nothern tier of Maryland to the eastern
portion of Washington County. Near blizzard winds of 30 mph accompanied the
storm causing major drifting and closing down highways. It was two weeks before
the deepest drifts totally melted away. Queen Annes and Kent Counties also saw
10 to 12 inches snow and La Plata and Prince Frederick in Southern Maryland saw
8 to 11 inches with Charlotte Hall (St Marys) recording 13 inches.
February 15-17 1958: A severe nor'easter began on the 15th.
During moderate to heavy snowfall, north winds blew at 25 mph with gusts to 35
mph creating blizzard conditions and subzero wind chills. A 50 mile wide band of
15 to 20 inches of snow fell from Washington, DC northeast through Baltimore
County. While Frederick and Emmitsburg reported 10 inches, areas to the west
only received 4 to 8 inches fell. Over the Delmarva Peninsula, the Lower Eastern
Shore saw a trace to an inch of snow with an inch of rain, but the Upper Shore
(including Easton) and Delaware recieved as much as a foot of snow. Calvert and
Charles County also saw 10 to 16 inches of snow. Washington, DC reported
14 inches, Baltimore 15.5 inches, Dundalk 18 inches, Pikesville 22 inches,
Westminister 15 inches and Bel Air 17 inches. Temperatures were just below
freezing when the storm began and then feel throught the 20°s.
When the snow ended, the temperature fell to 3°F at
Frindeship International Airport outside Baltimore. Winds increased to 35 mph
with gusts to 45 mph on the 16th. The additional blowing and severe drifting of
snow paralyzed all transportation by land, air, rail and highway. Some drifts
were 5 to 6 feet deep and the winds continued through the 17th. Talbot County
reported 8 foot drifts. Thousands of motorists were marooned. At the Bowie race
track over 5000 people were stranded while the Pennsylvania Railroad sent rescue
trains which were delayed many hours. Schools remained closed until the 24th in
North-central Maryland and surrounding areas. Severe thunderstorms were reported
during the intense nor'easter. Annapolis reported lightning and wind gust to 58
mph. Lightning was also reported at Tacoma Park. Wind damage was considerable in
Talbot and Dorchester Counties. Many trees were blown down, telephone
service was cut, and electric service was disrupted. Damages were
estimated at 500 million dollars in Maryland, Delaware and DC.
March 19-21, 1958: A slow moving nor'easter struck rather late
in the season in 1958 causing huge amounts of property damage. Over a foot
of heavy wet snow took a heavy toll on trees, shrubs, television antennas,
power and communication lines. Carroll, Baltimore and Harford Counties was
hardest hit. In Baltimore City, the storm began as rain during the day of
the 19th but changed to heavy wet snow for the slushy commute home. It also
changed to snow quickly to the northwest as the ground gained in elevation and
the temperature fall. The Mount Washington section of Baltimore received 24 to
30 inches of snow. This section is just a 100 feet higher than the rest of the
city. On Parr Ridge in Mount Airy, Carroll County, a weather reporter measued 33
inches of snow from the storm (4.03 inches liquid equivalent). Other reports
included 29 inches at Parkton, 24.5 inches at Bentley Springs, 23 inches at
Conowingo Dam and in Delaware, 27 inches at Middletown. For Westminister, 30
inches from this storm combined with two snows earlier in the month for a March
snow total of 42 inches! Hagerstown saw 16 inches with areas to the west
receiving considerably less. The Lower Eastern Shore saw 3 inches with areas to
the north like Denton receiveing 13 inches.
Thousands of homes were without heat, light,
power, and telephone service. Up to a million homes lost phone service and
2000 poles came down. 300,000 homes lost electricity including the entire
communities of Frederick, Annapolis, Aberdeen, Bel Air, and Havre De Grace. For
many, it was over a week before power was restored. Baltimore Gas and
Electric estimated the storm damage to be 3 times greater than that of Hurricane
Hazel in 1954. Major arteries were blocked by abandoned cars and fallen trees
and branches. Damage was $10 million in Maryland and there were 8 deaths in the
state attributed to the storm.
