41 DaysPutting The 2015 Winter Stretchof Eastern Southern New England into Historical Perspective

What a stretch we were in, and are still in with the Snowpack. A major congratulations (or maybe not) to those in Eastern Southern New England. As everyone with a shovel, and of course the media, has been portraying this as apocalyptic, lets take an Actual statistical look at how apocalyptic, this stretch actually is. For comparison, we will use statistics in my town of Cumberland, RI, Worcester, MA, and Boston, MA to create a center triangle of data from Eastern Southern New England. The periods of time we will use are from the Top 4 known stretches of winter:

Mid-January to Mid-March 1920 Late-December 1947 to Mid-March 1948 Early-February to Late-March 1969 Mid-January to Late-March 1978

There have been other stretches in the 18th and 19th Centuries that have been lightly documented, most notably the Great Snow of 1717, but unfortunately there is not enough hard data to correctly rate them in a detailed prospective.

Legend: When highlighted in Green 2015 Stats are Comparable to related stretch When highlighted in Red 2015 does Not measure up to related stretch When highlighted in Maroon 2015 does Not at All measure up to related stretch When highlighted in Blue 2015 is More impressive than related stretch When highlighted in Dark Blue 2015 is Far more impressive than related stretch When Not highlighted for Snow Depths Cannot be determined until Stretch is over

Mid-January to Mid-March 1920:

Cumberland, RI - Days of 12 Depth Days of 20 Depth Days of 30 Depth 1920 50 / 2015 41+ 1920 30 / 2015 35+ 1920 7 / 2015 2

Highest Depth: 1920 - 34 2015 30 1920: Best Stretch of Storms XX XX 10, 15, 12 Total = 57 In 32 Days (1.8 Per Day) 2015: Best Stretch of Storms 1/24 to 2/15 24, 12, 13, 12 Total = 72 In 23 Days (3.1 Per Day)

Worcester, MA - Days of 12 Depth Days of 20 Depth Days of 30 Depth 1920 61 / 2015 41+ 1920 39 / 2015 41+ 1920 0 / 2015 31

Highest Depth: 1920 - 36 2015 41 1920: Best Stretch of Storms 12, 18 Total = 47 In 32 Days (1.7 Per Day) 2015: Best Stretch of Storms 34, 17, 14, 10 Total = 89 In 23 Days (3.9 Per Day) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Boston, MA - Days of 12 Depth Days of 20 Depth Days of 30 Depth 1920 45 / 2015 41+ 1920 28 / 2015 35+ 1920 5 / 2015 - 24

Highest Depth: 1920 - 32 2015 44 1920: Best Stretch of Storms 10, 15, 10 Total = 50 In 32 Days (1.5 Per Day) 2015: Best Stretch of Storms 24, 16, 24, 16 Total = 90 In 23 Days (3.9 Per Day)

Late-December 1947 to Mid-March 1948

Cumberland, RI - Days of 12 Depth Days of 20 Depth Days of 30 Depth 1947-48 79 / 2015 41+ 1947-48 46 / 2015 35+ 1947-48 27 / 2015 2

Highest Depth: 1947-48 - 36 2015 30 Best Stretch of Storms 12/23/47 to 1/25/48 12, 12, 12, 10, 15 - Total = 75 In 34 Days (2.2 Per Day) 2015: Best Stretch of Storms 1/24 to 2/15 24, 12, 13, 12 Total = 72 In 23 Days (3.1 Per Day) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Worcester, MA - Days of 12 Depth Days of 20 Depth Days of 30 Depth 1947-48 80 / 2015 41+ 1947-48 48 / 2015 41+ 1947-48 31 / 2015 31 *If it werent for a massive rainstorm on February 14th, 1948 that cut 20 or so in 1 Day, this pack could have remained over 20 for an additional 18 Days and went 66 Straight Days of a 20 Snowpack.

Highest Depth: 1947-48 - 44 2015 41 1948: Best Stretch of Storms 10, 15, 10 Total = 62 In 34 Days (1.8 Per Day) 2015: Best Stretch of Storms 34, 17, 14, 10 Total = 89 In 23 Days (3.9 Per Day) Boston, MA - Days of 12 Depth Days of 20 Depth Days of 30 Depth 1947-48 21 / 2015 41+ 1947-48 2 / 2015 35+ 1947-48 0 / 2015 24

Highest Depth: 1947-48 - 21 2015 44 1948: Best Stretch of Storms 10, 12 Total = 22 In 8 Days (2.8 Per Day) 2015: Best Stretch of Storms 24, 16, 24, 16 Total = 90 In 23 Days (3.9 Per Day)

Early-February to Late-March 1969:

