Schools, businesses and even the federal government were shut down across the Mid-Atlantic Monday as the region tries to recover from a record-setting snowstorm. There will be little rest for the snow-weary however as another storm looms and threatens to add to the already tremendous snow totals.
A two-day storm that started Friday left a wide swath from Virginia across Maryland and Pennsylvania and into New Jersey left historic snowfall in its wake. Dulles International Airport recorded 32.4 inches, Baltimore / Washington International recorded 24.8, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport recorded 17.8 and Philadelphia measured 28.5. All were record-setting or at least ranked in the top five snowstorms in those cities’ history.
On Sunday the area had time to begin digging out but the task was gargantuan and continues today. The federal government which employs 230,000 workers in the area was closed as were many local government offices. Businesses and school districts similarly left their doors shuttered to give the area time to recover.
Travel across the area continues to be problematic at best as airports struggle to clear the snow and resume flights. Reagan National Airport remained closed Monday morning with hopes of opening later in the day. Baltimore / Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport opened one runway Sunday night and Dulles International was open although both warned passengers to expect continued delays and cancelations.
Astounding snow totals normally reserved for the Rocky Mountains were recorded in the area around the nation’s capital as a two day storm pounded the area. As the storm moved out late Saturday, the digging out process begins on Super Bowl Sunday.
In the wake of the storm, numerous snowfall records were set. Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. recorded an astounding 32.4 inches, easily eclipsing the previous snowstorm record for that facility of 23.2 inches set in 1996.
Similarly, Baltimore / Washington International recorded 24.8 inches which ranks the storm second on Baltimore’s list. That city’s top storm occurred in 1922 and dumped 26.3 inches of snow. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport recorded 17.8 inches putting the storm as the fourth biggest for Washington. Philadelphia measured 28.5 inches which is more in a single storm than the city has received in all but four seasons in the last 30 years.
The monster storm has spurred on a flurry of catchy nicknames. Whiteout at the White House. Snowpocalypse. Snowmageddon. Even President Barack Obama referred to the storm as ‘snowmageddon’ in remarks on Saturday. The storm even prevented the president from using his limousine and he was forced to use an SUV to attend an event.
February comes and serves as a bit of a month of transition between winter and spring. Average temperatures start to climb and things are generally pretty quiet.
However, it is still winter and below freezing temperatures at night still remain the norm. February is not typically a snowy month – in fact only the 6th snowiest – with an average of 6.3 inches. In terms of severe weather, the month joins September and October as being the quietest for Denver.
As we say though, it is a month of transition and as such extremes can and have occurred in the past. From severe cold and snow to beautiful spring-like days we can see it all. Oftentimes the month can lull us into a false sense of spring when the snowiest month – March – has yet to come.
Get all the details on the record setting storm from the Natural Disasters Examiner.