December 11-12, 1960 and The Winter of 1960-1961: The snowy
pattern of the last couple winters continued with three more snow storms. The
first big snowstorm of the winter struck early in the season on December 11-12
leaving around a foot of snow in western Maryland as well as 14 inches at
Baltimore and Greenbelt, 15.5 inches in Chestertown, 12.6 inches in La Plata,
and 11 inches in Westminister. Winds gusted to over 50 mph in western Maryland
creating blizzard conditions and severe drifting and blowing of snow. December
saw 16 days with snow cover on the ground. The next storm struck January 19-20.
Maryland saw 2 to 16 inches of snow, Delaware 11 inches and DC recorded 8
inches. Hagerstown had around13 inches. Again the storm brought winds gusting up
to 50 mph and heavy drifting of snow. It caused a great traffic jam around DC.
Five deaths were blamed on the storm in Maryland and DC and 2 in Virginia,
mostly due to overexertion and accidents. The third storm hit February 3-5.
Again, it struck like a blizzard with severe cold and gale force winds. Eight
inches fell in Washington with a foot across much of Maryland and as much as 36
inches in New York. Baltimore recorded 10.7 inches and Hagerstown 15
inches.Hagerstown recorded its greatest seasonal snowfall total with 74 inches.
March 5-9, 1962: The "Ash Wednesday Storm"
was perhaps the most intense nor'easter of 20th century. It caused over 200
million dollars in property damage (1962 dollars) and major coastal erosion from
North Carolina to Long Island, NY. The Red Cross estimated that 40 people died
in the storm. In New Jersey alone, the storm severely damaged or destroyed
45,000 homes. It hit during "Spring Tide" (sun and moon phase to
produce a higher than normal tide). Water reached nine feet at Norfolk (flooding
begins around five feet). Houses were toppled into the ocean and boardwalks were
broken and twisted. The islands of Chincoteague and Assateague were completely
underwater. Ocean City, Maryland sustained major damage especially to the south
end of the island. Winds up to 70 mph built 40-foot waves at sea. Heavy snow
fell in the mountains to the west. Big Meadows, southeast of Luray, recorded
Virginia's greatest 24-hour snowfall with 33 inches and the greatest single
storm snowfall with 42 inches. Frostburg, Maryland had 21 inches in 24 hours and
Cumberland had over 17 inches. Baltimore had 13 inches of snow. Roads were
blocked and electrical service was out for several days in some areas. Areas to
the east of the bay fell into the mixed precipitation zone.
January 30-31, 1966: A blizzard struck Maryland and the
Northeast US. It began following morning lows of subzero in some portions of the
state. Temperatures remained in the single digits as the wind and snow
increased. Gusts of 50 to 60 mph caused white-out conditions over portions of
western Maryland and into the Baltimore and Washington areas. Hagerstown
reported 15 inches of snow on top of 12 inches already on the ground and some
drifts as high as 20 feet. One to two feet of snow covered a large part of
Virginia and Maryland. Fredericksburg had 15.5 inches; Washington had 14 inches
(added to a previous snow, the depth on the ground came to 20 inches). Drifts
were up to 10 feet deep in some areas. Baltimore had 12 inches and Bel Air had
17 inches. Easton recorded 25 inches on the ground by February 2 and a January
monthly snowfall total of almost 27 inches. Baltimore recorded over 21 inches
for the month. Intense blowing and drifting snow continued and kept roads closed
for several more days crippling transportation lines and causing a food shortage
and rationing. Baltimore and Washington airports were closed for two to three
days.
