Historical Winters

[OKwx2k4]

We bring these up from time to time and history is really quite fun so I thought I would start a thread on it to pass the time until the real deal gets here.

[OKwx2k4]

Historic winter of 1898-99

 

 

Chicago, Illinois reported: “On account of the absence of snow, the ground in the vicinity of Chicago was frozen in many places to the depth of five and one-half feet, causing great damage by the freezing up of the water and gas mains and service pipes. Plumbers have been unable to meet the demands for their services, and the exigency has brought forward the novel method of thawing

out frozen pipes by the use of an electric current. Great suffering was caused by the severe cold among the poorer classes, and many people were frozen to death. Several steamboats which maintain winter service on Lake Michigan were blocked by the thick ice and unable to reach port for three or four days.”

 

Michigan reported: “The month was remarkable for excessive cold, it being the coldest on record. Lake Michigan was almost frozen over on the 15th. Much fruit was destroyed and considerable game, especially quail, partridge and ducks, perished on account of the extreme cold.”

 

Missouri reported: “As a result of the extremely low temperatures of the first half of the month peach buds were very nearly all killed and a large per cent of the trees badly frozen, many being killed to the snow line. Pears, plums, and apricots also suffered severely, a large portion of the buds being killed and, in some instances, the wood badly damaged. The hardier varieties of cherries generally escaped, but sweet cherries were killed to a considerable extent. Apples were reported badly damaged in some localities but it is believed that, as a rule, they were not seriously injured. The hardy varieties of grapes are generally safe. In most of the east-central, southeastern and south-central counties winter wheat was well protected by snow during the severe cold weather and was not seriously injured, except in localities where some of the late sown was killed, but generally throughout the northern and western sections the ground was nearly or quite bare and much of the crop was greatly damaged. Clover was also badly killed in some sections, especially where closely pastured, but in many counties was reported in good condition at the close of the month.”

 

 

I would love to live to see a winter like this in our lifetimes.

[snow_wizard]

That was great one in the Pacific NW also.  That winter holds the record for the most consecutive days with snow depth of 10 inches or more for Seattle.  I think it was something like 12 days.

[jaster220]

If you LOVE blizzards like me, or just appreciate any kind of extreme wx, then I highly recommend this unique book I stumbled on about 15 yrs ago. (and seeing the reviews on Amazon, I'm in good company it seems)

 

 

 

Karl Bohnak has forecast the weather on WLUC-TV6, Marquette since 1988. His broadcasting career spans four decades, beginning with a small radio station in central New Hampshire in search of New England snowstorms. In his first book, he combines his love of history and weather in this entertaining chronicle of how weather has affected the inhabitants of this unique climatic region.

Praise for “So Cold a Sky”

“‘So Cold a Sky’ is an absolute treasure! This text gives us extraordinary insight into the…region’s legendary and incredibly challenging weather. This book…[is a]...MUST read. To those who embark on this journey thru history, you’re in for quite a ride.”
—Tom Skilling, AMS Fellow and chief meteorologist, WGN-TV, Chicago

 

“Bohnak's excellent, well- researched book includes many oral histories, a useful bibliography and an index… providing amazing insights into the legendary frozen journeys and distinctive hardships faced by eminent figures such as Father Jacques Marquette, Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, Alexander Henry and Bishop Frederic Baraga.” —Lansing State Journal

“Every once and awhile a book comes along that I wish I had written. [This book]…fits that bill. It is just great.”
—Betty Sodders, Author of “Michigan on Fire” 1 and 2 

“Written in a straight forward, narrative style and illustrated with numerous black-and-white photographs and artworks, “So Cold a Sky” is an enthralling chronicle of the eternal story of man versus nature.”
—Midwest Book Review

“Karl Bohnak’s integrity as a meteorologist, his passion for weather history and his personable delivery present the “perfect storm” of education and entertainment that appeals to adults and children alike.”
—Tom Friggens, Director, Michigan Iron Industry Museum

“Bohnak’s enthusiasm for both weather and his adopted home injects energy into the book. The stories he has uncovered are by turns charming and terrifying and certainly give credence to the legendary hardiness of those living in the U.P.”
—BookWire Review

Raging winds, torrential rains, blinding blizzards and sub-zero temps—the Upper Peninsula is a weather buff’s heaven and this book his bible.”
—Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine

“A fine piece of Upper Peninsula history on a topic—weather—that is just being written about. Everyone will find it useful and informative.”
—Russ Magnaghi, Professor of history, Northern Michigan University

[OKwx2k4]

That's a great share! Sounds like it would be worth a good read.

