Washington DC Snow Breaks December Record

Sunday AM Update: Final official daily and monthly (to date) snowfall amounts:

Washington National 15.0"/16.6"
Washington Dulles   16.0"/21.0"
Baltimore (BWI)     20.5"/22.2"  

New records (previous in parentheses):

• National: All-time December daily (11.5", 12-17-1932) and monthly snowfall (16.2", 1962)
  
• Dulles: All-time December daily record (10.6", 12-12-1982) and second highest December snowfall (24.2", 1966)
  
• Baltimore: All-time December daily (11.5", 12-17-1932) and monthly snowfall (20.4", 1966)

For Dulles and Baltimore, these are only the second double-digit daily amounts in December. For Washington, it's the fourth.

11 pm Update: As of 9 pm, Washington National reported 16.3" of snowfall from this storm. This brings the December total to 16.5", which is a new all-time December record, exceeding the 1962 amount of 16.2". This is also the 7th biggest snowstorm in Washington history. The 6 bigger ones are:

January 27-28, 1922 .... 28 inches 
February 11-13, 1899 ... 20.5 inches 
February 18-19, 1979 ... 18.7 inches 
January 6-8, 1996 ...... 17.1 inches 
February 15-18, 2003 ... 16.7 inches 
February 11-12, 1983 ... 16.6 inches 

9 pm Update: Yet another inch at BWI, now at 18". Light snow continues at all 3 locations.

8 pm Update: BWI reports another inch, 17" on the ground. No change at National or Dulles.

Given the inconsistency with the snow amount and the over 1" of liquid at Dulles, the National precipitation amount cited earlier (0.33") is most likely incomplete, possibly from freezing of the instrument or blowing of the snow away from the instrument.

7 pm Update: Dulles reports another inch, 17" on the ground. National is at 15", BWI no change.

6:30 pm Update: The National Weather Service preliminary climate reports have been updated. Here are the daily snowfall/storm total/monthly total amounts for the region as of 4 pm:

Washington National 14.0/15.4/15.6
Washington Dulles   15.0/15.0/18.0
Baltimore (BWI)     11.0/11.0/12.1 

The 1.11" of liquid precipitation at Dulles is a record for the date.

6 pm Update: Baltimore (BWI) reports 16" on the ground in the latest hour. This would imply a total snowfall in the top 10 for Baltimore records dating back to 1891 and the highest in December. The 8th place snowstorm in the all-time record list is March 15-18, 1892 with 16.0".

Dulles is at 16", National no change.

5:30 pm Update: Updated unofficial reports.

5 pm Update: Dulles Airport now has an official report of 15" of snow on the ground; no increase at National. This puts Dulles close to the second highest December monthly total of 15.9" in 1969. The December record is 24.2" in 1966.

4:40 pm Update: The preliminary climate report for today has been issued with the snowfall amount listed as "MM" (missing), so the official record will be delayed. Interestingly, the precipitation amount is given as 0.33", which would have been only 3.3" at a typical snow/liquid ratio of 10:1.

4 pm Update: National adds another inch but depth on ground is still 14"; Dulles also at 14" on the ground with a cumulative amount of 16". Cumulative snowfall is probably now within the top 10 all-time biggest storms in Washington. Updated unofficial reports as of 3:23.

3 pm Update: Added snow depth chart and updated total to 14".

2 pm Update: National has added 1" to reach 13" on the ground, BWI 2" to 10". Considering that National had 1" on the ground at midnight, that's at least 12" of new snow today, which breaks the daily record, and the total amount breaks the December single-storm record. Here's the raw report showing SNINCR (snow increase) to 13":

KDCA 191852Z 35014KT 1/4SM R01/1200V1400FT +SN VV003 M03/M06 A2965 
RMK AO2 SLP039 DRSN ALQDS SNINCR 1/13 P0005 T10331056 $ 

Original post:
As of 1 pm, Washington National is reporting 1/8 mile visibility in heavy snow and an increase of 2" in the past hour with 12" on the ground. Unofficially, this is a new December daily record, exceeding the previous record of 11.5" set in 1932. Other regional amounts include:

