The DC region will likely reach record levels of snow over the next 24-36 hours,
With the impending storm for [today] and Wednesday, we have a legitimate chance for an all-time (since records have been kept in the late 1800s) seasonal snow record.
Our big weekend storm surged Reagan National Airport’s seasonal total to 45″ with the balance of February and March yet to go. This places our current winter in position number three for the snowiest winters on record, behind 1995-96 (46″) and the big one, 1898-99 (54.4″). Of course, that all-time record was set at a more downtown location (M Street), so some may argue the higher elevation and location away from the Potomac was an easier accomplishment. But in my mind, that makes this potential record season all the more notable.
The chart above tracks seasonal totals since the 1990-91 snow season. Just look at that volatility. Get this: our 45″ this season is more than the last four winters COMBINED (which was only 35.5″).
I moved to the area in August 2002, so experienced the previous big storm season. My arms were younger then and my driveway smaller.
The Federal government is closed for a second straight day, “the first back-to-back closure since the 2003 blizzard.” The Atlantic Council offices are open today but telecommuting is allowed and I’ll be availing myself of the flexibility my job allows.
While there’s been a lot of joking about #snowpocalypse and #snowmaggedon and #snowmygod, the fact of the matter is that DC and even Baltimore aren’t Buffalo. There are parts of the country where 45 inches of snow fall in a single day and won’t melt until April or May. This isn’t one of them. So the sane thing to do is hunker down and wait for it to pass if at all possible.
