President's Day Snow 2003 Source: NWS |
This part of the country has had a number of
significant winter storms in mid-February.
In fact, some of the largest snowstorms on record in this part of the
country have occurred right around President’s Day. As I wrote about in a recent column,
appreciable snowfall in the Nation’s Capital requires the ideal storm track
with both sufficient cold air and ample moisture for the storm to “tap.”
These are some of the major winter storms to have
occurred on or near President’s Day in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
2007:
This winter storm was significant not for a high amount of snow, but rather for
the unusually high amount of sleet that accumulated in the Mid-Atlantic Region
on February 14. 2” to 4” of sleet
accumulated across much of the region that caused power outages. Although the storm was able to draw a
significant amount of moisture, there wasn’t enough cold air for a pure snow
event.
2003:
This was the largest storm of a snowier than average winter in the Nation’s
Capital. The snow began February 16 and 16.4”
accumulated at National Airport. That
amount is tied with the December 2009 storm as the 7th largest on
record. It was the fourth largest
snowstorm at Dulles Airport where 21.7” of snow fell. However, in Baltimore (measured at BWI
Airport), this storm ranks as their largest on record when 26.8” of snow fell,
narrowly beating the January 1996 storm total of 26.6” according to the
National Weather Service.
1983: One of the larger snowstorms on record
occurred in the Nation’s Capital on February 10-11. Although it was later supplanted by more
recent and larger snowstorms, such as the January 1996 storm and the 2009-2010
storms, this 1983 snowfall remains among the Top Ten largest on record in both
Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. The
16.6” that fell at National made this the 6th largest snowfall on
record while the 22.8” at Dulles made this their 5th largest snow
total. The 22.8" in Baltimore was their 3rd highest snow total.
1979: Longtime Washingtonians will remember this
historic storm which occurred on February 18 and 19. It remains the third largest on record in the
Nation’s Capital with 18.7” observed at National Airport. In fact, it remains the single largest snow
total on record at National Airport. The
top two snowstorms on record in Washington, D.C., occurred before National
Airport opened in 1941. 16.3” fell at
Dulles Airport making it their 6th largest snowstorm on record while
20” fell in Baltimore making it their 8th largest snow.
Incidentally on President’s Day 2015, the Mid-Atlantic
Region is bracing for its largest snow of the season starting this evening. A winter storm warning will go into effect at
6 PM and continue until noon tomorrow. So
it’s important to monitor the latest forecast developments from your favorite
meteorologists such as my colleagues on the WUSA9 weather team.
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