By the time all was said and done, it was almost impossible to open my kitchen door and go outside. The snow-level was so high that the door would not open easily. The daunting task of shoveling the snow off the steps, sidewalk, and driveway almost seemed impossible when I stepped outside. I knew that I had to take my time due to the 40-plus mile-an-hour wind gusts, wind chill values in the teens, and my advancing age. After about an hour, I began making progress.
According to the National Weather Service, Fairfield hit the jackpot with the most snow in Fairfield County with 35 inches. However, regionally, Milford topped the list with 38 inches. That's more than the normal amount of snow for the entire Winter season, and nearly twice as much as what we received this season prior to the storm. Last year, less than a foot (11") of snow fell through February 8. The snowiest Winter on record, however, happened 17 years ago when Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford reported 78" from 1995-96. Here's a view of my street from this afternoon.
Here are the totals from the National Weather Service:
- Milford: 38"
- Fairfield: 35"
- Stratford: 33"
- Monroe: 30"
- Bridgeport: 30"
- Weston: 26.5"
- Shelton: 26.5"
- Westport: 24.5"
- Greenwich: 22.5"
- Darien: 22.1"
- Norwalk: 22"
- New Canaan: 22"
- Danbury: 21.5"
- Stamford: 19"
- Newtown: 17.1"
- Bethel: 16"
- Ridgefield: 12"
The second part of the storm entered into a colder environment late Friday night and with plenty of moisture it resulted in intense banding and a powdery, wind-driven snow between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. That resulted in snow totals which were much greater than expected. Fortunately, damaging winds and severe coastal flooding issues were not as severe and certainly not as widespread as feared. However, many people lost power.
Meteorologist Geoff Fox took a time-lapse video of the snowstorm from inside looking out at his deck. He wrote, "This time lapse starts just after 6:00 AM and goes past 11:00 PM. It stops because there’s nothing left to see! There are a bunch of web postings saying the GoPro’s battery is only good for 2.5 hours of time lapse. That’s why I plugged it into an AC adapter and propped it up against a glass paneled door to the deck."
Looking ahead, milder air will bring rain into the region Monday, and that means flooding concerns. Another system will bring more snow to the region later Wednesday into Thursday, but at this point it doesn't look to be too significant. As for now, I'm still waiting to get my street plowed. Fortunately, I never lost power, so my sons have been able to play their video games and watch television. Stay safe, and try to enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Paul