[jaster220]

That's a great share! Sounds like it would be worth a good read.

 

Thanks OKwx, it's really written well and makes it fun to read. One thing I still remember is the story of Bishop Baraga in retirement at The Soo (Sault Saint Marie, MI) travelling by foot with some natives down towards Mackinaw and after walking all day, they had to make camp in the deep snow. They slept outside under the stars (no tents or tee-pees lol). It was -40º F and he was very old (65) for that era, hence the Indians went along to "break a path" on snowshoes ahead of him. That'd be like somebody 90 yrs old nowadays - just crazy sh*t like that. We've gotten so lame.. 

[OKwx2k4]

Thanks OKwx, it's really written well and makes it fun to read. One thing I still remember is the story of Father Baraga in retirement at The Soo (Sault Saint Marie, MI) travelling by foot with some natives down towards Mackinaw and after walking all day, they had to make camp in the deep snow. They slept outside under the stars (no tents or tee-pees lol). It was -40º F and he was very old (65) for that era, hence the Indians went along to "break a path" on snowshoes ahead of him. That'd be like somebody 90 yrs old nowadays - just crazy sh*t like that. We've gotten so lame..

I agree. Nowadays, some of the worst possible days we could ever have would be just another day for generations past. Sometimes I have said that I was born too late. I've always been an old man or an old soul in a young man's body but I'm thankful my mind is like that. I'd still rather have to cross the tops of fences in 4 feet of snow to take food to my neighbors than to go through an ice storm like '09 again though. Lol.

[jaster220]

Started reading this yesterday...amazing

 

http://climate.umn.edu/pdf/mn_winter_1887-1888.pdf

[OKwx2k4]

That's awesome. Definitely going to give that a read later after work. Also, wasn't last winter compared in records up north to 1886-87 or was it 1877-78? I can't remember but we barely beat the "ice out" on one of those years by like 4 days and I remember reading that it was a "super Niño" and that the following winter was presumed as a cold-neutral ENSO.

[jaster220]

That's awesome. Definitely going to give that a read later after work. Also, wasn't last winter compared in records up north to 1886-87 or was it 1877-78? I can't remember but we barely beat the "ice out" on one of those years by like 4 days and I remember reading that it was a "super Niño" and that the following winter was presumed as a cold-neutral ENSO.

 

Iirc, 1877-78 was the extremely mild winter, definitely not 1886-87 as you will see in that article. 

[jaster220]

Stunned. I didn't realize CAT-5's were so rare, not even 4% qualify!

 

"Out of the over 500 historical storms assessed since 1900, only seventeen storms have been given a Category 5 ranking. The highest ranking storm on the list is the Great Appalachian Storm of November 1950 which scored a value of 32.31"

[OKwx2k4]

Iirc, 1877-78 was the extremely mild winter, definitely not 1886-87 as you will see in that article.

Yeah. So the next similar winter to the one we have coming up in that stretch was 1878-79.

[jaster220]

Yeah. So the next similar winter to the one we have coming up in that stretch was 1878-79.

 

Am I missing something here OKwx? The article is regarding the "mini-ice age" for the northern plains during the decade of the 1880's but you are trying to draw a parallel with the previous decade (1870's) to our current decade? Pencil me a little bit confused..

[OKwx2k4]

Am I missing something here OKwx? The article is regarding the "mini-ice age" for the northern plains during the decade of the 1880's but you are trying to draw a parallel with the previous decade (1870's) to our current decade? Pencil me a little bit confused..

You were right to be confused. I had dyslexia of my years there. Just ignore my posts about the 1870s. Lol. We're on the same page again. Carry on. :-)

[OKwx2k4]

A weather historian's friend right here. Make your own reanalysis maps. Great site.

 

http://vortex.plymouth.edu/u-make.html

[jaster220]

A weather historian's friend right here. Make your own reanalysis maps. Great site.