December 1, 1974: High winds, heavy wet snow and thunderstorms
caused incalcuable damage in Maryland. In western Maryland, heavy snow up to 30
inches along with high winds stopped traffic, broke wires, and toppled towers,
antennas, and trees. Three thousand people were stranded and 400 cars abandoned
along a 20 mile stretch between Frostburg and Keyser's Ridge. Drifting of snow
kept the roads closed for the next 2 days. The weight of the snow along with the
winds caused extensive tree damage and knocked out communications and utilities
to 23,000 people for up to 6 days. 15 to 20 inches of ice and snow knocked out
cable television antenna, microwave, and relay towers.
East of the Maryland mountains, the
storm gusted up to 60 mph. On the coast, the tides were 3 to 6 feet above normal
with wind driven waves of 6 to 8 feet on top smashing ashore. Anne Arundel,
Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's counties saw damage to seawalls, bulkheads,
piers, marins, small craft, and even some buildings. Beaches were eroded and low
areas flooded. Inland saw considerable tree damage and electrical outages. High
winds tore off roofs, awnings, damaged barns, sheds, and signs. Flying debris
broke windows and windsheilds. Heavy rains flooded basements and closed roads.
January 1977: The Bicentennial Winter was the coldest seen on
the East Coast since before the founding of the republic. In Maryland, the snow
began on January 4, just as the Carter Administration was moving into town. New
storms dropped a few more inches every few days to put a fresh coating on the
streets that were just clearing from the previous storm and give a clean look to
the piles of dirty snow that were accumulating along roadways and in parking
lots. The Tidal Potomac (salt water) froze solid enough that people could skate
across it near the Memorial Bridge. The average temperature for the month of
January was 25.4° F which was the coldest since 1856 when the temperature
averaged 21.4° F in Washington. The normal January average temperature for
Washington is 34.6° F. Baltimore averaged only 22.9° F , again almost 10
degrees colder than normal. The prolonged cold wave caused oil and natural gas
shortages. President Carter asked people to turn thermostats down to conserve
energy. Maryland did not see heavy snow like the Great Lake region did that
winter. The cold winds blowing across the warm lakes brought 68 inches of snow
to Buffalo, NY. Washington recorded 10 inches of snow in January and Baltimore
had 8.5 inches, but none fell the rest of the winter ending it 9 inches below
normal in Baltimore. The cold wave penetrated into the South. On January 19,
snowflakes fell in Miami, Florida!
January 19-20, 1978: The four snows in 10 days brought an
additional 10 to 13 inches to the 20 inches already on the ground west of
Hagerstown. The City of Cumberland was nearly immobilized with 31 inches
accumulated. The blizzard struck all the way up to Boston where it dropped 21
inches at Logan Airport in 24 hours and brought winds gusting to 62 mph. On
January 26, rain came on top of the snow. A woman was killed in Baltimore County
near Glen Arm when a muddy bank gave way just as she was backing out of her
driveway.
February 6, 1978: The "Blizzard of '78"
This intensifying nor'easter brough 18 inches of snow to Havre de Grace
necessitating calling the National Guard for help. Nearly a foot fell in
Baltimore and one person died of a heart attack trying to push a car stalled in
the snow. The nor'easter brought a record 24 inches in 24 hours to Boston and a
storm total of 27.5 inches.
February 18-19, 1979: The "Presidents Day
Storm" was considered the worst storm in 57 years to strike the
Baltimore-Washington area. Snow depths from the storm were up to 20 inches over
Northern Virginia and 26 inches in Maryland. At times, snow was falling 2 to 3
inches per hour and temperatures were in the single digits to teens. Huge
tractors and other farm machinery had been driven to the Mall in Washington to
protest for higher agricultural pricing. When the storm hit, the farmers used
their equipment to help the locals dig out of the nearly two feet of snow.
Temperatures across the state were unusually cold (single digits) when the snow
started (similar to Feb. 1899). Baltimore recorded a temperature of -3° F for a
minimum that month.
