First time in 130 years that two blizzards have struck in one season at Buffalo Niagara International Airport in western New York, according to the National Weather Service.
Airline cancellations neared 1,500 as we head toward the end (I hope) of a relentless winter.
Note: Reader Loquamur comments that “There were no airports anywhere on earth 130 years ago. If we’re going to cite facts…uh…”
Yikes! Excellent point. I went fact-checking. Here’s what the ‘Buffalo News’ had to say.
“This is the first time – at least in the last 40 years,” Jon Hitchcock, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Buffalo, said of two blizzards within two months.
“As far as anybody knows,” he said, “this is the first time we’ve had two in one season.”
“NBC’s national weatherman Al Roker even weighed in today, tweeting that it’s the “first time Buffalo has had two blizzards in one winter in just over 130 years of daily record keeping at the Buffalo Airport.”
“The National Weather Service says it doesn’t keep that type of record, and amateur forecasters couldn’t recall another winter when there have been two blizzards.
“Buffalo historian Steve Cichon said he had to go all the way back to 1936 to find news accounts of back-to-back blizzards.”
Also set new snowfall record for for the date
(Still from the “Buffalo News”) – “As of just before midnight Wednesday, there was a record 13.8 inches of snow “and growing”… at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.”
“The 13.8 inches of snow was not only a record snowfall for any March 12, breaking the previous mark of 7.3 inches set in 1959, but it shattered the daily snowfall total for an already snowy winter season. The previous high was 8.8 inches in one day on Feb. 5.”
Illinois – Third snowiest season in Chicago
Midway International Airport reported six inches of snow Wednesday, while 3.6 fell at O’Hare International Airport. That made it the city’s third-snowiest season.
Meanwhile, boats operated by Wendella Cruises are stuck. The ice surrounding the boats is 20 inches thick. The season had been set to start Friday, but has been delayed until April 4.
Indiana
With 6 to 8 inches of snow in many parts of northern Indiana, at least 40,000 homes and businesses were without electricity for a time Wednesday from Gary to Fort Wayne.
Maine
Up to 20 inches of snow in western Maine left thousands of homes and businesses in the dark.
Michigan – Record-breaking cold
The storm dumped more than 9 inches of snow on parts of southern Michigan. Then came another round of record-breaking cold. The temperature at Detroit Metropolitan Airport dropped to 3 degrees Thursday morning, breaking the March 13 record low of 5 set in 1896. Readings of zero to 25 degrees were reported around the state.
Grand Rapids also broke its daily record low at 3 degrees, falling below the record low of 5 degrees set in 192. The weather service reported 9.3 inches of snow in Holly, and 9 inches in Kalamazoo.
New Hampshire
More than a foot of snow fell in some areas of northern New Hampshire. Orford in Grafton County reported 14.4 inches. Pittsburg reported 14 inches and Littleton and Berlin reported 13 inches.
New York
Bitter cold returned to upstate New York after a blizzard dumped nearly 18 inches of snow on parts of western New York, closing schools and highways. Sections of the highway between Syracuse and Buffalo were closed for several hours.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency for much of upstate New York.
Ohio
Heavy snow and stiff winds contributed to tough driving conditions throughout the day across northern Ohio. Pileups on the Ohio Turnpike involving at least 50 vehicles left three people dead and a state trooper seriously injured. Between 6 to 8 inches of snow fell on Cleveland and northeast Ohio.
Pennsylvania
Snow totals in western Pennsylvania reached as high as eight inches.
Vermont
One town received at least 26 inches of snow, while several other areas reported at least 20 inches. All flights at Burlington International Airport were canceled Wednesday.
Another note: “For a genuine blizzard, three conditions are needed: visibility of a quarter-mile or less due to snow; winds sustained, or in gusts, of over 35 miles an hour; and, finally, Zaff said, “Those two events need to occur for three hours.” says the “Buffalo News.”
http://www.wunderground.com/news/winter-storm-vulcan-latest-news-20140311
http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/winter/blizzard-ends-but-frigid-air-continues-20140312
Thanks to Kenneth Lund for this link