 

http://vortex.plymouth.edu/u-make.html

 

Looks like most databases are limited to 1999 or newer though. Wanted to look at a surface map(s) of 19-Oct-89 and I don't see that option..

[OKwx2k4]

I'll see if I can find some more resources.

[OKwx2k4]

Actually, this may be something you may be interested in.

 

http://www.lib.noaa.gov/collections/imgdocmaps/daily_weather_maps.html

[jaster220]

Actually, this may be something you may be interested in.

 

http://www.lib.noaa.gov/collections/imgdocmaps/daily_weather_maps.html

 

Love those! Thanks for the reminder 

[OKwx2k4]

I can't find historical radar and surface images. I'm still looking.

[OKwx2k4]

I don't know what we'll find here but I thought it worth adding. I'm afraid I'll lose the link. :-)

 

http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/data/gridded/data.ncep.reanalysis.html

[OKwx2k4]

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/IPS/coop/coop.html

 

COOP data in case you didn't know where to find it. Old handwritten style saw a for all states. A good bit of dating to the 1900s or earlier depending on state and site. I've found its much better to see the numbers for each day than trying to guess what happened by a monthly chart.

[jaster220]

I grew up listening to my dad's first-hand account of the Jan '67 Chicago bliz which continued northeast to our region in SEMI. If you haven't already seen it, this is a great documentary vid of both '67 and '79 Chicago storms. Awesome vintage footage in there - a must watch for those of us in the S. Lakes 

 

[Tom]

I grew up listening to my dad's first-hand account of the Jan '67 Chicago bliz which continued northeast to our region in SEMI. If you haven't already seen it, this is a great documentary vid of both '67 and '79 Chicago storms. Awesome vintage footage in there - a must watch for those of us in the S. Lakes

 

On occasion, Skilling brings up this Blizzard on his broadcasts and reminds us how far technology has come into weather forecasting. This storm was a prime example. Initial forecast 1-3" 24 hours before storm...result, 23"!!!

 

This video has me pumped to track beasts this season!

[jaster220]

On occasion, Skilling brings up this Blizzard on his broadcasts and reminds us how far technology has come into weather forecasting. This storm was a prime example. Initial forecast 1-3" 24 hours before storm...result, 23"!!!

 

This video has me pumped to track beasts this season!

 

Watched it again yesterday. Considering the focus was on the political impacts and not the wx itself, they still did a good job of covering the effects even showing some footage of Jan '99 bliz. 

 

Some time not too many years ago, (and I can't find it online searching) Skilling and the WGN team published one of their graphics about the Feb '67 mini-bliz that basically brought Chicago to a 2nd standstill within a months time! Amazing how Mayor Daily was re-elected considering that. He must've been the politician's politician to pull it off. By '79, as Skilling noted, a younger crowd had become so "entitlement minded" they expected that the city should do all the clean-up and without impeding their lifestyle for a minute. "How dare they let the weather impact our lives"!

 

I crossed paths with one such Chicagoan during the bliz of '99. I was headed home to S. Bend and got to St. Joseph where most all businesses were buried under 2 feet and the backside of the storm was still dumping on-n-off heavy LES. So we stopped at I think it was the pizza hut cuz it was the only thing open for a bathroom break. Here was this dude b*tching about how everything was closed down and how Chicago had everything open for "biz as usual". If I saw that again, lol, I'd tell him to go back to Chicago then if he didn't like Michigan. Sheesh at some arrogant people thinking the world should revolve around them.

[Niko]

 

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--tNBZn6ro--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_320/18k42t53qjo4ijpg.jpg

 

http://disasterproject9.wikispaces.com/file/view/snow_storm4.jpg/183873821/snow_storm4.jpg

 

 

Winter 95-96 was an all-time record snowfall season for NYC. At that time I was living there and it was a brutal winter! One of the best winters I've ever experienced.

[OKwx2k4]

 

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--tNBZn6ro--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_320/18k42t53qjo4ijpg.jpg

 

http://disasterproject9.wikispaces.com/file/view/snow_storm4.jpg/183873821/snow_storm4.jpg

 

 

Winter 95-96 was an all-time record snowfall season for NYC. At that time I was living there and it was a brutal winter! One of the best winters I've ever experienced.

That's awesome.

[OKwx2k4]

Been looking for this for a long time. This is from the single greatest winter month of all time for my area. January 1918.

