Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful

Just when you thought it was safe to go outside, it's snowing again! Once again, my social plans may be thwarted this weekend by snowfall. I look out the window, and I don't see any cars whizzing by. Only snow plows, and even these have been sluggish!

This Winter Season (2008-2009) has so far seemed a harsh one in Boston. I decided to look up some statistics on snow accumulation. Surprisingly, it's difficult to find recent statistics. Often you have to pay for the more recent data, or it hasn't been officially tabulated yet.

Looking at the data, you can see that the 1995-1996 and 1993-94 seasons were record setting. Snow accumulation even beat the 1978 big storm! 1978 is ranked the fourth highest snow accumulation since 1920. The 1995-96 season ranks number one, and the 1993-94 season ranks second highest since 1920. 1978 does, however, rank the top in terms of total amount of snow in 3 days. Also, what distinguishes 1978 for me was the snow drifts of 20 feet, right outside our 2nd floor apartment in Somerville! The wind was so intense in 1978. Since 2000, we have had a lot of precipitation, not necessarily snow. Remember all those torrential rain storms this summer? In 2008, 2006, 2005, and 2003 we have exceeded 50 inches.

In terms of records, it has snowed in June and July, in 1952 and 1955. That's hard to believe.

Boston Seasonal Snowfall Statistics (1920-1996)

                 (The season starts July 1st and ends June 30th)

             Date of First Snow                   Date of Last Snow
        Earliest    Mean     Latest         Earliest    Mean     Latest
Trace Jul 10 1955  Nov  4  Dec 16 1973    Mar 25 1981  Apr 20  Jun 17 1952 
1/2"  Nov  4 1945  Dec  5  Jan  7 1958    Jan 30 1925  Mar 25  May 10 1977
1"    Nov 10 1976  Dec 12  Jan 29 1928    Nov 24 1936  Mar 20  Apr 28 1987 
2"    Nov 11 1987  Dec 23  Feb 16 1980    Nov 24 1936  Mar 11  Apr 28 1987
3"    Nov 11 1987  Jan  1  Mar 19 1992    Nov 24 1936  Mar  2  Apr 28 1987
4"*   Nov 12 1987  Jan 10  Mar 19 1992    Jan 20 1932  Feb 26  Apr 13 1933
5"*   Nov 12 1987  Jan 18  Mar 19 1992    Dec  2 1929  Feb 19  Apr 13 1933
6"*   Dec  2 1929  Jan 23  Mar 29 1970    Dec  2 1929  Feb 16  Apr  6 1982
*did not occur in some years 

Seasonal Average = 41.3 inches

     Greatest Seasonal Snowfalls       Least Seasonal Snowfalls
         107.6 1995-1996                   8.2 1936-1937      
          96.3 1993-1994                  10.3 1972-1973
          89.2 1947-1948                  12.7 1979-1980
          85.1 1977-1978                  14.9 1994-1995
          83.9 1992-1993                  15.5 1988-1989
          77.2 1944-1945                  17.0 1931-1932
          64.9 1922-1923                  18.1 1985-1986
          63.0 1963-1964                  19.1 1990-1991
          62.7 1933-1934                  19.4 1946-1947
          61.8 1981-1982                  19.7 1920-1921

Most Snow in 1 Day     Most Snow in 2 Days       Most Snow in 3 Days

21.0  Jan 20 1978      27.1  Feb   6-7 1978      27.1  Feb   5-7 1978
20.0  Jan 24 1945      21.4  Jan 20-21 1978      25.8  Feb 24-26 1969 
19.3  Feb 16 1958      20.7  Feb 24-25 1969      22.8  Jan 22-24 1945
19.0  Feb  7 1978      20.0  Jan 24-25 1945      21.7  Jan 18-20 1978
15.0  Feb 20 1934      19.7  Mar   3-4 1960
14.3  Feb  4 1961
13.8  Jan  7 1977

Year to Date (Jan - Dec) Precipitation Northeast Region (sorted by year)

Year	Precipitation (Inches)	Rank Based on the Time Period Selected (1996-2008)*	Rank Based on the Period of Record (1895-2008)*
2008	50.15	10	109
2007	45.23	7	98
2006	50.04	9	108
2005	50.30	11	111
2004	46.02	8	101
2003	50.68	12	112
2002	43.50	5	84
2001	34.04	1	4
2000	44.48	6	90
1999	42.47	3	73
1998	42.85	4	75
1997	39.37	2	39
1996	53.79	13	114

Year to Date (Jan - Dec) 1901 - 2000 Average = 41.08 Inches
Year to Date (Jan - Dec) 1996 - 2008 Trend = 4.36 Inches / Decade