Cumberland, RI - Days of 12 Depth Days of 20 Depth Days of 30 Depth 1969 40 / 2015 41+ 1969 22 / 2015 35+ 1969 16 / 2015 2

Highest Depth: 1969 - 40 2015 30 1969: Best Stretch of Storms 2/10/69 to 2/27/69 24, 36 - Total = 60 In 18 Days (3.3 Per Day) *Top 10 Biggest Snowstorm and then 2nd Biggest Snowstorm 2015: Best Stretch of Storms 1/24 to 2/15 24, 12, 13, 12 Total = 72 In 23 Days (3.1 Per Day) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Worcester, MA - Days of 12 Depth Days of 20 Depth Days of 30 Depth 1969 31 / 2015 41+ 1969 21 / 2015 41+ 1969 11 / 2015 31

Highest Depth: 1969 - 33 2015 41 1969: Best Stretch of Storms 18, 20 Total = 38 In 18 Days (2.1 Per Day) 2015: Best Stretch of Storms 34, 17, 14, 10 Total = 89 In 23 Days (3.9 Per Day) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Boston, MA - Days of 12 Depth Days of 20 Depth Days of 30 Depth 1969 8 / 2015 41+ 1969 0 / 2015 35+ 1969 0 / 2015 24

Highest Depth: 1969 - 17 2015 44 1969: Best Stretch of Storms 11, 18 Total = 29 In 18 Days (1.6 Per Day) 2015: Best Stretch of Storms 24, 16, 24, 16 Total = 90 In 23 Days (3.9 Per Day)

Mid-January to Mid-March 1978:

Cumberland, RI - Days of 12 Depth Days of 20 Depth Days of 30 Depth 1978 50 / 2015 41+ 1978 36 / 2015 35+ 1978 14 / 2015 2

Highest Depth: 1948 - 40 2015 30 1978: Best Stretch of Storms 1/20/78 to 2/7/78 20, 50 Total = 70 In 19 Days (3.7 Per Day) *Biggest Snowstorm of All-Time 2015: Best Stretch of Storms 1/24 to 2/15 24, 12, 13, 12 Total = 72 In 23 Days (3.1 Per Day) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Worcester, MA - Days of 12 Depth Days of 20 Depth Days of 30 Depth 1978 60 / 2015 41+ 1978 16 / 2015 41+ 1978 2 / 2015 31 55 Days (11 Days in the middle were 10-11) 16 Days (In Total Separated) 2 Days (In Total Separated)

Highest Depth: 1978 - 30 2015 44 1978: Best Stretch of Storms 8, 16, 24 (Recalibrated for 6 Hour Rule) Total = 48 In 22 Days (2.2 Per Day) 2015: Best Stretch of Storms 34, 17, 14, 10 Total = 89 In 23 Days (3.9 Per Day) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Boston, MA - Days of 12 Depth Days of 20 Depth Days of 30 Depth 1978 39 / 2015 41+ 1978 13 / 2015 35+ 1978 1 / 2015 24

Highest Depth: 1978 - 29 2015 44 1978: Best Stretch of Storms 21, 32 (Recalibrated for 6 Hour Rule) Total = 53 In 19 Days (2.8 Per Day) *Great Blizzard of 1978 Should be Bostons Biggest Snowstorm of All-Time at ~32 2015: Best Stretch of Storms 24, 16, 24, 16 Total = 90 In 23 Days (3.9 Per Day)