Washington Dulles 12"
Andrews AFB       11"
Baltimore (BWI)    9"
Patuxent River MD  5"
Roanoke           15"
Richmond           7"  

Unofficial reports include:

********************STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL********************

LOCATION          STORM TOTAL     TIME/DATE   COMMENTS
                     SNOWFALL           OF
                     /INCHES/   MEASUREMENT

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

...DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA...
   AMERICAN UNIVERSITY   15.5   310 PM 12/19

MARYLAND

...ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY...
   SEVERN                19.3   330 PM 12/19
   ANNAPOLIS             17.5   245 PM 12/19
   CROWNSVILLE 3 SSW     17.2   300 PM 12/19
   OWINGS 1 NNE          17.0   445 PM 12/19
   GREEN HAVEN 1 WNW     16.0   431 PM 12/19
   GAMBRILLS 1 NW        16.0   433 PM 12/19
   MILLERSVILLE          15.5   524 PM 12/19
   RIVA 2 NW             13.0   430 PM 12/19
   GREEN HAVEN 1 NE      11.0   410 PM 12/19

...ANZ535 COUNTY...
   THE WOODROW WILSON B  18.0   245 PM 12/19

...BALTIMORE COUNTY...
   RANDALLSTOWN          18.0   430 PM 12/19
   CATONSVILLE           18.0   420 PM 12/19
   GARRISON 1 SE         17.5   445 PM 12/19
   REISTERSTOWN          17.0   526 PM 12/19
   JACKSONVILLE          15.0   522 PM 12/19
   DUNDALK 1 SSW         12.5   300 PM 12/19
   PARKVILLE             12.0   408 PM 12/19
   PARKVILLE 1 ENE        9.5   400 PM 12/19

...BALTIMORE CITY COUNTY...
   PIMLICO               15.5   415 PM 12/19
   BALTIMORE             10.0   408 PM 12/19

...CARROLL COUNTY...
   MANCHESTER 6 NW       19.0   516 PM 12/19
   LINEBORO 3 WSW        18.0   429 PM 12/19
   TANEYTOWN 1 NE        17.5   520 PM 12/19
   MANCHESTER 5 NW       16.5   400 PM 12/19
   WESTMINSTER           16.0   454 PM 12/19
   MILLERS               16.0   422 PM 12/19
   SYKESVILLE            15.0   430 PM 12/19

...CHARLES COUNTY...
   BRYANTOWN 2 NNE       18.0   430 PM 12/19
   WALDORF               15.5   500 PM 12/19
   WALDORF 3 SE          12.0   300 PM 12/19
   DENTSVILLE 1 SW       11.5   514 PM 12/19

...FREDERICK COUNTY...
   FREDERICK 3 SSW       19.0   519 PM 12/19
   FREDERICK             19.0   528 PM 12/19
   NEW MARKET 2 NW       19.0   518 PM 12/19
   POINT OF ROCKS        18.0   522 PM 12/19
   WALKERSVILLE          18.0   346 PM 12/19
   NEW MARKET            17.5   400 PM 12/19
   EMMITSBURG            16.0   300 PM 12/19

...HARFORD COUNTY...
   PYLESVILLE            17.5   520 PM 12/19
   EDGEWOOD              15.0   345 PM 12/19
   FALLSTON 1 N          15.0   453 PM 12/19

...HOWARD COUNTY...
   COLUMBIA 2 N          19.6   513 PM 12/19
   COLUMBIA              18.0   300 PM 12/19
   ELKRIDGE 2 W          18.0   519 PM 12/19
   CLARKSVILLE           17.5   432 PM 12/19
   SIMPSONVILLE 1 SSE    17.4   330 PM 12/19
   WOODSTOCK             16.0   500 PM 12/19
   GLENELG 1 ENE         15.0   400 PM 12/19
   ELLICOTT CITY 1 ESE   14.5   245 PM 12/19
   SAVAGE 1 N            14.0   300 PM 12/19
   SAVAGE 1 WSW          13.5   246 PM 12/19