 

[jaster220]

 

Winter 95-96 was an all-time record snowfall season for NYC. At that time I was living there and it was a brutal winter! One of the best winters I've ever experienced.

 

@ Niko

 

That was an awesome winter where I was living in N Michigan too. The first of back-to-back record snowfall seasons. Those are crazy photos for such a large city as NYC. Sweet! 

[jaster220]

Been looking for this for a long time. This is from the single greatest winter month of all time for my area. January 1918.

 

Screenshot_20161021-015450.png

 

Wow!  Looks like to my eyes that there was a 15 day stretch from the 6th to the 21st that snow upon snow built up to a 23"(?) depth OTG! That would be nuts to see again, eh? Marshall was also buried, though we are a small burg so I only can surmise via some old photos how much snow may have been OTG. It looked like at least 2 foot right after the big bomb bliz. I feel comfortable based on surrounding reports that there was likely 10+ inches OTG when the bliz hit with about 15" on top. A train was stuck in a drift about a county east of me, so it was bad to do that. That's the only time I'm aware of "train stopping snows" in this region.

 

Edit:  Bliz of '77 had train-stopping drifts closer to Lk. Michigan west of me, and Bliz of '78 stopped an Amtrack in Indiana. Jan 1918 is the only time in my immediate area. Guessing maybe trains stopped their schedule during the super-bliz of '78

[OKwx2k4]

Wow! Looks like to my eyes that there was a 15 day stretch from the 6th to the 21st that snow upon snow built up to a 23"(?) depth OTG! That would be nuts to see again, eh? Marshall was also buried, though we are a small burg so I only can surmise via some old photos how much snow may have been OTG. It looked like at least 2 foot right after the big bomb bliz. I feel comfortable based on surrounding reports that there was likely 10+ inches OTG when the bliz hit with about 15" on top. A train was stuck in a drift about a county east of me, so it was bad to do that. That's the only time I'm aware of "train stopping snows" in this region.

The amount listed shows 28". From maps I have seen, the big storm was literally the perfect definition of an Arklatex low. For evidence of how epic of a gradient that monster had, Tulsa only recorded 11 inches that month and Fayetteville was likely on the east side or directly in the center of the low as it slammed into the SE ridge, turned due north, and the rest is history. I would just love to see it again one day. There were actually places directly on the OK/AR state line into southwest MO that had recorded a depth at peak of over 48"!! I'm still looking for the actual obs on those places.

[OKwx2k4]

I'm sorry. Total was 29 there and max depth was 23.

[jaster220]

The amount listed shows 28". From maps I have seen, the big storm was literally the perfect definition of an Arklatex low. For evidence of how epic of a gradient that monster had, Tulsa only recorded 11 inches that month and Fayetteville was likely on the east side or directly in the center of the low as it slammed into the SE ridge, turned due north, and the rest is history. I would just love to see it again one day. There were actually places directly on the OK/AR state line into southwest MO that had recorded a depth at peak of over 48"!! I'm still looking for the actual obs on those places.

 

Sounds like the March of 1993 or Feb 1899 super-storms but for your region!   That could happen again buddy (99 yr anniversary??) 

[OKwx2k4]

Sounds like the March of 1993 or Feb 1899 super-storms but for your region! That could happen again buddy (99 yr anniversary??)

I would take it! In a minute! I'd also take a March 1989 for my backyard. 18 inches of heavy snow in 24 hours. It collapsed many buildings here. It was pretty historic. At one time, March had a snow average equal to some whole winters here from about 1986-1996.

[Niko]

@ Niko

 

That was an awesome winter where I was living in N Michigan too. The first of back-to-back record snowfall seasons. Those are crazy photos for such a large city as NYC. Sweet! 

If you never visited NYC, i recommend that you do. It is truly an amazing city.  I am very blessed to have been born and raised in such a great place. I am planning to visit there very soon. NYC IS #1 in my books.

[jaster220]

I would take it! In a minute! I'd also take a March 1989 for my backyard. 18 inches of heavy snow in 24 hours. It collapsed many buildings here. It was pretty historic. At one time, March had a snow average equal to some whole winters here from about 1986-1996.