February 11-12, 1983: The Blizzard of 1983 beat
the Presidents' Day Storm and was the second greatest snowfall for Baltimore
since records began. It covered an unusually large area of Virginia and Maryland
with more than a foot of snow. Two feet of snow lay in a band across Washinton,
Frederick, Montgomery, Carroll, Howard and Baltimore Counties. The storm set a
new 24 hour snowfall record at Baltimore with 22.8 inches. Parts of Northern
Virginia up into western Maryland measured as much as 30 inches on the ground.
Hagerstown reported 25 inches of snow (its second greatest storm behind the
January 1996 snowstorm). For a couple hours of the storm, snow fall at an
amazing rate of 3.5 inches per hour. Thunderstorms intensified the
snowfall in some areas.Winds gusted over 25 mph all day on February 11 causing
drifts up to five feet. The heavy snow and winds paralyzed the region. The cost
of clearing the snow from roads was in the millions of dollars.
January 22-28 1987: Two significant snowstorms
struck within 3 days of each other and were followed by a cold wave that dropped
temperatures below zero in some areas. The first storm struck on January 22 and
dropped 12 inches of snow at Baltimore and 11 inches in Hagerstown and
Washington, DC. Like other nor'easters, this one was accompanied by strong winds
and drifting of snow. The second storm struck just 3 days later on January 25
dropping an additional 9 to 10 inches on top of what had already fallen in the
Baltimore and Washington areas and more over southern Maryland and the Lower
Eastern Shore. On the morning of the 27th, stations were reporting the following
snow depths: Salisbury 18 inches, Easton 17 inches, Baltimore 19 inches,
Waldorf 23 inches, Washington DC 18 inches, Frederick 16 inches,
Hagerstown 16 inches, and Frostburg 15 inches. Morning temperatures were in the
single digits and by the morning of the 28th, below zero. Pikesville was -5°F,
Bel Air and Hagerstown -4°F, Easton -3°F, Annapolis -1°F, Washington-Dulles
Airport was -17°F and Martinsburg WV was -7°F. A third snowstorm hit on
February 22 dropping another 10 inches on Washington and Baltimore.Hagerstown
reported 13 inches and thunder-snow. Power lines and trees were damaged by the
weight of the heavy wet snow.
November 11, 1987: The Veteran's Day Storm will
not be forgotten by many Washington area travelers. Almost a foot (11.5 inches)
fell at National Airport. Prince Georges County, MD was hard hit with up to 13
inches of snow falling in a short amount of time. It caught motorists off guard
and stranded cars on the Capitol Beltway. There were so many cars that snow
plows could not get through to open the clogged arteries. Cars littered the
roadway for more than 24 hours. The event precipitated the development of the
Washington Metropolitan Area Snow Plan to facilitate preparedness and response
to future storms.
This storm struck before the days of
lightning detection networks and Doppler weather radar. When thunderstorms began
dumping heavy snow over the Fredericksburg VA, forecasters had no idea. The
storm moved northeast across the southern Metropolitan area (Prince Georges
County). It was not until the fast accumulating snow hit Camp Springs, where at
the time the Weather Forecast Office was located, did forecasters realize what
was happening.
December 10-12, 1992: The Great Nor'easter of 1992
did tremendous damage to New Jersey and hit New England hard. It also affected
Maryland. The storm lashed the coast with winds and waves causing moderate
flooding in Ocean City. It dumped heavy rain over the Chesapeake Bay region and
its winds knocked power out to 120,000 customers in the state. It was one of the
worst storms this century for far western Maryland. Allegany County saw 2
feet of snow over the east portion and 3 feet around Frostburg. Garrett County
had 3 feet of snow. Piney Dam in northeast Garrett County had 42 inches of snow
(unofficial). Winds drove the snow into drifts up to 20 feet in some areas.
Trucks were stranded on Interstate-68. The storm knocked down trees and power
and phone lines. With no electricity, some people were without heat. Others were
trapped in their homes for days. About 10 people had to be rescued.
