Full Snow Moon Quite Appropriate for This Month

You may have noticed how the Moon has been growing --- or waxing --- over the last two weeks. We didn't see much of the Moon the last two nights, but we will be able to see it this evening and early tonight. The Full Snow Moon happens at 6:53 p.m. EST. The Moon will rise at 5:28 p.m. local time this afternoon and set at 6:45 tomorrow morning.

So, how did the February Full Moon get its name, anyway? Since the heaviest snow usually falls during this month, native tribes of the North and East most often called February's Full Moon the Full Snow Moon. Some tribes also referred to this Moon as the Full Hunger Moon, since harsh weather conditions in their areas made hunting very difficult.

Remember, Full Moon names date back to the days of the Native Americans, who lived in what is now the Northern and Eastern United States. The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring Full Moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred. There was some variation in the Moon names, but in general, the same ones were current throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior.

This Moon has also been known as the Full Storm Moon and Full Candles Moon. A Full Moon rises at about the same time the Sun is setting. Since the length of daylight continues to grow each day through the Summer Solstice, today's Full Moon will rise a little later than it did in December or January. In addition, this Full Moon will appear still fairly high in the sky since we're still in Winter.

Paul

Classic Nor'easter Delivers Over a Foot of Snow to Southwestern Connecticut

A classic February Nor'easter delivered heavy snow and strong winds to southwestern Connecticut yesterday, nearly paralyzing local roads and closing schools. The heavy snow pushed the season's total well over four feet. The snow began falling lightly just after 1 o'clock Thursday morning, and the heaviest snow fell between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. Here is the surface map from 7 a.m.

There were white-out conditions during the morning with snow rates of one-to-three inches an hour. Another round of light snow developed early this morning, padding the snow totals. Cumulatively, nearly a foot-and-a-half of snow fell in Darien and Fairfield, and over a foot of snow was reported in New Canaan, Weston, Norwalk, Stamford, and Sikorsky Memorial Airport. Here are the snowfall totals from February 13 & 14 for southwestern Connecticut.

The storm's cumulative snow total of 12.2" at the airport pushed the monthly snowfall to 27.8" through February 14. It also marked the fifth day with measured snow in two weeks. Local climatologist Ralph Fato created this video showing the key highlights of the storm. The snow tapered off later in the afternoon.



Paul

Today Marks Eighth Anniversary of Record-Setting Snowstorm

Today marks the eighth anniversary of the record-setting snowstorm of Sunday, February 12, 2006. New York City's largest snowstorm ever was classified as a category three major storm. Low pressure formed over the Southeastern United States and moved Northeast off the mid Atlantic coast by Saturday evening, February 11.

The storm then intensified as it moved to the East-Northeast, passing South of Long Island on Sunday morning, February 12. A very intense band of heavy snow developed, producing snowfall rates as high as two-to-four inches an hour across extreme Southeastern New York and across much of Southern New England.

Here is a sampling of the official snowfall totals from across southwestern Connecticut following that memorable snowstorm:

• West Redding: 28"
• Easton: 27"
• Stamford: 24.5"
• Darien: 22.5"
• Norwalk: 22"
• New Canaan: 21.5" 
• Fairfield: 18"
• Stratford: 13"
• Bridgeport: 12.5"

Here is video of the storm taken in Stamford where two feet of snow fell:



The storm closed regional airports, canceling hundreds of flights and for several hours virtually paralyzing normal traffic for city residents who took to the snow-caked streets in snowshoes and skis. New York municipal authorities had braced for the onslaught. Five-thousand workers at the New York City Department of Sanitation were put in place to use about 2,000 pieces of heavy equipment, including 350 salt spreaders and 20 snow-melting machines.

The National Weather Service said 26.9 inches of snowfall was measured in Central Park, exceeding the previous record of 26.4 inches, set in December 1947. The Winter storm's high winds, icy snow, thunder and lightning hit much of the mid-Atlantic and New England region, with parts of Arkansas and Tennessee also feeling the brunt of the storm.

"It's certainly the strongest storm this winter season," said Bruce Sullivan, an official with the National Weather Service. It hit a fairly large area, with accumulations of more than 20 inches of snow throughout New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. Power also was out at thousands of homes and businesses in the New York City metropolitan area, including southwestern Connecticut.

Next Monday, February 17, marks the 11th anniversary of the Presidents Day snowstorm of 2003. That was one of the largest snowstorms in New York City's weather record books, too. I'll take a closer look at that storm next week.

Paul

Historic Blizzard Dumped Three Feet of Snow One Year Ago

A historic snowstorm dumped nearly three feet of snow in Fairfield and snow drifts of four-to-five feet from Friday, February 8, through Saturday, February 9, 2013. The snow began falling just after 7 o'clock Friday morning, February 8, and became steadier and heavier throughout the day and night. A Blizzard Warning was issued for the entire state, and heavy snow combined with gusty winds to produce near-whiteout conditions Friday night.

By the time all was said and done, it was almost impossible to open my kitchen door and go outside late Saturday morning. 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.

Two years ago, less than a foot (11") of snow fell through February 8. The snowiest Winter on record, however, happened 18 years ago when Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford reported 78" from 1995-96. Here's a view of my street from Saturday afternoon, February 9, 2013.

