WunderBlog Archive » Weather Extremes
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What a Difference a Year Makes!
After a mild and dry start, this December has seen a series of significant snowstorms affect the lower 48 states coast-to-coast. Some 65% of the country had snow cover as of December 29th compared to just 22.7% last year at this time.
The 65% snow coverage as of December 27th is greater than the maximum of such reached at any point last winter, which was 47.7% on February 14th according to research done by Christopher Dolce at the Weather Channel.
A comparison of the snow depth on December 29, 2011 (top) to December 29, 2012 (bottom). Maps from the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NOHRSC).
Of particular interest is how much snow has fallen in California’s Sierra Nevada. December 2011 was the driest December on record for central and northern California (and 2nd driest state-wide). San Francisco picked up only .06” total precipitation last December compared to over 7” this December.
Snow depth in California’s Sierra mountains as of December 28, 2011 (left) and December 28, 2012 (right). Some ski resorts are reporting base depths of over 11 feet right now. Maps from NOHRSC.
The rest of the southwest quarter of the country also has seen far more snowfall than at this time last year as well.
Liquid precipitation for the month of December in 2011 and 2012. Notice the large area of California that received no precipitation whatsoever in December 2011, including a big chunk of the Sierra Nevada. Maps and table courtesy of the NWS-Reno office.
The one place that is not getting in on the snow fun is Chicago, Illinois where 306 consecutive days without 1” or more snowfall is approaching its longest such streak on record: 313 days ending on January 6, 1940.
Christopher C. Burt
Weather Historian
After a mild and dry start, this December has seen a series of significant snowstorms affect the lower 48 states coast-to-coast. Some 65% of the country had snow cover as of December 29th compared to just 22.7% last year at this time.
The 65% snow coverage as of December 27th is greater than the maximum of such reached at any point last winter, which was 47.7% on February 14th according to research done by Christopher Dolce at the Weather Channel.
A comparison of the snow depth on December 29, 2011 (top) to December 29, 2012 (bottom). Maps from the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NOHRSC).
Of particular interest is how much snow has fallen in California’s Sierra Nevada. December 2011 was the driest December on record for central and northern California (and 2nd driest state-wide). San Francisco picked up only .06” total precipitation last December compared to over 7” this December.
Snow depth in California’s Sierra mountains as of December 28, 2011 (left) and December 28, 2012 (right). Some ski resorts are reporting base depths of over 11 feet right now. Maps from NOHRSC.
The rest of the southwest quarter of the country also has seen far more snowfall than at this time last year as well.
Liquid precipitation for the month of December in 2011 and 2012. Notice the large area of California that received no precipitation whatsoever in December 2011, including a big chunk of the Sierra Nevada. Maps and table courtesy of the NWS-Reno office.
The one place that is not getting in on the snow fun is Chicago, Illinois where 306 consecutive days without 1” or more snowfall is approaching its longest such streak on record: 313 days ending on January 6, 1940.
Christopher C. Burt
Weather Historian
Extreme Weather Winter Weather
The views of the author are his/her own and do not necessarily represent the position of The Weather Company or its parent, IBM.