PREVIOUS WEATHER REPORTS

Back to Normal

By Russell Russ

The month’s low temperature of minus 2 degrees was observed on February 11. The high temperature of 54 degrees was observed on both February 17 and 18. On February 17 it was a record high temperature for that date, surpassing the old record of 52 set in 1981. The monthly average mean temperature was 22.2 degrees, 0.3 degree above normal. The month of February is typically when we get most of our lowest temperature readings, but this one was fairly tame.

The total precipitation recorded for the month was 4.57 inches, 0.94 inch above normal. February’s snowfall total was 22.4 inches, 2.1 inches above normal. The month started out on a snowy note, making it seem like we were in for more of what January dished out, but after the first week the weather patterns changed. Norfolk was on the rainy side of most of the later storms. Last year February was the big snowfall month with a total of 35.3 inches. This year it was January’s turn. There was a deep snow cover on the ground at the station every day this month with depths ranging from 22 to 32 inches.

The snowfall total for this winter season, October through February, is 89.8 inches, 23.7 inches above normal. At the end of February we were just one inch below our normal entire season average.

So far, for the two months of 2011 we are at 72.4 inches of snowfall, 31.1 inches above normal, and 8.32 inches for total precipitation, 0.63 inch above normal. Norfolk’s 80 year averages are 90.8 inches of snowfall per year and 52.55 inches of total precipitation per year.

Snow core measurements were taken several times during the month to determine the amount of water that was sitting on the ground in the form of snow and ice. February 7 with 28 inches of snow on the ground contained 6.9 inches of water. February 15 with 27 inches of snow contained 7.5 inches of water. February 27 with 26 inches of snow contained 7.9 inches of water. These figures show nearly two months worth of water sitting on the ground. This will become very important to forecasters as we approach the spring thaw.

Record Snowfall

By Russell Russ

The month’s high temperature of 55 degrees was observed on January 1. The low temperature of minus 14 degrees was observed on January 24. This was a record low for that date, beating the old record of minus 11 degrees set back in 1948. The average mean temperature this month was 19.0 degrees, 1.7 degrees below the January average.

The total precipitation recorded for the month was 3.75 inches, 0.31 inches below normal. If you do not like snow then stop reading here because this month was all about snow. January’s snowfall total was a very impressive 50.0 inches, 29 inches above normal and it was record setting. While a number of locations throughout the state recorded their snowiest January, and in some cases their snowiest of any month, Norfolk came close, but still fell just a little short of reaching its snowiest on record. It was Norfolk’s second snowiest January and the fourth snowiest of any month since we began keeping records in 1932.

During the big storm on January 12 a snowfall total of 21.7 inches was measured at the station. Snowfall totals varied widely throughout the region and the state. In an odd twist, central Connecticut recorded more snowfall in a number of storms this month. Typically Litchfield County and Norfolk in particular, receive higher snowfall amounts than other parts of the state.

Here are Norfolk’s top six snowiest months, with snowfall measured in inches: March 1956, 73.6; February 1969, 52.4; January 1987, 50.5; January 2011, 50.0; February 1967, 48.4; January 1961, 48.1.

Twenty of the month’s thirty-one days saw precipitation and just about all of it was the frozen kind. There was snow on the ground at the station every day this month, with depths ranging from four to twenty-eight inches. We have had a continuous snow cover since December 14.

The snowfall total for this winter season (October through January) is now at 67.4 inches. This is 21.6 inches above normal and 32.1 inches above where we were through January last year. The heading for the January 2010 weather summary was “Where’s the Snow?”, but we certainly didn’t have to ask that question this year.