March 13-14, 1993: The Superstorm of March '93 was named
for its large area of impact, all the way from Florida and Alabama north through
New England. The entire State of Pennsylvania was buried under 1 to 2 feet of
snow. Even Alabama saw as much as 13 inches. The storm was blamed for some 200
deaths (many, heart attacks from shoveling the heavy snow). It cost a couple
billion dollars to repair damages and remove snow. In Florida, it produced a
storm surge of 9 to 12 feet that killed 11 people (more deaths than surges from
Hurricanes Hugo and Andrew) and it spawned 11 tornadoes. As the storm's center
crossed the Mid-Atlantic region and the Chesapeake Bay, weather stations
recorded their lowest pressure ever (Baltimore = 28.51 inches).
This storm was not have been
the storm of the century for Maryland, but it wasn't a wimp either. Unlike most
nor'easters that move up the coast, this storm took a more inland track across
Southeast Virginia and the central Chesapeake Bay. It brought rain and winds to
the Maryland Eastern Shore with minor flooding to counties along the east side
of the Bay. However, in western Maryland, it dumped between 1.5 to 2.5 feet of
snow. Piney Dam in northeast Garrett County recorded another 31 inches of snow
after recording a record 42 inches just 3 months earlier during the Dec.10-12 Great
Nor'easter. Winds produced blizzard conditions with snow drifts up to 12
feet! Hagerstown received 20 inches of snow (its fourth greatest) and
winds gusting up to 55 mph caused whiteout conditions and severe drifting.
Interstates shut down. Road crews had
to stop blowing for a period of time because it was too dangerous and the wind
would just blow the snow back onto the road. Shelters opened for nearly 4000
stranded travelers and those that left without heat and electricity. The
National Guard was called to help with emergency transports and critical snow
removal. Oxon Hill recorded 8 inches of snow; 13 inches fell in the District and
within the beltway; and 18 inches north and west of the city in Frederick
County. Baltimore had 12 inches with greater amounts to the north and recorded a
wind gust to 69 mph on the 13th. Eleven people died in Virginia, one in the
District, and one in Maryland during and immediately following the storm. Snow
removal and clean-up costs were estimated at $16 million in Virginia, $22
million in Maryland, and half million dollars in DC.
January-February, 1994 Cold and Ice: An unusual assault
of snow, ice and cold struck. On January 2-4, 6 to 12 inches of snow fell
across Washington and Allegany Counties with 12 to 15 inches in Garrett County.
Areas to the east saw ice and slush. A small storm struck on the 12th dropping
another 4 to 6 inches across the highlands. This was followed by an arctic blast
that sent temperatures single digits and teens with wind chills down to 25 below
zero on the 15th. Another snowstorm hit January 17-18 dropping 6 to
10 inches across Carroll and Frederick Couties and 10 to 18 inches across
Washington, Allegany and Garrett Counties. Frostburg reported the most snow from
the event with 20 inches, Hagerstown had 13 inches. Snow sleet and freezing rain
fell across the Baltimore and Washington metro areas. Minimum temperatures
plunged below zero on January 19-21. Emmitsburg and Hancock reached
-27°F, Unionville -22°F, Frostburg -21°F, Catoctin Mountain Park -18°F,
Cumberland and Martinsburg -15°F, Westminister and Finksburg -14°F, Manchester
-13°F, Mount Airy and Laurel -12°F, Potomac and Cockeysville -9°F, Northwest
DC -7°F, Chestertown and Princess Anne -6°F, Annapolis -4°F and Salisbury
0°F. Washington, DC set a new record for the coldest high temperature for
any calendar day this century when it only reached 6.8°F. The previous record
was 8°F set on January 8, 1912. The record for the previous century was
4°F on February 10, 1899. Wind chills on the night of the 18th into the
19th ranged from -28°F at Baltimore and Salisburg to -35° in Martinsburg WV
and Washington DC to -56°F at McHenry (Garrett County). The arctic cold wave
rocketed the use of electricity and natural gas for heating. The effect over
such a large portion of the Eastern U.S. caused the power companies in some
areas to go into rolling black outs so as not to lose the entire power grid.