 

March used to equal Big Dogs in S Michigan too when I was a kid. In '75 my folk's place got hit with a storm on St. Patricks Day and two weeks later got the 18" pounding like you did in 1989. But in the 14 yrs I've been back here, we're doing well to get a warning criterea event in that month 

 

If you never visited NYC, i recommend that you do. It is truly an amazing city.  I am very blessed to have been born and raised in such a great place. I am planning to visit there very soon. NYC IS #1 in my books.

 

Been there twice, first time to see Lady Liberty and the 2nd time on business and stayed right at Times Square! I'm a small town guy, but love to visit the large downtowns now and then. 

[Niko]

March used to equal Big Dogs in S Michigan too when I was a kid. In '75 my folk's place got hit with a storm on St. Patricks Day and two weeks later got the 18" pounding like you did in 1989. But in the 14 yrs I've been back here, we're doing well to get a warning criterea event in that month 

 

 

Been there twice, first time to see Lady Liberty and the 2nd time on business and stayed right at Times Square! I'm a small town guy, but love to visit the large downtowns now and then. 

That must have been quite a scene right there at Time Square. Good choice. Hope you had pizza and some NY Bagels.

[jaster220]

Snagged this off a site that has listings of all natural disasters by state. I wasn't living here then but this would've been the last time true bliz conditions were experienced around here. (GHD-1 garnered a BW, but thanks to tiny sugar sized flakes, and only 10" accumulation stretched over like 30 hrs, the low visibilities that you expect from a bliz never happened for anyone except remote areas with a lot of open fields)

 

17hrs under a legit Bliz Warning. I'd take that in a heartbeat!

 

 

 

 

So, 17 yrs later we really are kinda due for a true bliz

[westMJim]

Snagged this off a site that has listings of all natural disasters by state. I wasn't living here then but this would've been the last time true bliz conditions were experienced around here. (GHD-1 garnered a BW, but thanks to tiny sugar sized flakes, and only 10" accumulation stretched over like 30 hrs, the low visibilities that you expect from a bliz never happened for anyone except remote areas with a lot of open fields)

 

17hrs under a legit Bliz Warning. I'd take that in a heartbeat!

 

20161025 NWS Bliz Warn Calhoun Cnty summary.PNG

 

 

So, 17 yrs later we really are kinda due for a true bliz

 

I just came across this today while looking for some reading on a rainy day.  While the 1999 event was a big storm it was nothing compared to the storms of 1967 nor 1978. In fact the storm on March 17^th 1973 was much bigger (not sure about in west Michigan as I lived in Bay City at the time) Of course living just 6 block from The Saginaw Bay and having a NE wind makes a lot of difference. Any way here is a list of the biggest snow storms in Saginaw going back to 1912

https://www.weather.gov/dtx/mbssnowstorm

and here is a write up on the storm in Bay City

http://www.mybaycity.com/scripts/p3_v2/P3V3-0200.cfm?P3_ArticleID=8917

[jaster220]

I just came across this today while looking for some reading on a rainy day.  While the 1999 event was a big storm it was nothing compared to the storms of 1967 nor 1978. In fact the storm on March 17^th 1973 was much bigger (not sure about in west Michigan as I lived in Bay City at the time) Of course living just 6 block from The Saginaw Bay and having a NE wind makes a lot of difference. Any way here is a list of the biggest snow storms in Saginaw going back to 1912

https://www.weather.gov/dtx/mbssnowstorm

and here is a write up on the storm in Bay City

http://www.mybaycity.com/scripts/p3_v2/P3V3-0200.cfm?P3_ArticleID=8917

 

Nice list Jim - thanks. And I know '99 wasn't in the league of '67 and '78 but it was the last storm that actually earned it's Bliz Warned headline here in Marshall. GR was one of the jackpot zones in Michigan for GHD-1 and thus was worth the BW headlines there but not down here. 

 

Back to the Saginaw list. I'm looking for more regional data to support adding the March of '47 storm to my list of notable storms. Do you know of any? Not sure how widespread that one was? 

 

Also, too bad the list didn't go further back. As I understand it, Saginaw's worst was a 30" storm in the 1850's (most likely during the notorious winter of 1856-57). 

 

And wow at 1966-67 scoring two top (20) storms (at the time anyways) in the same season. Interesting that DT had some analog lists that included '66-67.