GramaxRefugee

Neither flake, nor pellet, nor drop here. Currently 29/20, overcast

Was 30 this morning, currently 25. Had 6 straight days above freezing previously.

Change from rain to all snow about 2:30 here in Mitchellville. SN+

27/25 here at 100 asl

I hope no one minds that I've resurrected a post from Sept 25, but a coworker was looking at this snowfall data and suggested that we check to see if any of these years had a warm Christmas Day. Well, I got to looking at the data, and found some of it interesting, and dare I say, encouraging. For those old enough to remember the first Washington's Birthday storm in Feb 1979, look at the similarities. (Listed as Dec 1978 ) Even the coolest 12/25 in 1884 fired off a high of 66 on 12/31. (I looked at the late Dec period in general, not just 12/25.) I didn't expect the see anything in this, but now I think it's worthy of posting. Thanks for your indulgence. ---------- Original Posted Data; Updated------------- Dry Sept -vs- snowfall amount: I investigated the 8 years mentioned by LWX in the AFD today regarding driest Septembers. (5 Driest Septembers BWI, DCA, IAD) Using BWI annual snowfall records, (normal 20.1 inches), I checked the following winters of each year for either normal, or above normal; rounding to the nearest inch. So basically, if a winter was 20" or higher it makes the winner's circle. (2005 wouldn't have made it without the rounding to 20, but eh, close enough) So, I was a bit surprised that only 2007, at 9" was below normal. Here's the years and following winter snowfall (Balto snow data): Update 1/2/20: Added the Max Temp on Christmas Day, Dec Max T, Dec Snowfall, and monthly temp departure. 12/25 Max Dec Max (day) Other notable Dec Snow (3.0 avg) Dep 1884 - 31" 32f 66f, 12/31 63f on 12/7 3.8” +1.4 1906 - 31" 32 68, 12/6 66 on 12/15 0.2 -0.4 1967 - 23" 40 62, 12/22 61 on 12/19 4.6 +0.6 1977 - 34" 52 59, 12/14 26/13 on 12/28 0.5 -1.1 1978 - 43" 48 72, 12/8 71 on 12/4 0 +3.4 2005 - 20" 42 58, 12/24 6.0 -2.7 2007 - 9" 50 63, 12/23 nothing else over 59 4.8 +1.1 2014 - 29"  61 69, 12/1 61 on 12/24, 60, 12/28 0.2 +3.2 2019 - ?? 49 65, 12/28 0.3 +3.2 avg = 27.5” The 1977 was only at DCA; 1978 and 2014 only at IAD. Otherwise pretty good mix. Hope we don't see another 2007/8 winter; or worse.

3.49" for the month. Lowest temp 18, highest 64. ETA: 2019 annual total 39.34" including 15.8 of snow. Slightly below avg precip; pretty much on avg for snow.

Lately with freezing weather, they have to sling salt for about a half mile on each side, so the car gets a new dose of rust without even the benefits of a snowstorm. As a guy with many years of highway drainage designs in my past, I could go on an extended rant but won't. Doesn't belong here anyway. Just breath deeply...

0.30" rain today. About 0.85 past 2 days. MD Rte 450 closed for under an inch of rain. (Flooding). Pitiful engineering SHA.

0.55" rain today. Hi 49 from low of 39. Pretty crummy wx. Yesterday was quite pleasant. Started an installation project on a car. Then had to finish it today. Lucky I could work under cover, but still not so enjoyable. Oh well; car repair in ultra cold is plenty unpleasant too. (Seen my share of that)

Heaviest fog this season, for me. Traffic lights only dimly visible in some places on my morning commute. Eerie looking Christmas lights too. Awoke to 40f.

26f this morning. No fog at home, but suddenly hit fog about half way into PGCo work.

Driving home this morning I noticed the Crofton pond is frozen bank to bank. Similar for the swamp and Bell Branch. Somewhat significant for December. 20f for my low temp. Currently 30.

Clearly, they saw your AmWx post. Nothing here at 5:40 then suddenly heavy moderate snow at 5:50. Light now. About 1/4".

Partially snow covered roofs still quite common in Bowie on the drive to work. There's a small church that has significant snow on their main roof, as if they were in a different storm than all the neighbors. Finally occurred to me that the nave isn't heated during the week. Probably be gone before Sunday anyway. (Praise the Lord and melt the roof.)

0.2"

No shortage of fog this morning; both home (AA) and work (PG) Fog/Mist/shower 44 Makes an interesting look to the Christmas lights anyway.

21, my coldest of the season. BP 30.53, pretty high

31/26 Faĺling a bit quicker and lower than I expected here. Clear sky.

BWI : 27.4 DCA: 21.1 IAD: 29.9 RIC : 17.5 Tie Breaker SBY : 9.1

BWI 11/8 IAD 10/29 DCA 11/24 RIC 11/7 Tie Rainfall 9.1”

Zoysia. We have established it on a sunny, south facing slope. Wish we had started it asap, before fooling with the usual fescues, etc. Nothing else thrives in that environment without irrigation of some sort. Problem is that it takes long to establish unless you pay an arm and a leg for sod. Most have success with plugs, which is what we did. Purchased from a local nursery. Once established, it is hard to kill, and pushes out most weeds. Less fertilizing, less mowing, less weedicide. My son is a home builder in central NC, and he installs many zoysia lawns. But, there are other hybrids that they can choose from down there. We are limited here, but if you have sunshine, I really recommend it. ETA: On the planting schedule you mentioned...I think you are supposed to plant it in the spring/summer, not fall. Opposite of cool season grasses like fescue. Zoysia is a warm season grass. Hence, it's not used much north of PA.

Had one that wouldn't stop chewing on the hummingbird feeder. Trapped it in a live trap and released it across the river. (And warned it about my 3 strike policy). That's all it took. We have many squirrels here, but only that one psycho case ever bothered the feeder. They're not all alike.

4th straight day of significant rainfall here. Today's the lowest at 0.21 (so far). Plenty humid.

Just getting a reasonably noisy T-storm in Mitchellville. Heavy rain, about 16:45L

Breezy rain just getting started in Mitchellville, 3:15 L. Under fairly dark clouds.