...MONTGOMERY COUNTY...
   GERMANTOWN            20.0   300 PM 12/19
   DERWOOD               18.5   330 PM 12/19
   NORBECK 1 SE          17.5   400 PM 12/19
   DAMASCUS 3 SW         17.5   511 PM 12/19
   CHEVY CHASE 1 WNW     16.7   400 PM 12/19
   GAITHERSBURG 1 NW     16.6   400 PM 12/19
   ROCKVILLE 2 SW        16.5   524 PM 12/19
   NORBECK               16.1   311 PM 12/19
   DAMASCUS              16.0   344 PM 12/19
   BETHESDA              15.5   415 PM 12/19
   WHITE OAK 1 N         15.0   330 PM 12/19
   OLNEY                 15.0   340 PM 12/19
   FOUR CORNERS 1 N      15.0   323 PM 12/19
   ROCKVILLE 1 NW        13.5   240 PM 12/19
   FAIRLAND 1 ESE        13.0   315 PM 12/19
   OLNEY 2 WNW           12.8   430 PM 12/19

...PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY...
   BOWIE 3 NNW           15.5   300 PM 12/19
   BOWIE                 14.0   410 PM 12/19

...ST. MARYS COUNTY...
   HOLLYWOOD 1 NNE       10.8   300 PM 12/19

...WASHINGTON COUNTY...
   HAGERSTOWN            19.5   300 PM 12/19
   HAGERSTOWN 1 NNW      16.5   300 PM 12/19
   WILLIAMSPORT          16.0   305 PM 12/19
   HALFWAY 2 ENE         15.5   500 PM 12/19
   HANCOCK               14.2   307 PM 12/19

VIRGINIA

...ALBEMARLE COUNTY...
   EARLYSVILLE 3 ENE     23.0   430 PM 12/19
   CROZET 1 SSE          23.0   249 PM 12/19

...ANZ535 COUNTY...
   ALEXANDRIA 1 ESE      13.8   526 PM 12/19

...ARLINGTON COUNTY...
   BAILEYS CROSSROADS 1  17.0   345 PM 12/19
   BALLSTON 1 SW         16.5   257 PM 12/19

...AUGUSTA COUNTY...
   FISHERSVILLE          21.0   400 PM 12/19
   CRIMORA               19.5   306 PM 12/19

...CITY OF ALEXANDRIA...
   ALEXANDRIA 1 SE       14.5   441 PM 12/19

...CITY OF FREDERICKSBURG...
   FREDERICKSBURG 1 E    15.0   523 PM 12/19

...CITY OF WAYNESBORO...
   WAYNESBORO            28.0   340 PM 12/19

...CITY OF WINCHESTER...
   WINCHESTER            15.0   358 PM 12/19

...FAIRFAX COUNTY...
   CENTREVILLE 1 SE      19.0   351 PM 12/19
   LORTON                19.0   400 PM 12/19
   BURKE 1 NNW           18.0   300 PM 12/19
   GREAT FALLS           17.3   300 PM 12/19
   RESTON 2 N            17.0   423 PM 12/19
   FAIRFAX STATION 1 NN  17.0   400 PM 12/19
   RESTON                16.8   400 PM 12/19
   THE I66 AND I495 INT  16.0   351 PM 12/19
   GREAT FALLS 2 SSW     16.0   300 PM 12/19
   NORTH SPRINGFIELD     16.0   514 PM 12/19
   LAKE BARCROFT 1 SSW   16.0   300 PM 12/19
   OAKTON 1 E            15.0   347 PM 12/19
   HERNDON               15.0   525 PM 12/19
   FAIRFAX STATION 3 S   14.0   430 PM 12/19

...FAUQUIER COUNTY...
   OPAL 1 NW             17.5   252 PM 12/19

...FREDERICK COUNTY...
   STEPHENS CITY 2 E     18.0   517 PM 12/19
   STEPHENSON 1 ESE      16.0   400 PM 12/19
   STEPHENSON  ESE       15.0   317 PM 12/19

...GREENE COUNTY...
   LYDIA 2 SE            19.5   515 PM 12/19

...HIGHLAND COUNTY...
   MUSTOE                25.4   400 PM 12/19
   MONTEREY 2 WSW        22.0   511 PM 12/19

...LOUDOUN COUNTY...
   LEESBURG              19.0   330 PM 12/19
   PURCELLVILLE 2 WNW    19.0   513 PM 12/19
   BLUEMONT              18.5   445 PM 12/19
   COUNTRYSIDE 2 ESE     14.5   240 PM 12/19

