Tuesday, February 7, 2012

2011-12 Northeast/Mid Atlantic Snow Drought: Deficit Near 60%

With 3 weeks left in February, the winter of 2011-12 enters its fourth quarter with a major snow deficit in much of the U.S. In sharp contrast with last season, Northeast and Mid Atlantic winter snowfall to date is averaging nearly 60% below the climatological mean.

National Weather Service reports through February 6 show that stations from northern Maine to central North Carolina have all seen snowfall amounts below normal. In absolute terms, the deficit amounts range from 2.8" at Caribou, Maine to over 41" at Syracuse, New York. Percentage-wise, Caribou is only 5.3% below normal, while the southern locations in Virginia and North Carolina are at 100%, with no measurable snow reported.

The 3 major reporting locations in the Washington, DC region are all over 80% below normal, with Baltimore's BWI at nearly 90%.

The stations shown in the charts are:
CAR Caribou ME 
BGR Bangor ME
BTV Burlington VT
PWM Portland ME
CON Concord NH
ALB Albany NY
BGM Binghamton NY
SYR Syracuse NY
BOS Boston MA
ORH Worcester MA
PVD Providence RI
BDL Hartford CT
BDR Bridgeport CT
NYC Central Park NY
EWR Newark NJ
AVP Scranton PA
ACY Atlantic City NJ
PHL Philadelphia PA
ABE Allentown PA
ILG Wilmington DE
BWI Baltimore MD
DCA Washington DC
IAD Dulles VA
RIC Richmond VA
ORF Norfolk VA
RDU Raleigh NC
Images (click to enlarge): Total winter snowfall to date vs. average, snowfall deficit in inches, and snowfall percentage deficit; all data from December 1, 2011 through February 6, 2012 from National Weather Service; charts by CapitalClimate

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