One storm seemed to come on top
of another all dropping snow, sleet, and freezing rain across the state. The
most devastating icestorm struck February 10-11. It left a coat of ice, one
to three inches thick, from freezing rain and sleet! Meanwhile, across
north-central Maryland 4 to 7 inches of sleet accumulated. By far, the hardest
hit was an area was about a 50 mile wide band from near Fredericksburg, VA
across southern Maryland (Charles, Calvert, St. Marys) up to Annapolis, across
the Eastern Shore (Queen Annes, Caroline, and Talbot) and over Sussex and Kent
Counties in Delaware. Some counties lost 10 to 20% of their trees from the heavy
ice. Trees fell on homes and cars. Roads were blocked and impassable. Electric
and phone lines were down with as much as 90 percent of the county's people
without power. Outages and damage were so widespread that many people were
without power for a week. A presidential disaster declaration was given and
damages were estimated at near $100 million. There were numerous injuries from
car accidents and people slipping.In Anne Arundel County alone, hospitals
reported 104 weather related injuries in two days from the ice. This was likely
the iciest winter Maryland has seen this century.
November 1995: Winter came early and struck hard this year. A
strong cold front moved across Maryland on Veterans Day. High winds with the
front took down trees and power lines. The temperature was near 60°s in advance
of the front in Frederick, MD. Two hours later, rain was turning to snow as
temperatures plummeted into the 30°s. For the next several days, northwest
winds carried moisture from the Great Lakes up into Garrett County where it
continued to fall as snow. The snow finally ended on November 18 with a total
accumulation at Oakland of 40 inches. It was a record snow event for Maryland,
as well as a record snow for November, and set up to tie the all-time monthly
snow record with a total of 58 inches. The event set the stage for the rest of
the winter and Oakland went on to accumulate 170 inches for the season.
January 7-13, 1996: The Blizzard of '96 or the Great
Furlough Storm began early on Sunday, January 7. Just two days earlier,
an impasse between a republican congress and a democratic president over the
1996 Federal Budget had finally come to an end. Many federal employees had been
on furlough with government offices shut down for almost a month.
Employees would
finally return to work on Monday, January 8. But mother nature had something
else in mind. By Monday morning, Washington, DC was buried under 17 to 21 inches
of snow. As much as 30 to 36 inches of snow fell over Frederick and Washington
Counties. Baltimore recorded over 22 inches and even Ocean City received 10
inches of snow. A two-foot swath of heavy snow fell across Dorchester and
Caroline Counties into southern Kent County, DE. The entire state was paralyzed
and the Federal Government remained shut down. As road crews worked hard to
clear the snow, an "Alberta Clipper" shot through on Tuesday, January
9 dumping an additional 3 to 5 inches from Washington northeast through
Baltimore. Plows that would have been working on secondary roads and residential
areas were sent back to the primary roads. The government remained shut for 4
days that week and many schools and businesses announced their closure for the
entire week. A third storm struck on Friday, January 12 dumping another 4 to 6
inches over the metro areas. A maximum of 6 to 12 inches of snow fell over
Frederick and Carroll Counties. By the week's end, most of Maryland, west of
Baltimore, had seen 3 to 4 feet of snow! Most areas to the east had received 1
to 2 feet! (See map).
February 2-3 and February 16, 1996, storms: The Delmarva
received 4 snowstorms in about 5 weeks from January 7 through February 16. The
storm on February 2-3, dropped up to two feet of snow over Dorchester County.
