First Snowstorm of 2009-2010 Winter Season Arrived 14 Years Ago Today

The first major snowstorm of 2009-2010 blasted southwestern Connecticut 14 years ago today, with some local communities receiving close to a foot of snow. Fortunately, the storm arrived late Saturday evening, December 19, 2009, giving most people ample time to prepare well in advance. The highest snow totals were recorded across southeastern Connecticut, while parts of Litchfield County saw nothing more than a trace of snow.

Here is a look at snowfall totals from across the region from December 19 and 20, 2009:

• Darien: 10.5"
• New Canaan: 10.3"
• Milford: 10"
• Bridgeport: 9"
• Fairfield: 9"
• Norwalk: 8"
• Woodbridge: 7.5"

Officially, at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, six inches of snow fell late Saturday, December 19, and 3.2 inches accumulated Sunday, December 20, 2009, for a total of 9.2 inches. The snow happened one day before the Winter Solstice. Over a foot of snow (13.4") was recorded at the airport in December 2009, including two inches on December 9, and just over two inches on New Year's Eve day.

The normal average snowfall for December is 3.6 inches, based on 40 years of averages, or climatology. The snowiest December day on record in southwestern Connecticut happened December 19, 1948, when 16 inches blanketed the region. You may recall that 12 years ago, a foot of snow fell from December 26 through December 27, triggering one of the snowiest periods in recent memory. You may also recall the Winter storm of December 30, 2000, when ten inches fell.

Paul