For starters Concerning Boston, because it was just miles from the greatest parts of the 1947-1948 and 1969 stretch, and that 1978s stretch did not have a lengthy 20 Snowpack in the city, it can solidly be stated that This stretch in 2015, is ultimately the Greatest Winter Stretch in recorded history for the city of Boston. Its over 70 mark in 17 days and 90.2 mark in 23 days would leave a famous poet + climatologist combo at a loss o appropriate adjectives, and is almost unheard of for any major city anywhere anyway. Furthermore, this does not even figure Another integral point that is needed for the argument of the other cities used here. The vital piece of information that paints the backdrop of all these statistics, is that the 4 major climatology sites in Southern New England (Providence, Worcester, Hartford, Boston) all had their All-Time Coldest or 2nd All-Time Coldest February behind the ice box of 1934. More than the month of February, there was in total, a 43 Day stretch where the entire region did not get above 40*F; which was a record in itself throughout the area. Hence, just to be mentioned in the Top 5 greatest winter snowpack stretches, coupled with a slew of All-Time Bi-Monthly, Monthly, Weekly, 20 Day, 30 Day, 40 Day, 50 Day and 60 Day snowfall records, on Top of #1 or #2 cold, would already, undoubtedly put this as the most brutal and intense winter stretch in this regions history. For Worcester, even though it at one point had received more snow in Literally Half the time of the 1947-1948 stretch, does not have the length of the snow depth, at least Currently, to rival that run. Though I would confidently say that this is Worcesters 2nd greatest winter stretch of All-Time. Its 20 and 30 snow depth length vastly beat 1920, 1969, and 1978s runs, and 2015 had far greater amounts of snow / snow per day average. But 1947-1948s 59 day stretch of only 1 40*F day helped sustain a pack that may never be beaten. I say #2 for Worcester. For my home town in Northern Rhode Island, at least currently, I feel it is directly comparable to the 1920, 1969 and 1978 run, which is incredibly impressive itself. There is also enough evidence with the 2-Month, 30 Day, 40 Day, 50 Day, 60 Day records that 2015 took, to argue this was more impressive than those 3. Especially with the 60 Day record falling in 41 Days. But 2015 like Worcester, has no chance to overtake the 1947-1948 run, specifically because of the length of the 30 snow depth, which was month long. 2015 only had 2 separate days. 1947-1948s greatness was of course accomplished because the stretch started in late December, where as 2015s started in late January. Overall though for Eastern Southern New England, this is solidly on track to be, the Most prolific, most brutal, and greatest winter stretch Ever recorded with many 55-75 amounts in a 17 day period, 70-95 amounts in a 23 day period, and now near All-Time Seasonal totals when 41 Days ago, most places had 10 or less on the season. If you need any more pieces of evidence to call this #1 overall, here they be: - Blue Hill Observatory having 3 Top 13 Snowstorms in 21 Days. - The Blizzard of 2015 was Worcesters #1 All-Time Snowstorm. - Boston having 4 Top 20 Snowstorms in 21 Days. - Boston never having 3 12 Snowstorms in a season before, and having 4. In 21 Days. - Those 4 12 storms were all over 15, and 2 were 24. Again, All in 21 days. - Boston beating its 40 day record (and Easily its 20 and 30 day records) in 17 days. - Most stations easily breaking their All-Time February snowfall record And Any Month snowfall record. - Most stations breaking their 2 Month, 20 Day, 30 Day, 40 Day, 50 Day and 60 Day snowfall record. - There were 17 Snow events in the 41 Days, and it Snowed in 25-30 of those days.

41 Days. January 24th March 5th. Etched in Time & Never Forgotten. It is utterly sac-religious to say this next statement in the snow world of New England, but I shall - The days of stating that old phrase in an argument Back in the Blizzard of 1978. have become the past. Winter conversations amongst meteorologists, weather enthusiasts, or just a dinner table conversation between the common man about the past have changed. The last 41 Days of January 24th March 5th, is the NEW Blizzard of 1978.

Musically and Snowily Cory Pesaturo The Snowman MONTHLY & PERIOD SNOW RECORDS

7 Day Period 20 Day Period 30 Day Period 40 Day Period 50 Day Period 60 Day Period

197850" 197870"201581.25"201592"201594.25" 201596.75"

196942"201567"197880"1947-4875"197893.75"197893.75"

199640"196960"196966"197874"2010-1179.752004-0581.5"

201538" 1995-9648"1947-4860"196967"1947-4878"1947-4880"

195634"200547"1995-9657.75" 196763"196774"2010-1179.75"

200533"192045"200556"192061"191673"192077"

1947-4843"195649"1995-9660"192071"196776"

195643"192047"200557.5"200569.5" 190474"

189943"189946"191657"190469"191674"

LEGEND196745"190453" 196967"196969"

2015191644"189952"1995-9665"1995-199667"

1978195656"195657"

1969189953"190655"

1948190652"189955"

1920 January

Duel Month ...(1 per Season) 52.5" in 2005 Overall Month

1/2015 - 2/2015 = 88.5 50" in 201161" in Feb. 1969

1/1978 - 2/1978 = 87.5" 49" in 194853" in Feb. 2015

12/1947 - 1/1948 = 77" 46" in 1904 52.5" in Jan. 2005

1/1920 - 2/1920 = 76" 42' in 1996 50" in Jan. 2011

1/2004 - 2/2005 = 75.5" 50" in Feb. 1978

2/1916 - 3/1916 = 71" February49" in Jan. 1948

12/2010 - 1/2011 = 69.5"61" in 196946" in Feb. 1920

1/1969 - 2/1969 = 69"53" in 201543" in March 1956

2/1956 - 3/1956 = 65"50" in 1978 42' in January 1996

46" in 1920 41" in March 1916

NORTH CUMBERLAND, RHODE ISLAND

98% of All of New England under a 20 Snow Depth on March 6th. Unprecedented.

The 4 Major Storms over 3 weeks.

March 6th, 2015 Snow Cover

To Be Continued