The entire Lower Eastern Shore was covered by another 1 to 2 feet of snow. On
February 16, another storm struck dropping 5 to 8 inches over the Lower Eastern
Shore and 8 to 12 inches on the Upper Eastern Shore. These storms combined to
produce the snowiest season this century on the Delmarva! The Lower Shore
(Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset Counties) saw 28 to 35 inches of snow in
those five weeks. Dorchester, Talbot, and Caroline Counties saw 45 to 59 inches
of snow. The Upper Shore (Cecil, Kent, and Queen Annes Counties) saw 38 to 42
inches. Record snow also fell across Southern Maryland. The record in Hollywood
stood at 54.7 inches set during the winter of 1898-99. The 1995-96 winter
dropped 59 inches of snow on Hollywood. The series of big snow storms went on to
break an all time record at Baltimore with a season total of 62.5 inches. It
broke the old record of 52 inches (set 1963-64 season) by almost a foot! Snow
records at Baltimore go back to 1883.
Maryland Winter Weather Statistics
Average Snowfall = Ranges across the state
from 10 to 15 inches on the Eastern Shore to 25 inches over north central
Maryland to near 90 inches in Garrett County. The average snowfall in Baltimore
is 22 inches.
Biggest Snowstorm = 40 inches in Oakland on November
12-18, 1995. (official)
36 inches near Washington on January 28, 1772. (unofficial)
42 inches at Piney Dam in Garrett County on Dec. 10-12, 1992. (unofficial)
Greatest Monthly Snowfall Total = 58 inches in January
1895 in Oakland and more recently,
58 inches for November 1995 in Oakland.
Greatest Seasonal Snowfall Total = 175 inches in Deer Park ,
winter of 1901-1902.
170 inches in Oakland, winter of 1995-1996.
Coldest Temperature = - 40° F in Oakland (Garrett County)
on January 13, 1912.
Baltimore Snow Statistics:
- Snowiest Month = 33.9 inches, Feb. 1899
- Snowiest Season = 62.5 inches during the 1995-1996 winter.
- Earliest Snowfall = 0.3 inches on October 10, 1979, during the
World Series. (A trace of snow fell October 9, 1895, and 1903)
- Latest Snowfall = 0.1 inches on April 28, 1898. (A trace of snow
fell on May 9, 1923.)
Top 15 Snowstorms in Baltimore:
- 26.5 inches Jan. 27-29, 1922
- 22.8 Feb. 11, 1983
- 22.5 Jan. 7-8, 1996
- 22.0 Mar. 29-30, 1942
- 21.4 Feb. 11-14, 1899
- 20.0 Feb. 18-19, 1979
- 16.0 Mar. 15-18, 1892
- 15.5 Feb. 15, 1958
- 14.1 Dec. 11-12, 1960
- 13.0 Mar. 5-7, 1962
- 12.3 Jan. 22, 1987
- 12.1 Jan. 30-31, 1966
- 11.9 Mar. 13-14, 1993
- 11.7 Feb. 5-8, 1899
- 11.5 Dec 17-18, 1932
References:
National Disaster Survey Report: Superstorm of March 1993 , Dept. of
Commerce, NOAA, NWS, May 1994.
National Disaster Survey Report: The Great Nor'easter of December 1992
, Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, NWS, June 1994.
David Ludlum. The American Weather Book. Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Company, 1982, pp. 9-10, 16, 29-31, 54.
Storm Data, Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, NWS, January and February 1978.
Storm Data, Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, NWS, March 1993.
Storm Data, Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, NWS, January and February, 1994.
Used local archives of data since Storm Data was late and missed the
publication. Data was published later in the year.
Storm Data, Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, NWS, Jan. and Feb, 1996.
East Coast Storm: March 5-9, 1962 - A Preliminary Report and Special
Weather Bulletins Issued. US Dept. of Commerce, Weather Bureau, March 1962.
"Some Outstanding Snowstorms" L.S. 6211, US Dept. of Commerce,
Weather Bureau, Dec. 1962.
News Journal, Wilmington, DE, Sept. 18, 1994.
