Significant March Weather: Past and Present

"Superstorm" Snow Accumulations

Weather enthusiasts often love March because of its high degree of changeability that can include heavy snow, severe weather and wide swings in temperature from extreme cold to spring and summer-like warmth.  Such has been the case so far this month with both measurable snowfall and record warmth occurring in the Nation’s Capital. 

One of the most powerful coastal storms on record in the eastern United States also happened to be wrapping up on this date 23 years ago.  Dubbed the “Superstorm of 1993,” it brought record snowfall, severe weather and records for lowest observed air pressure to cities and communities from Florida to Maine.  Snow fell in the “Superstorm of 1993” as far south as Alabama and Georgia – including in the Nation’s Capital.  Although this storm brought Dulles Airport 14.1 inches of snow, only 6.6 inches accumulated at National Airport.  That’s because the snow changed to sleet at National Airport during the height of the storm (that reduced accumulations).  

Another major facet of the storm was the damaging severe weather that occurred across central Florida that included 11 confirmed tornadoes.  At peak intensity, the storm's air pressure was the equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane.  Consequently, the National Climatic Data Center noted a number of cities from Georgia to New York set new records for lowest observed air pressure.  Standard sea level air pressure is approximately 29.92 inches of mercury (1013 millibars) while Washington, D.C. had a record air low pressure of 28.54 inches of mercury (966.5 millibars).  

Although this month hasn’t featured anything as widespread or damaging as the 1993 “Superstorm”, Washingtonians have experienced some memorable weather over the last two weeks.  The first few days of March were colder than average with measurable snowfall on March 4 at the three area airports, Reagan National, Dulles and BWI-Marshall.  Temperatures have otherwise been warmer than average on all but four days this month in the Nation’s Capital.  Record warmth occurred on March 9 and March 10 in the Mid-Atlantic Region but no record warmth is on tap this week.

Nevertheless, NOAA’s outlook for above average March temperatures across much of the central and eastern United States was accurate.  There have been some other notable weather headlines this month including deadly flooding from Texas to Tennessee along with much-needed rainfall and mountains snows in the Pacific Northwest and central to northern Rocky Mountains.

Notable “Superstorm of 1993” Snow totals (March 12 – 15, 1993):

Mount Mitchell, NC – 50”
Snowshoe, WV – 44”
Syracuse, NY – 43”
Lincoln, NH – 35”
Albany, NY – 27”
Pittsburgh, PA – 25”
Mountain City, GA – 24”
Chattanooga, TN – 20”
Portland, ME – 19”
Roanoke, VA – 16”
Birmingham, AL – 15”
Boston, MA – 9”
Atlanta, GA – 4”

This post was filed from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico where I am looking into some local weather and climate issues for a few days.