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 storm was the result of a combination of a strong coastal low which moved up the Atlantic seaboard and an approaching front to the North and West. The two systems merged and the storm exploded Friday night. Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy closed the state roads, much like the late-Gov. Ella Grasso 35 years earlier during the Blizzard of 1978. A snowplow driver got stuck in the snow in front of my house and abandoned his vehicle Saturday morning. It sat there for more than two days.

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."

 

Paul

Today Marks 36th Anniversary of the 'Blizzard of 1978'

Today marks the 36 anniversary of the Blizzard of 1978. The unforgettable storm was "born" on February 5, 1978, with the merger of a Canadian high-pressure system to the North and a dense mass of low pressure off the Carolina coast. It will be remembered as one of the most destructive storms in recent memory.

What do I most remember about the blizzard? Connecticut's late Governor Ella Grasso closed all state highways due to the heavy snow; local schools were closed for several days; my next-door neighbor lost his car keys in a snow drift and didn't find them until the Spring; and I worked two straight days at WNAB where I had just landed my first radio job as the overnight announcer a half-year earlier.

The station program director, the late Tiny Markle, called me early in the day and asked me to prepare to work a 24-hour shift. Naturally, I was thrilled, but it took awhile packing my belongings for the trip to East Washington Avenue in Bridgeport. I watched as over two feet of snow fell, and the experience punctuated my fascination for weather.



As for the powerful storm, strong winds reached speeds of 86 miles per hour with gusts of 111 miles per hour during its peak. The lowest central air pressure was 980 millibars, which made the storm comparable to a strong Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale. Click here to listen to a clip of Walt Devanas' weather forecast on WICC in Bridgeport from the morning of February 6, 1978.



Arriving at the time of a new Moon, the storm produced heavy coastal flooding along the New England shoreline. Beachfront homes were washed away due to strong winds and coastal flooding. More than 1,700 homes suffered major damage or were destroyed, and 39,000 people took refuge in emergency shelters. Federal disaster assistance totaled $202 million.

Snow fell at a rate of four inches an hour at times during the storm, which lasted for 36 hours. The unusual duration of the 1978 Nor’easter was caused by the Canadian high, which forced the storm to loop East and then back toward the North. Thunder, lightning, and hail were seen in the blizzard as it blanketed the Northeast with over three feet of snow. Drifts in parts of New England were reported to be 15 feet deep.

Traffic came to a standstill as major corridors like I-95 shut down. During the storm several people died on Route 128 around Boston from asphyxiation, since snow had blocked the tailpipes of their idling automobiles. In New York City, skiers could be seen sliding up Fifth Avenue.



I will never forget the Blizzard of 1978.

Paul

Happy National Weatherperson's Day

Although I've never been an umpire or referee, I think I know what it must feel like. It's been said that nobody ever notices the umpire when he does a fine job. However, when the ump makes a bad call, everybody's on his back.

You see, I have been forecasting the weather for southwestern Connecticut on television and radio over the last 20-plus years. I never hear a word from anybody when the forecast is "right on the money." But, if my forecast is off the mark, the phone doesn't stop ringing and the emails keep coming.

Today is National Weatherperson's Day. It's the one day during the year to acknowledge the work of weather forecasters across our country. The day commemorates the birth of John Jeffries in 1744. Jeffries was one of America's first weather observers. He actually began taking daily weather observations in Boston in 1774, and he took the first balloon observation in 1784.
 

Jeffries was an American physician and scientist who pioneered the use of balloons in scientific observation. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he graduated from Harvard University in Cambridge in 1763 and studied medicine in Boston and abroad. After receiving his medical degree from Marischal College in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1769, Jeffries returned to Boston and practiced medicine there until 1771.

Much to the chagrin of this modern-day weather forecaster, Jeffries supported England during the American Revolution. He served on British naval vessels and in British military hospitals, and he fought alongside British troops in the final campaign of the war. After the war, he moved to England and resumed practicing medicine.

Jeffries became interested in the possibility of using balloons to observe the upper winds and the atmosphere at various altitudes. On November 30, 1784, Jeffries and French aeronaut Jean Pierre Blanchard made an ascent from London, reaching a height of 9309 feet and taking a series of air samples.

A few weeks later, on January 7, 1785, they made the first aerial crossing of the English Channel, traveling in a balloon from Dover to the Forest of Guines, near Calais. Jeffries paid all expenses for the two ascents and provided a number of the best available observational instruments, including a thermometer, a barometer, an electrometer, a hygrometer, and containers of distilled water. The air samples taken on the first ascent were the first scientific data ever obtained from these altitudes.

Many of us take weather information for granted. Turn on a light switch, you get light. Turn on your television or radio, or check a web site, and you get the weather forecast. It’s easy to forget that around the clock, dedicated meteorologists and weathercasters are creating forecasts to help you plan your day and issuing warnings to help keep you safe.

I wake up at 2:15 every morning, and I'm generally in the office by 3:15. People always ask me why I arrive so early if we don't go on the air until 5:00. Believe me, it takes at least two hours to pour over the meteorological data, create customized graphics, write a weather discussion for the News 12 Connecticut Web site, begin working on a blog entry, and type the forecast for the info bar on the bottom of the screen. Despite what many people think, I just can't "look out the window."

For me, though, it's a labor of love. I often tell people, when you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life. Happy National Weatherperson's Day!

Paul