Blizzard, cold, snow, thaw and flood -- January '96 had it all

Dozens of new weather records for temperature, snowfall are set

Adage writers take note: January came in like a lion and went out like lamb. Brutal cold and heavy snow in the first half of January gave way to a thaw that brought temperatures for the entire month close to normal, according to climatologists at the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University. The thaw combined with heavy rain to create devastating floods.

"The January weather provided more than its share of excitement this year," said Keith Eggleston, a climatologist at the center. Most of the month's snow fell during the period from Jan. 7 through 13, which included the "Blizzard of '96," followed by an Alberta Clipper, and then another significant East Coast storm.

For the month, Elkins, W.Va., was among the Northeastern cities to top the snowfall chart with 44.6 inches -- 24.4 inches above normal. Other cities reporting snowfall accumulations in excess of 2 feet above normal for the month included Boston, Baltimore, Hartford, Conn., Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and Providence, R.I.

Most places in the Northeast received between 150 and 350 percent of their normal seasonal snowfall by the end of the month. For the season, New York City measured 40.5 inches, Newark, N.J., had 47.4 inches, and Charleston, W.Va., saw 70.6 inches of snow -- all more than 350 percent of their normal seasonal amounts so far.

Despite the blizzard and the other severe weather throughout the Northeast, northern Maine and the Lake Erie snowbelt received less snow than normal.

The first half of January brought a continuation of the colder-than-normal temperatures that had prevailed during November and December -- averaging 5 to 15 degrees below normal. Below zero temperatures were noted as far south as southern Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia. This pattern changed abruptly, however, as the second half of the month brought an extended "January thaw." Temperatures during this period were as far above normal as early January's temperature averages were below normal.

"These two temperature extremes combined to produce an overall monthly average that was quite close to normal," Eggleston said. He noted that the 12-state average temperature was just 0.2 degrees below normal, but 6.5 degrees colder than January 1995. Individual state averages varied between 1.2 degrees below normal in Maryland to 1.8 degrees above normal in New Hampshire.

Precipitation was above normal throughout the Northeast -- and it wasn't all snow. Heavy rain fell on Jan. 18-19. Over 2 inches poured from northern West Virginia through central Pennsylvania and over the Catskill Mountains of New York. Less than an inch of rain was reported along the coast, while 1 to 2 inches fell most other places.

"This rain combined with snowmelt to produce a rare and short-lived, but severe winter flood," Eggleston said. The Northeast overall received 165 percent of the monthly normal of 2.86 inches of rain and melted snow during the entire month -- ranking it as the seventh wettest January in 102 years of record. Pennsylvania and Massachusetts each recorded their fourth wettest January with 195 percent and 191 percent. The state with the most normal precipitation: Delaware at 109 percent.

New Weather Records

Snowfall

All-Time Storm Snowfall Records (inches) - "Blizzard '96" - Jan. 7-8, New Previous

Newark, N.J 27.8 26.0 on Dec. 26-27, 1947 Philadelphia 30.7 21.3 on Feb. 11-12, 1983 Scranton, Pa 21.0 20.5 on Nov. 24-25, 1971 State Storm Snowfall Record (inches)

City New Previous White House Station, N.J. 35 on Jan. 7-8 34 in Feb. 1899 in Cape May, N.J.

All-Time 24-Hour Snowfall Records (inches) City New Previous Rochester, N.Y. 23.0 on Jan. 3 22.8 on Feb 6-7, 1978 Philadelphia 27.6 on Jan. 7 21.3 on Feb. 11-12, 1983 Wilmington,Del.(tie) 22.0 on Jan. 7-8 22.0 in Dec. 1909 All-Time Total Monthly Snowfall Records (inches) City New Previous

Harrisburg, Pa. 38.8 34.2 in Jan. 1994 Providence, R.I. 34.6 31.9 in Jan. 1948 Philadelphia 33.7 31.5 in Feb. 1899 January Total Monthly Snowfall Records (inches) City New Previous

Boston 39.8 35.9 in 1978

Harrisburg, Pa. 38.8 34.2 in 1994

Hartford, Conn. 43.1 40.1 in 1923

All-Time Snow Depth Records (inches)

City New Previous

Boston 32 29 on Feb. 7, 1978 Harrisburg, Pa. 32 24 on Feb. 12, 1983 Philadelphia 28 26 on Feb. 13,1899 Bluefield, W.Va. 25 24 on Mar. 14, 1993 Williamsport, Pa. 26 24 on Mar. 3, 1994 All-Time 24-Hour Snowfall Record (inches) City New Previous

Baltimore 16.8 on Jan. 7-8 12.3 in Jan. 22, 1987 January Total Monthly Snowfall Record (inches) City New Previous

Baltimore 32.6 25.1 in 1987

Temperature

Low Temperature Records

City Date New Previous Caribou, Maine 3rd -25¡ -24¡ in 1981 Binghamton, N.Y. 5th -5¡ -1¡ in 1981 Buffalo, N.Y. (tie) 5th -4¡ -4¡ in 1904 Burlington, Vt. (tie) 5th -17¡ -17¡ in 1910 Concord, N.H. 5th -18¡ -12¡ in 1969 JFK AP, N.Y. (tie) 5th 11¡ 11¡ in 1989 Montpelier, Vt. 5th -17¡ -15¡ in 1981 Newark, N.J. 5th 8¡ 10¡ in 1988 Syracuse, N.Y. 5th -15¡ -9 in 1910 Albany, N.Y. 6th -19¡ -14¡ in 1972 Binghamton, N.Y. 6th -3¡ -2¡ in 1988 Bridgeport, Conn. 6th 2¡ 8¡ in 1988 Buffalo, N.Y. 6th -9¡ -4¡ in 1896 Burlington, Vt. 6th -23¡ -17¡ in 1994 JFK AP, N.Y. (tie) 6th 9¡ 9¡ in 1988 Newark, N.J. 6th 6¡ 8¡ in 1988 Providence, R.I. (tie) 6th 1¡ 1¡ in 1976 Syracuse, N.Y. 6th -24¡ -12¡ in 1912 St. Johnsbury, Vt. 6th -25¡ -23¡ in 1976 Binghamton, N.Y.(tie) 7th -1¡ -1¡ in 1968 Massena, N.Y. 7th -27¡ -22¡ in 1954 Montpelier, Vt. 7th -21¡ -12¡ in 1967 Newark, N.J. (tie) 7th 10¡ 10¡ in 1942 St. Johnsbury, Vt.(tie)7th -23¡ -23¡ in 1923 AP=Airport

High Temperature Records

City Date New Previous Burlington, Vt. 18th 53¡ 52¡ in 1990 Massena, N.Y. 18th 61¡ 52¡ in 1973 Morgantown, W.Va. 18th 67¡ 64¡ in 1949 Mount Mansfield, Vt. 18th 45¡ 40¡ in 1990 St. Johnsbury, Vt. 18th 55¡ 54¡ in 1990 Albany, N.Y. 19th 60¡ 59¡ in 1949 Burlington, Vt. 19th 65¡ 55¡ in 1929 Caribou, Maine 19th 50¡ 43¡ in 1972 Massena, N.Y. 19th 66¡ 58¡ in 1973 Rochester, N.Y.(tie) 19th 61¡ 61¡ in 1933 Scranton, Pa. (tie) 19th 62¡ 62¡ in 1929 St. Johnsbury, Vt. 19th 59¡ 54¡ in 1929 Syracuse, N.Y. 19th 64¡ 63¡ in 1933 Caribou, Maine 20th 50¡ 40¡ in 1986 Caribou, Maine 24th 49¡ 46¡ in 1992