Frederick Post, Nancy Lewis, Frederick, MD, Feb. 13, 1994.
Mary Cable. The Blizzard of '88. New York: Macmillan Publishing
Company, 1988, pp. 58, 93-94, 165, 168, 191.
Larry Savadove and Margaret Thomas Buchholz. Great Storms of the Jersey
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Inc., 1993.
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website February 1999.
The Climate Handbook for Washington, DC. US Dept. of Commerce, Weather
Bureau, Tech. Paper #8, 1949.
Local Climatic Data for Washington, DC. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, NWS,
1994.
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1993.
Local records from the Washington DC Forecast Office, DOC, NOAA, NWS.
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Report for March 1907, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Maryland and
Delaware Section of the Climatological Service of the Weather Bureau in
Cooperation with the Maryland State Weather Service.
Report for April 1907, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Maryland and Delaware
Section of the Climatological Service of the Weather Bureau in Cooperation with
the Maryland State Weather Service.
Report for December 1909, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Maryland and
Delaware Section of the Climatological Service of the Weather Bureau in
Cooperation with the Maryland State Weather Service.
Annual Summary 1912, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Maryland and Delaware
Section of the Climatological Service of the Weather Bureau in Cooperation with
the Maryland State Weather Service, April 1913.
Report for April 1915, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Maryland and Delaware
Section of the Climatological Service of the Weather Bureau in Cooperation with
the Maryland State Weather Service.
Report for April 1916, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Maryland and Delaware
Section of the Climatological Service of the Weather Bureau in Cooperation with
the Maryland State Weather Service.
Report for January 1918, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Maryland and Delaware
Section of the Climatological Service of the Weather Bureau in Cooperation with
the Maryland State Weather Service.
Climatological Data: March 1921, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Weather
Bureau, Maryland and Delaware Section.
Climatological Data: January 1922, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Weather
Bureau, Maryland and Delaware Section.
Climatological Data: April 1924, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Weather
Bureau, Maryland and Delaware Section.
Climatological Data: February 1926, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Weather
Bureau, Maryland and Delaware Section.
Climatological Data: April 1928, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Weather
Bureau, Maryland and Delaware Section.
Climatological Data: March 1932, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Weather
Bureau, Maryland and Delaware Section.
Climatological Data: December 1932, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Weather
Bureau, Maryland and Delaware Section.
Climatological Data: March 1936, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Weather
Bureau, Maryland and Delaware Section.
Climatological Data: November 1938, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Weather
Bureau, Maryland and Delaware Section.
Climatological Data: January 1940, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Weather
Bureau, Maryland and Delaware Section.
Climatological Data: March 1942, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Weather
Bureau, Maryland and Delaware Section.
Climatological Data, Maryland and Delaware: November 1953, Volume
LVII, No. 11, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Weather Bureau, Chattanooga, 1954.
Climatological Data, Maryland and Delaware: February 1958, Volume LXII,
No. 2, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Weather Bureau, Asheville, 1958.
Climatological Data, Maryland and Delaware: March 1958, Volume LXII, No.
3, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Weather Bureau, Ashville, 1958.
Climatological Data, Maryland and Delaware: December 1960, Volume 64, No.
12, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Weather Bureau, Ashville, 1961.
Climatological Data, Maryland and Delaware: January 1994, Volume 98, No.
1, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, NWS, NCDC, Ashville.
Local Climatic Data for Easton, MD. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, NWS.
Local Climatic Data for Cumberland, MD. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, NWS.
Local Climatic Data for Cambridge, MD. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, NWS.
Local Climatic Data for Frostburg, MD. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, NWS.
Local Climatic Data for Hagerstown, MD. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, NWS.
Local Climatic Data for Westminister, MD. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, NWS.
Local Climatic Data for Bel Air, MD. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, NWS.
Local Climate Data for Richmond, VA. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, NWS.
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