...MADISON COUNTY...
   HAYWOOD               21.5   345 PM 12/19

...ORANGE COUNTY...
   THORNHILL 2 ENE       18.5   312 PM 12/19

...PAGE COUNTY...
   IDA 1 NNW             17.0   336 PM 12/19

...PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY...
   HAYMARKET 7 N         18.0   529 PM 12/19
   LAKE RIDGE            16.5   527 PM 12/19
   WOOLSEY 2 WSW         16.0   336 PM 12/19

...RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTY...
   ROCK MILLS 2 ENE      21.0   325 PM 12/19
   WASHINGTON            15.5   527 PM 12/19

...ROCKINGHAM COUNTY...
   ROCKY BAR 3 ENE       24.0   453 PM 12/19

...SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY...
   CHANCELLORSVILLE 4 S  15.0   249 PM 12/19

...STAFFORD COUNTY...
   FREDERICKSBURG 3 NE   13.5   400 PM 12/19

...WARREN COUNTY...
   LINDEN                21.3   354 PM 12/19
   FRONT ROYAL 5 N       20.0   528 PM 12/19

WEST VIRGINIA

...BERKELEY COUNTY...
   VANVILLE 1 SSW        20.0   504 PM 12/19
   JONES SPRINGS 1 SW    19.0   348 PM 12/19
   MARTINSBURG           18.0   400 PM 12/19
   GERRARDSTOWN 1 ESE    12.4   400 PM 12/19

...GRANT COUNTY...
   PETERSBURG            18.0   405 PM 12/19

...HAMPSHIRE COUNTY...
   ROMNEY                22.0   518 PM 12/19
   SPRINGFIELD           21.3   427 PM 12/19
   LEHEW 2 WNW           18.0   319 PM 12/19

...JEFFERSON COUNTY...
   CHARLES TOWN          21.5   400 PM 12/19
   BLOOMERY 1 W          18.0   400 PM 12/19

...PENDLETON COUNTY...
   CHERRY GROVE 6 WSW    26.0   409 PM 12/19
                             
    

Washington DC Snow Freqs: December Records

Generations of Washington area snow freaks have learned the hard way not to count their flakes until they're baked, but all indications are that a Big One is cooking in the kitchen of Momma Nature's Weather Grill. The latest National Weather Service forecast, updated within the hour, is calling for total snow accumulations of 14-16" by Saturday night. Stu Ostro of The Weather Channel has his usual excellent analysis of the storm here:
It's as easy as A + B = C.

In order to see how big the forecast amount really is, Momma's data dicers dusted off a chart originally published three years ago. Including the two trace amounts and 2.6" recorded in the meantime, the fraction of years with no measurable December snow now stands at 23% for the 121 years since official records began in 1888. Only 11 times (9%) have monthly totals exceeded 10". The most recent occurrence was in 1973 with 11". The others were:

1962 16.2"
1966 16.1"
1932 14.5"
1904 13.2"
1890 13"
1910 12"
1957 12"
1908 11.5"
1935 11" 

The 1973 amount consisted mainly of 6" on the 16th and 4.2" on the 17th. The last time 10" fell on a single calendar day was Dec. 4, 1957 with 11.1". Since records began at the current National Airport location in 1929, there have been only two other December days with 10" or more: the 26th in 1941 (10") and the 17th in 1932 (11.5"). The 11.5" in 1932 holds the all-time December daily snowfall record. Of the 12 heaviest 3-day snow totals (12.7" or higher), none have occurred in December.

Images (click to enlarge): Precipitation forecast from The Weather Channel;
CapitalClimate chart from National Weather Service data, photo © Kevin Ambrose;
Energy and math symbols holiday snowflakes from MIT, animated version here.

Comedy Central Covers Copenhagen Climate Conference

"It snowed in Houston!!! And, they elected a lesbian mayor!!! And, scientists get paid!!!"

