Powerful Blizzard Three Years Ago Today Resulted in Snowiest January on Record

A powerful storm exploded over southwestern Connecticut three years ago this morning, delivering heavy snow, gusty winds, thunder, and lightning. Nearly a foot-and-a-half of snow was reported in most communities in the area before the snow moved away by daybreak, January 26, 2011. Not surprisingly, it resulted in the snowiest January on record across southwestern Connecticut.

Officially, after that memorable storm, nearly three feet (34.8") of snow had fallen at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, breaking the previous January record of 26.2 inches set in 1965. The normal snowfall for the month is 8.5 inches. Last January, just 7.4" of snow fell, while three years ago, only 7.7 inches of snow fell in January. Take a look at this photo from viewer Margaret in Devon which was taken at 2 o'clock in the morning two years ago today.

Here are snowfall totals from Wednesday, January 26, 2011:

• Norwalk: 17.0"
• Darien: 15.5"
• Milford: 15.0"
• Fairfield: 15.0"
• Greenwich: 14.5"

Once again, my neighbor, Todd, who owns a snowplow, drove me to work. Without question, it was the worst ride to work in my 18-and-a-half years of doing morning weather at News 12 Connecticut. I have never seen I-95 as snow-covered and as dangerous as three years ago today. There were several tractor trailers jacknifed, and the backup was extensive on the Northbound side in Westport. The heavy, wet snow made driving extremely difficult.



I woke up to the sound of muffled thunder shortly after midnight, and when I went to look out the window, I saw nothing but white. The snow was falling heavily, and I knew the storm had intensified due to the gusty winds, thunder, and lightning. This was no ordinary snowstorm. Nearly a foot of snow had accumulated by midnight. When Todd arrived at my driveway at 2:20, I couldn't get the kitchen door open because the snow was piled so high. Just walking to his plow was a chore in itself. Here's another shot from Devon three years ago this morning.

A blustery and cold day is ahead, but clouds will increase and flurries or snow showers will develop this afternoon. Flurries and snow showers will linger through early tomorrow before temperatures rebound into the mid-to-upper 30s Monday afternoon. Another Arctic cold front will arrive tomorrow night, though, and we'll be back in the deep freeze by the middle of this week.

Paul

Use Caution & Common Sense Before Lacing Up Your Skates Outside

The recent cold stretch has prompted many of my neighbors and friends to lace up their ice skates and hit the ice at Samp Mortar Lake. The average temperature this month (28.3 degrees) is nearly two degrees below normal, and the last two mornings have featured low temperatures of two and five degrees, respectively. In fact, six days this month have had double-digit below-normal average temperatures.

I can recall many years spending hours at a time skating on our nearby lake in early January. In fact, the biggest obstacle more often than not was clearing the snow from the ice before skating. The normal high and low temperatures for this time of the year are 37 and 23 degrees, respectively, but there were many years when the mercury didn't come close to normal.

First responders across Connecticut responded to multiple incidents of people falling through the ice yesterday. The Greenwich Fire Department rescued two boys who fell into a private pond. The teenaged boys have been released from the hospital and are expected to be okay.

During the rescue, crews put on special suits to protect themselves from the cold water temperatures that can cause hypothermia. Authorities urge anyone who falls through ice to stay calm and make as much noise as possible to get help quickly.



So, what precautions should be taken before venturing out on the ice? According to safesport. com, "If possible, choose a frozen-over shallow body of water. If you do happen to fall in, the depth will be low enough for you to safely walk out. The strength of the ice cannot be determined just by looking at it. Its strength is determined by many factors."

These factors include:

• water chemistry, or whether it is salt or fresh water;
• the daily climate, including wind, snow, rain, and temperature fluctuations; 
• the presence of water currents at stream inflows and outflows;
• the size and depth of the open water; 
• distribution of weight on the ice; and signs of expansion cracks on the surface. 

Ice is generally considered safe for activities such as skating when it is at least four-to-five inches thick. Naturally, the thicker the ice, the better. To determine the ice thickness, chip or drill a hole through the ice and measure it. Keep in mind that one area of the lake, pond, or river may be thicker than another. 

Depending on the area you want to use, you may need to check the ice depth in more than one location. If the ice surface is covered with snow, the ice underneath all that light, fluffy whiteness has actually weakened, despite the freezing temperatures as snow acts as an insulator.

The best way to avoid falling through the ice is to do a thorough check of its strength. When possible, skate on designated areas. Nature is not perfect, though, and despite your best efforts to avoid weak spots, you still may happen upon them, causing you to fall into the frigid water. Bring along rope or a pole to assist in the rescue, just in case. Also, never go out onto frozen open water alone or at night.

Many years ago, the neighbors eagerly awaited an annual ritual which determined whether the ice was thick and safe enough for all of us to enjoy. One of my neighbors would drive his truck onto the ice as onlookers watched. Obviously, the driver took all the necessary precautions before his much-anticipated drive. Once his truck was safely on the ice, he'd give the "thumbs-up" sign to the cheers and delight of the onlookers.

Paul

St. Thomas Aquinas School's Third-Graders Star as Weekly Weatherkids

I visited with the third-graders at St. Thomas Aquinas School in Fairfield this week. One of the students wrote a song about me, and the class sang it on the air. We had a great time.



Paul

Latest Snowstorm Pushes Season Total Close to Two Feet

A major snowstorm dumped close to a foot of snow across parts of southwestern Connecticut yesterday, causing traffic problems, closing schools, and ushering frigid air into the Northeast. The snow began falling lightly just after 9 o'clock Tuesday morning and fell steadily through midday. Heavier snow fell after 2 p.m., bringing traffic to nearly a standstill in both directions along I-95.

Here are the official snow totals for many communities across the region, courtesy of the National Weather Service:

This was the view along the Post Road in Fairfield Tuesday morning as the snow started to fall. The town's public and parochial schools were dismissed early.

The total snowfall at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford from Tuesday through early Wednesday morning was over a half-foot (6.7"), pushing the season's total snowfall to 22.8" which is less than seven inches from the average for the entire season. January's snow total (11.9") is more than double the normal (5.8") and well ahead of last year's pace (3.5") through the same date. 

The following graph shows Sikorsky's snow totals from the three snowiest decades on record.

Paul

Fairfield Country Day School's First-Grade Boys Enjoy Weatherkids Spotlight

The first-graders at Fairfield Country Day School, a private school for boys, were this week's featured Weatherkids. The boys enjoyed my weather experiments, trivia, games, and having the opportunity to be on television. I had just as much fun as the boys did.

Paul

Record Low Temperature of Five Below Zero Set on This Date in 1957

A record low temperature of -5 degrees was established on this date in 1957 at Bridgeport. Take a look at the front page of The Bridgeport Post from Thursday, January 15, 1957. Please click the image below to enlarge.

According to the article, "An Arctic cold wave held the area in an icy grip as the U. S. Weather Station at the Bridgeport Municipal Airport, Stratford, reported a reading of five degrees below zero, its lowest since the facility was established in 1938."

The article states, "A check of low temperatures around Fairfield County upheld Sandy Hook as the most popular spot for snowmen with a reading of 18 degrees below zero reported. Unofficial lows in other sections are as follows: New Milford -17, Newtown and Stevenson -14, Easton and Botsford -12, Monroe -10 & -15, Weston -12, Fairfield -7 to -12, Danbury -11, Norwalk and Stratford -5, and Westport and Milford -4."

Paul