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
World of Warmcraft
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

New Orleans Doubles December Rainfall Record 3 Daily Records in 4 Days

Noon Update: An additional 0.68" fell after midnight, raising the monthly total to 24.93", just 0.18" below the all-time record.

Baton Rouge also set a daily record with 2.41", exceeding the 2.35" in 1961.

The 13.14" through midnight at Mobile is a new December record, breaking the record which has stood since 1853. Unofficially, Mobile has received another 0.63" since midnight.

December 18 Update: A total of 1.77" on Thursday brings the New Orleans December rainfall to 24.25", within less than an inch of the all-time record for any month. The Thursday amount is a new daily record for December 18, the third time this has happened in the last 4 days. The old record was 1.46" in 1995.

Original post:
El Niño events tend to bring heavy rainfall to the southern U.S., including the Gulf Coast, and the current one is expected to be no different, but the first half of December has gotten off to a spectacular start. Aided by two consecutive record-breaking days, New Orleans Airport has doubled its previous December monthly rainfall record in just two weeks.

Monday's 3.28" broke the December 14 record of 2.04" set in 1976, and Tuesday's 5.70" almost doubled the daily record of 2.87" set in 1970. Halfway through the month, the December total of 22.48" is more than double the airport record of 10.77" set in 1977. It also exceeds the metro New Orleans December record of 14.43" in 1905. This is now the wettest month ever recorded at the airport since records began in 1947, easily surpassing the 21.18" in May 1995. The total is also within about 2.5" of the all-time New Orleans area monthly record of 25.11" mainly produced by a tropical storm in October 1937. Area records extend back to 1871.

The excessive rain has led to widespread street flooding in the New Orleans metro area.

The monthly rainfall so far of 12.70" at Mobile is the second wettest December total in records extending back to 1842. The record is 13.09" in 1853.

Images (click to enlarge): December precipitation departure from average through 6 am CST December 16, 5-day precipitation forecast through 6 am CST December 21, from National Weather Service

Time-Lapse History of Human Global CO2 Emissions

From the posted description at YouTube:

Animated time-lapse video of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions in map form, spanning the 18th century until this current first decade of the 21st century. Shows the start in England and radiating to Europe, US and then Asia.

The video makes it easy to visualize the geographical distribution and trends in post industrial revolution anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions over 255 years.

Whether you are worried about the consequences of carbon pollution or a sceptic of global warming, you should take a look, since this data is based on recorded use of fossil fuels, gas flaring and cement production, but not land-use changes.

The majority of anthropogenic CO2 emissions are represented in this video by Robert W. Corkery using data from ORNL on a Nasa Blue Marble background image. Music copyright Robert W. Corkery 2007.

Mid Atlantic Precipitation: December Update II

While not as drenching as the previous event, Sunday's precipitation added almost another half an inch to Washington's soggy December totals. The month-to-date amount of 3.47" is now well above the average for an entire December and over 150% of the month-to-date average. Even an average amount through the rest of the month will be enough for the total to finish over 50% above average. The year-to-date amount of 43.58" is also well above the yearly average of 39.35", although it's almost 3" below last year's near-record total.

Here are the daily (Sunday), month-to-date, and year-to-date totals for the Washington-Baltimore region:

Washington National 0.43"/3.47"/43.58"
Washington Dulles   0.58"/3.07"/45.71"
Baltimore (BWI)     0.67"/4.35"/51.86" 

Friedman to Copenhagen: Get Real

Thomas Friedman, author of Hot, Flat, and Crowded (just released in a paperback edition), stopped at CNBC for an extended interview this morning on his way to the Copenhagen climate conference. His basic message was that economic revival is strongly dependent on green technology. He pointed out that one out of three wind turbine systems worldwide is now made and exported by Denmark. "If you don't believe in hot," he said, "Just focus on flat and crowded." Video below:

Meanwhile, economic assistance to developing countries and the size of emission cuts by rich countries continued to be the main points of contention at the conference:

Jeroen Van De Veer, former CEO of Shell, discussed the role of business in the development of climate policy:

Jean-Pascal Tricoire, CEO of Schneider Electric, also expressed his views on the subject: