SACRUS

65 years ago the Dec 11-12 1960 Snowstorm

Records: Highs: EWR: 68 (1931) NYC: 68 (1931) LGA: 66 (2015) JFK: 64 (2015) Lows: EWR: 6 (1988) NYC: 5 (1988) LGA: 8 (1988) JFK: 7 (1988) Historical: 1882 - Portland, OR, was drenched with 7.66 inches of rain, a record 24 hour total for that location. (12th-13th) (The Weather Channel) 1917: Dec. 12-13, Richmond had 8.0 inches on the 12th followed by 1.4 inches on the 13th and 1.0 inches on the 14th for a total of 10.4 inches of snow. The snow cover from this storm lasted for more than a week an after another, smaller snowstorm near Christmas, temperatures plunged to the lowest levels ever recorded in December. On Dec. 30, Richmond woke up to a low of -2°F. 1960 - The first of three Middle Atlantic snowstorms produced a foot of snow at Baltimore MD. A pre-winter blizzard struck the northeastern U.S. producing wind gusts as high as 51 mph, along with 16 inches of snow at Nantucket MA, and 20 inches at Newark NJ. (David Ludlum) 1960: On December 12th 13.0 inches of snow fell over the Boston, Massachusetts area. (Ref. NOAA Boston Weather Events) Washington, DC. received 8.5 inches of snow from this storm.(Ref. Wilson Wx. Additional information) 1967: December 12th - 20th Flagstaff, Arizona: A series of snow storms buries Flagstaff with 86.0 inches of snow.(Ref. WxDoctor) 1967: New Mexico was bombarded by 11 days of heavy snow beginning on this date. Food had to be airlifted in to some areas. The Reservations of the Native Americans were especially hard hit. Flagstaff, AZ was buried under 86 inches of snow. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1969 - The worst tornado of record for western Washington State tracked south of Seattle, traveling five miles, from Des Moines to Kent. The tornado, 50 to 200 yards in width, began as a waterspout over Puget Sound. One person was injured and the tornado caused half a million dollars damage. (The Weather Channel) 1982: 6.6 inches of snowfall was greatest single December snowfall since 1973. The New England Patriots defeated the Miami Dolphins in driving snow at Foxboro, MA. With snow covering the field and New England in position to kick a game winning field goal, New England Head Coach Ron Meyer ordered the path to be cleared for the field goal attempt. The move was against the rules, but no one stopped him. Place kicker John Smith made the kick and the Patriots won the game 3-0. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 1987 - While a developing winter storm began to spread snow across New Mexico into Colorado, high winds ushered unseasonably cold air into the southwestern states. Winds in California gusted to 60 mph in the Sacramento River Delta, and in the San Bernardino Valley. (The National Weather Summary) 1988 - Cold arctic air spread from the Great Lakes Region to the Appalachian Region. Twenty-five cities, mostly in the northeastern U.S., reported record low temperatures for the date. The low of 12 degrees below zero at Albany NY was their coldest reading of record for so early in the season. Saranac Lake NY was the cold spot in the nation with a low of 28 degrees below zero. (The National Weather Summary) 1989 - A winter storm produced snow from northern Mississippi to the Middle Atlantic Coast, with 10.5 inches reported at Powhatan VA. Heavy snow whitened the Black Hills of South Dakota, with 36 inches reported at Deer Mountain. Thirteen cities in the north central U.S., from Minnesota to Texas, reported record low temperatures for the date, including Duluth MN and Yankton SD with morning lows of 22 degrees below zero. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1995 - A severe coastal storm is blamed for five deaths and loss of power to over one million people in Oregon and Washington. Winds at Sea Lion Caves near Florence topped out at 119 mph before problems developed with the anemometer. In Newport, a gust of 107 mph occurred downtown, while Astoria and Cape Blanco also had gusts of over 100 mph. Astoria's air pressure dropped as low as 28.53 inches, an all-time record (and comparable to the central pressure of a Category 2 hurricane!). Gusts in the Willamette Valley exceeded 60 mph. 1995: An intense ocean storm at 28.11 inches of mercury battered the West Coast. In Oregon, wind gusts hit 119 mph at Florence, 112 mph at Cannon Beach and 107 mph at Newport. Northern and central California was hit very hard. Wind gusts reached 103 mph at Angel Island, 85 mph at Redding and 74 mph at San Francisco. Three people were killed by falling trees. The San Francisco Conservatory sustained $10 million dollars in damages due to structural failure, broken windows and destroyed plants. Three Peaks was deluged with 21.22 inches of rain. Other heavy totals included 12.27 inches at the Marin Civic Center, 10.64 inches at Blue Canyon and 5.01 inches at San Francisco. Oakland was soaked with 2.66 inches in just 45 minutes. Nearly 2 million people were without power at one time. Seattle, WA and Astoria, OR recorded their lowest pressures on record with 970.2 (28.65 inches of mercury) and 966.1 millibars (28.53 inches of mercury) respectively. This storm was the worst to strike the region in 16 years. Six people lost their lives. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) A 5-day lake effect snowstorm came to an end at Sault Ste Marie, MI over which time 61.7 inches of snow fell, by far the city's biggest snowstorm on record. 27.8 inches fell in 24 hours on the 9th and 10th establishing their all-time 24 hour snowfall record. The snow depth reached 50 inches at one point, tying the record. The storm brought the monthly total to 82.5 inches, the city's greatest monthly snowfall ever. International Falls, MN set a record low with -39 °F. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 2008 - A significant ice storm wreaked havoc across New York and New England on December 12, disrupting electricity and leaving over 1 million homes and businesses without power. New Hampshire alone had as many as 320,000 residents without power, which according to reports it was described as the worst outages in 30 years (Reuters). Four fatalities were reported and parts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Maine declared a state of emergency (BBC News).

27 / 11 clear. Cold the next 96 hours - coldest Sun evening to Tuesday overnight. Overnight Saturday into Sunday snow squall/showers bring widespread light snowfall Coasting - 2 inches , 3 in some local spots to the south and east. Moderation to and above normal as ridge builds from the MO valley east between the 18th and Christmas. Beyond there closer to normal overall with back and forth shots of cold briefly then warming up. White Christmas looks in jeopardy, perhaps timed right for New Years eve ala Dec 30 2000?

Records: Highs: EWR: 69 (2021) NYC: 66 (2021) LGA: 67 (2021) JFK: 67 (1971) Lows: EWR: 11 (1977) NYC: 6 (1880) LGA: 14 (1988) JFK: 13 (1988) Historical: 1862: As the Battle of Fredericksburg commenced, the Union troops were aided by fog in building of pontoon bridges and moving troops into position. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 1864: High winds move the newly erected Capitol Dome. 1905: The highest temperature ever recorded in South America was recorded at Rivadavia, Argentina hit 120 °F. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 1932 - Very cold weather prevailed along the West Coast. San Francisco received 0.8 inch of snow, and at the airport the temperature dipped to 20 degrees. At Sacramento CA, the mercury dipped to 17 degrees to establish an all-time record low for that location. Morning lows were below freezing from the 9th to the 15th at Sacramento, and the high on the 11th was just 34 degrees. The cold wave dealt severe damage to truck crops and orange groves in the Sacramento Valley. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel) 1949: A tornado causing F2 damage moved through Marion County, Missouri. Damage totaled $200,000 in a 20-block area of Hannibal with a few homes completely unroofed. 12 people were injured along the tornado's path. In central Missouri, one of the worst ice storms of the century struck leaving over 2 inches of ice in some locations. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 1949: A tornado causing F2 damage moved through Marion County, Missouri. Damage totaled $200,000 in a 20-block area of Hannibal with a few homes completely unroofed. 12 people were injured along the tornado's path. In central Missouri, one of the worst ice storms of the century struck leaving over 2 inches of ice in some locations. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 1972: A strong upper level trough remained in pace from the Rockies to the West Coast that brought extreme record low temperatures for the date including: Winnemucca, NV: -33 °F, Elko, NV: -28 °F, Pocatello, ID: -26 °F (broke previous record by 16 degrees), Lander, WY: -26 °F, Ely, NV: -24 °F, Boise, ID: -22 °F (broke previous record by 18 degrees), Sheridan, WY: -20 °F, Burns, OR: -19 °F, Moline, IL: -18 °F, Rockford, IL: -18 °F, Green Bay, WI: -17 °F, Madison, WI: -17 °F, Reno, NV: -15 °F, Minneapolis, MN: -14 °F, Dubuque, IA: -13 °F, Rapid City, SD: -13 °F, Salt Lake City, UT: -11 °F, Milwaukee, WI: -10 °F, Alpena, MI: -8 °F, Chicago, IL: -5 °F, Fresno, CA: 25 °F-Tied, San Francisco Airport, CA: 26 °F, Santa Maria, CA: 26 °F-Tied, Long Beach, CA: 34 °F-Tied and Downtown Los Angeles, CA: 35 °F. The high temperature at Victorville, CA was 32 °F, tying their lowest high temperature on record with 1/30/1957 and 12/15/1957. Upper level high pressure off the southeast coast brought record highs to a few locations including: Charleston, SC: 83 °F, Macon, GA: 82 °F and Columbus, GA: 78 °F. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link) 1979: Temperature dropped in Roseville, MN from 48 degrees at 2 pm to zero by dawn. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1983: Nine cars fell through the ice at the same time on Buffalo Lake, MN in central Minnesota. There was only 5 to 6 inches of ice on the lake. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 1985: Phoenix, AZ recorded their first measurable snow since 1939. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1987 - Low pressure over southwestern Ontario, Canada, brought snow and gusty winds to the North Central U.S. Winds gusted to 62 mph at Riverton WY. Snow and high winds in eastern North Dakota reduced visibilities to less than one hundred feet at times. Warm weather prevailed across the Southern Plains Region. Half a dozen cities reported record high temperatures for the date, including Del Rio TX with a reading of 89 degrees. Laredo TX and Kingsville TX tied for honors as hot spot in the nation with afternoon highs of 92 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) 1988 - Arctic cold invaded the central and eastern U.S. Sault Ste Marie MI reported a record low of 14 degrees below zero, and International Falls MN was the cold spot in the nation with a low of 25 degrees below zero. Temperatures remained below zero all day over parts of eastern Upper Michigan and northern New England. (The National Weather Summary) 1989 - Strong Santa Ana winds developed across southern California and parts of central California. Winds in Kern County of central California gusted to 100 mph near Grapevine. The high winds reduced visibilities to near zero in the desert areas, closing major interstate highways east of Ontario CA. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) 1990: Dense fog formed along the Hiwassee River near Calhoun, TN, dropping the visibility along a 3-mile stretch of I-75 to zero at times. 12 people were killed in a massive 83 vehicle pile-up. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1992:A complex storm system moved eastward from the Gulf Coast of Texas to eastern Georgia on December 9 and 10th. In the next 24 hours, the low-pressure system moved to the Chesapeake Bay and rapidly intensified. This system produced gale force winds with gusts exceeding hurricane force affected not only the Mid-Atlantic coastline but also as far southwest as the southern Appalachians where trees were downed and roofs damaged. This storm also produced 20 to 30-foot waves in Massachusetts on December 12 and 13th. Precipitation amounts varied considerably. Rainfall amounts of 8 inches occurred in southeastern Massachusetts, while several areas in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Maryland recorded more than 30 inches of snow. Precipitation ended during the evening hours on the 12th. Ten deaths resulted from the storm with insured losses totaling near $850 million and non-insured losses near $2 billion. 1995: Monster storm hits the Pacific Coast. 1 1/2 million without power from California to Washington and 6 people killed. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 2000: A blizzard struck areas of the Midwest, Missouri Valley into Michigan. Strong winds sustained at 20 to 40 mph with gusts up to 50 mph created blizzard and near whiteout conditions, thunder and lightning and dangerous wind chills as low as -40 °F. Snowfall totals generally ranged from 6 to 16 inches with drifts several feet high in some areas. 10 to 15 inches occurred in Cook and DuPage Counties of the Chicago area, with 6 to 10 inches as far south as central Illinois. Freezing rain and sleet mixed in further south keeping accumulations down. 8 to 11 inches of snow fell across southwestern Missouri with amounts 12 to 14 inches reported from Joplin through Springfield to Joplin, MO. Areas near West Plains, MO received a mixture of snow and sleet keeping accumulations down to 4 to 8 inches. Some snowfall totals included: Cassopolis, IN: 16 inches, Elkhart, Goshen, IN: 14 inches, Niles, St. Joseph & South Bend, IN: 12 inches, O’Hare Airport in Chicago, IL: 9.5 inches, Rockford, IL: 8.3 inches, Oelwein, IA: 8 inches, Muscoda, WI: 7.5 inches, Cuba City, WI: 7 inches and Mt. Sterling, WI: 7 inches The 14.5 inches of snow that fell at Lansing, MI is the heaviest on record for any December day. The 14.2 at Grand Rapids, MI is also a record for any day in December and contributed to December 2000 being the snowiest month ever recorded at those locations. 19 people in the Chicago area died while shoveling snow, from heart failure or hypothermia. (Ref. Wilson Wx. - Additional Information) 2008 - A rare snowstorm swept across parts of south Louisiana and Mississippi, blanketing the area with snow. Nearly 8 inches of snow fell over parts of Louisiana. These conditions caused schools and bridges to close and left thousands of residents without power (Associated Press). (NCDC) 2010 - The "Pineapple Express" - a meteorological event where southwest winds bring warm, moist air to the U.S. West Coast - produced record rainfall to the Pacific Northwest during December 11th-12th. Seattle experienced record daily rainfall two days in a row. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport recorded 1.42 inches of rain on the 11th, breaking the old daily record of 1.32 inches set in 1955. The next day, 2.19 inches fell, breaking the daily record of 1.70 inches set in 1966. The Stillaguamish River in western Washington state reached 21.06 feet at Arlington, tying the record set in November 2006. Flood stage for the river is 14 feet. The storm system also brought record warmth to the area. On December 14th, the temperature at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport reached 57, breaking the old daily record of 55 set in 2004. (NCDC)

33 / 13 with 0.12 in the bucket yesterday. Cold overall the next 6 days, peaking Mon/Tue. Snow squall / shower/light snow overnight Sat into Sun likely a coating to 2/3 inches with some areas a bit more. Moderation by the 18th and into Christmas week to and above normal. Beyond the 25th forecasts maintain very cold just to the north so looking to finish the the last week leading to new years at or below normal after the 18-25 warmup.

Records: Highs: EWR: 72 (1946) NYC: 70 (1946) LGA: 70 (1946) JFK: 59 (2015) Lows; EWR: 8 (1968) NYC: 3 (1876) LGA: 9 (1968) JFK: 9 (1968) Historical: 1699 - A severe ice storm hit Boston, MA, causing much damage to orchards. (The Weather Channel) 1904: 7.0 inches of snow occurred in in Washington, DC and 10.0 inches in Baltimore, MD. (Ref. Washington Weather Records - KDCA) 1919: Bend, Oregon: A new 24-hour snowfall record for the state is set when Bend records 28 inches. (Ref. WxDoctor) Cheyenne, WY reported the last of five straight days of snow. On this date, they set a daily record with 9.3 inches and 18.6 inches over the five days.Record low temperatures were set from the Plains to the West Coast including: Glasgow, MT: -32 °F, Waterloo, IA: -29 °F (broke previous record by 14 degrees), Havre, MT: -28 °F, Williston, ND: -27 °F, Bismarck, ND: -26 °F, Norfolk, NE: -26 °F, Duluth, MN: -23 °F, Scottsbluff, NE: -22 °F, Rochester, MN: -21 °F, Lander, WY: -21 °F: Tied, Great Falls, MT: -20 °F--- While Gainesville, FL set a record high with 83 °F. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link) 1946 - The temperature at New York City soared to 70 degrees. (David Ludlum) 1946: High pressure along the southeast coast brought a south to southwesterly flow of unseasonably warm air to the east. Record high temperatures for the date included: Roanoke, VA: 73 °F, Newark, NJ: 72 °F, Harrisburg, PA: 71 °F, Baltimore, MD: 70 °F, Allentown, PA: 70 °F, New York (Central Park), NY: 70 °F, Lynchburg, VA: 69 °F-Tied, Atlantic City, NJ: 68 °F, Philadelphia, PA: 68 °F, Wilmington, DE: 67 °F, Hartford, CT: 67 °F. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link) 1949 - The barometric pressure at Las Vegas, NV, reached a record low reading of 29.17 inches (987.8 millibars). (The Weather Channel) 1963: A winter storm moved across Oklahoma through the 11th. Freezing rain and sleet glazed highways, along with snow depths reaching two inches on top of the ice. 100 traffic accidents occurred at Oklahoma City alone during the evening rush hour the next day, and more than 14 injuries were reported due to falls on the ice. Ice accumulations on telephone lines knocked out service to parts of northwest Oklahoma. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 1967: During the overnight hours, a tornado struck Ft. Walton Beach, FL and Ocean City in Okaloosa County destroying 35 homes and nine businesses. One person was killed and 40 people injured. 33 businesses and 290 homes were damaged. An hour later, a tornado touched down briefly at Tyndall Air Force Base and again across the Bay in Parker and Callaway. One fatality occurred at Tyndall AFB as did most of the severe damage with 34 injuries. 39 homes at Tyndall were destroyed. A few hours later, a tornado destroyed four farmhouses and several barns in the rural area between Blountstown and Altha, FL. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 1971: A strong ridge across the Florida Straits brought unseasonably warm temperatures from the Great Lakes to the Southeast. Charleston, WV tied their record high for December with 80 °F. Other daily record highs for the date included: Orlando, FL: 85 °F, Montgomery, AL: 78 °F, Pensacola, FL: 78 °F, Huntington, WV: 76 °F, Bristol, TN: 76 °F, Nashville, TN: 74 °F, Beckley, WV: 73 °F, Knoxville, TN: 73 °F, Birmingham, AL: 72 °F-Tied, Columbus, OH: 72 °F, Elkins, WV: 72 °F, Lexington, KY: 72 °F, Paducah, KY: 72 °F, Louisville, KY: 71 °F, Oak Ridge, TN: 71 °F, Evansville, IN: 70 °F. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link) 1972: A deep upper level trough extending from the Rockies to the West Coast continued to bring brutally record cold. Yosemite, CA reported their earliest sub-zero temperature on record with -1 °F. Las Vegas, NV recorded a high temperature of 32 °F. This was the coldest high temperature ever recorded in December. (Ref. Wilson - Many Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link) 1977: The eastern two-thirds of Iowa struggled with blizzards from the 8th ending on this date as 5 to 12 inches of snow fell. Locally heavier amounts fell over the northeast portion of the state. Bitterly cold temperatures of -10 degrees below zero combined with winds of 50 mph to produce wind chills of around -70 °F. Drifts piled up to 10 feet. The blizzard closed roads, stranded motorists and caused equipment to be brought in from western Iowa to help clear roads. The winds broke power lines shutting off heat and water for some residents. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 1987 - A cold front brought high winds to the eastern slopes of the Northern and Central Rockies. Winds gusted to 97 mph at Mines Peak CO. In Wyoming, up to a foot of snow blanketed the Teton Village Ski Resort, northwest of Jackson. Strong chinook winds in the Central High Plains Region, gusting to 61 mph at Scottsbluff NE, warmed temperatures to near 70 degrees. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) 1988 - Squalls produced heavy snow in the Lower Great Lakes Region. Totals in northeastern Ohio ranged up to 14 inches at Harpersfield, and totals in western New York State ranged up to 14 inches at Sodus. In the snowbelt of Upper Michigan, the Ontonogon area reported two feet of snow in two days. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) 1989 - Heavy snow fell across the northern and central mountains of Colorado, with 24 inches reported at Steamboat Springs. Six to twelve inches of snow fell in the Denver and Boulder area delaying plane flights and snarling traffic. Heavy snow also spread across the Central Plains into the Mississippi Valley. Winner SD received 11 inches of snow, and more than ten inches of snow was reported north of Sioux City IA. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1989: Heavy snow fell across the northern and central mountains of Colorado, with 24 inches reported at Steamboat Springs. Six to twelve inches of snow fell in the Denver and Boulder area delaying plane flights and snarling traffic. Heavy snow also spread across the Central Plains into the Mississippi Valley. Winner, SD received 11 inches of snow, and more than ten inches of snow was reported north of Sioux City IA. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1992 - A slow-moving Nor'easter storm batters the northeast U.S. coast killing 19 people. 1995: Intense lake effect snow squalls buried Buffalo, NY under 37.9 inches of snow in 24 hours, the city's greatest 24 hour snowfall and biggest snowstorm ever. Watertown, NY recorded 39 inches of snow in just 12 hours, and had 4 inches of snow an hour for 6 consecutive hours. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 1998: Santa Ana winds started on the 9th and ended on this day across southern California. Gusts reached 101 mph at Modjeska Canyon, 93 mph at Fremont Canyon, 83 mph at Ontario and 52 mph at Santa Ana. Trees and power lines were downed, vehicles overturned, and property damage was done to property. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

37 / 29, Highs in the 40s, will make this the warmest day through next Wed. Rain/ showers pushing through, cloudy once to mid morning. Overall cold Dec 11 - 17th with the coldest 72 hours Sun - Tue highs sub freezing in places one or all 3 days. Snow squall / showers overnight Sat/Sun possible with arctic front reinforcing cold. Moderation to and above normal by the 18th into Christmas as ridging noses east.

core of the cold into the northeast until the next reinforcing shot between the Dec - 12 - 16 - colder than this one

Records: Highs: EWR: 68 (1966) NYC: 66 (1966) LGA: 66 (1966) JFK: 64 (1991) Lows: EWR: 12 (1934) NYC: 7 (1876) LGA: 13 (1968) JFK: 14 (1968) Historical: 1786 - A second great snowstorm in just five days brought another 15 inches of snow to Morristown NJ, on top of the eight inches which fell on the 7th and 8th, and the 18 inches which fell on the 4th and 5th. The total snowfall for the week was thus 41 inches. New Haven CT received 17 inches of new snow in the storm. Up to four four feet of snow covered the ground in eastern Massachusetts following the storms. (9th-10th) (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel) 1879" December 9th through the 10th, Chicago, Illinois: Chicago sets record highs for both 9 and 10 December, and they occur but minutes apart. During the late evening of the 9th, southerly winds bring warm air into the city. The thermometer peaks at 62 °F just before midnight and remains there into the wee hours of the 10th before a cold front brings colder temperatures that morning. (Ref. WxDoctor) 1917 - A severe winter storm struck the Ohio Valley and the Great Lakes Region. It produced 25 inches of snow and wind gusts to 78 mph at Buffalo NY. The storm produced 26 inches of snow at Vevay IND, with drifts fourteen feet high. By the 16th of the month people could walk across the frozen Ohio River from Vavey into Kentucky. (8th-9th) (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel) 1961: Snowstorm hits central Minnesota. Mora, MN gets about a foot of snow. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1987 - The fifth storm in nine days kept the northwestern U.S. wet and windy. Winds along the coast of Washington gusted to 75 mph at Oceans Shores and at Hoquiam, and the northern and central coastal mountains of Oregon were drenched with three inches of rain in ten hours, flooding some rivers. Snowfall totals in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State ranged up to 36 inches in the Methow Valley. High winds in Oregon blew a tree onto a moving automobile killing three persons and injuring two others at Mill City. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1988 - A winter storm blanketed the Southern and Central Appalachians with up to ten inches of snow. Arctic air invaded the north central U.S. bringing subzero cold to Minnesota and North Dakota. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1989 - A strong storm produced wind gusts of 40 to 65 mph from the Alaska Peninsula to the North Gulf Coast of Alaska. Southeasterly winds gusted to 75 mph in the Anchorage hillside. Gusty winds associated with a strong cold front caused a power outage across much of the island of Hawaii. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1989: A strong storm produced wind gusts of 40 to 65 mph from the Alaska Peninsula to the North Gulf Coast of Alaska. Southeasterly winds gusted to 75 mph in the Anchorage hillside. Gusty winds associated with a strong cold front caused a power outage across much of the island of Hawaii. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1995: Record 24-hour snowfalls of 38 inches in Buffalo, NY and of 28 inches in Sault Ste. Marie, MI on December 9-10 which were due to lake-effect snowstorms. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 2005 : NYC received 5.8 inches snow (7.5 for the week). 2018: The Richmond International Airport had 11.5 inches of snow on December 9, 2018 which was the second heaviest single-day December snowfall on the Richmond records. The record was December 22nd 1908 when 15 inches occurred. Yesterday’s snowfall total also already makes December the 6th snowiest December on record.

22/7 off a low of 10. Near or at freezing for highs today, sunny. Clouds later and a mix of snow /rain into the morning. Warmest day of the next 7 Wed with highs back into the 40s. Arctic front brings snow/squall late Sat into Sunday. Cold stretch Dec 11 - Dec 17 with the coldest next Mon - Wed Dec 15- 17. Moderation to / above normal in the Dec 18 - 24 period. Longer range showing some wetter/stormer Christmas/eve -Day but its way out there.

First Week Dep EWR: -7.3 12/1: 45 / 29 (-5) 12/2: 41 / 29 (-7) 12/3: 44 / 31 (-3) 12/4: 44 / 24 (-7) 12/5: 31 / 20 (-15) 12/6: 44 / 31 (-3) 12/7: 44 / 28 (-4) NYC: -7.5 12/1: 43 / 34 (-4) 12/2: 40 / 34 (-6) 12/3: 41 / 31 (-7) 12/4: 41 / 24 (-9) 12/5: 32 / 20 (-16) 12/6: 42 / 30 (-6) 12/7: 43 / 34 (-2) A touch colder than last year 2024: EWR: - 6.1 Dec 1: 39 / 24 (-10) Dec 2: 42 / 25 (-8) Dec 3: 44 / 32 (-3) Dec 4: 42 / 24 (-8) Dec 5: 41 / 31 (-5) Dec 6: 37 / 30 (-7) Dec 7: 44 / 31 (-2) NYC: - 7.3 DEC 1: 38 / 27 (-10) DEC 2: 39 / 29 (-9) DEC: 3 42 / 32 (-6) Dec 4: 42 / 30 (-6) Dec 5: 40 / 31 (-6) Dec 6: 34 / 30 (-10) Dec 7: 41 / 31 (-5)

Records: Highs: EWR: 66 (1980) NYC: 65 (1927) LGA: 64 (1951) JFK: 61 (2004) Lows: EWR: 14 (1934) NYC: 4 (1900) LGA: 18 (1976) JFK: 16 (1976) Historical: 1783: On Dec. 8th a mild period set in and by the 11th all the snow had melted and a diary entry on Dec. 8th described the mild period as "Indian Summer." Today, "Indian Summer" refers to mild fall weather after the season's first frost has occurred. (Washington Weather Book 2002 by Ambrose, Henry, Weiss) 1804: John Sayer at the Snake River Fir Trading Post near present day Pine City mentions: "Cold day. Thermometer 10 degrees below freezing." Lewis and Clark also noted this cold wave at their winter quarters in Ft. Mandan, North Dakota near present day Bismarck. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1876: The term BLIZZARD first employed in government “Monthly Weather Review” (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1892 - A tremendous ice fall occurred at Gay Hill, TX. Ice averaged four to six inches in diameter. (David Ludlum) 1914: On December 7th through the 8th a northeast gale with a heavy glaze caused much damage in the Boston, Massachusetts area. (Ref. NOAA Boston Weather Events) 1935: From the Monthly Weather Review for December 1935, "The outstanding flood of December 1935 was the record-breaking overflow of Buffalo and White Oak Bayous at Houston, Texas on the 8 and 9th. This destructive flood was caused by excessive rainfall over Harris County, Texas during a 42 hour period on the 6th, 7th, 8th, with amounts ranging from 5.50 inches at Houston" to 16.49 inches at the Humble Oil Company in the northwestern part of Harris County. 1938 - The temperature at La Mesa, CA, soared to 108 degrees to set a U.S. record for the month of December. (The Weather Channel) 1946: Many locations from the Missouri Valley, Midwest to the Great Lakes set record high temperatures. Charles City and Osage, IA recorded their highest December temperatures on record with 63 °F and 62 °F respectively. Other daily record highs included: Topeka, KS: 70 °F, St. Louis, MO: 70 °F, Kansas City, MO: 69 °F, Des Moines, IA: 69 °F, Omaha, NE, 68 °F, Springfield, IL: 67 °F, Evansville, IN: 67 °F, Fort Wayne, IN: 65 °F, Indianapolis, IN: 65 °F and Chicago, IL: 64 °F. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link) 1963 - Lightning caused the crash of a jet airliner killing 81 persons at Elkton, MD. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987) 1971: 6.8 inches of snow fell at Tucson, AZ for the city's biggest snowstorm on record. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 1972: Brutal record cold held a firm grip from the Rockies to the West Coast. The low at Billings, MT was a record at -25 °F, and the high was only -14 °F. This was the 3rd straight day that the high temp did not exceed -11 °F. Record low temperatures for the date included: Great Falls, MT: -36 °F, Helena, MT: -35 °F (broke previous record by 11 degrees), Havre, MT: -33 °F, Sheridan, WY: -30 °F, Billings, MT: -25 °F, Winnemucca, NV: -25 °F, Pocatello, ID: -24 °F (broke previous record by 15 degrees), Rapid City, SD: -23 °F, Fargo, ND: -21 °F, Kalispell, MT: -20 °F, Burns, OR: -20 °F, Missoula, MT: -19 °F, Boise, ID: -19 °F (broke previous record by 17 degrees), Casper, WY: -19 °F, Eugene, OR: -12 °F (broke previous record by 30 degrees), Salem, OR: -12 °F (broke previous record by 29 degrees), Reno, NV: -12 °F (broke previous record by 12 degrees), Pendleton, OR: -11 °F (broke previous record by 14 degrees). The sunshine state lived up to its name with a few locations reporting record highs including: Fort Myers, FL: 88 °F, Orlando, FL: 86 °F and Tampa, FL: 86 °F. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link) 1978: Record cold prevailed from the Rockies to the west coast thanks to a strong and deep upper level trough. Alamosa, CO tied their December record low with -42 °F. Other daily record lows for the date included: Flagstaff, AZ: -23 °F (broke previous record by 15 degrees), Pueblo, CO: -23 °F (broke previous record by 14 degrees), St. Cloud, MN: -22 °F, Sioux City, IA: -19 °F, North Platte, NE: -17 °F, Colorado Springs, CO: -14 °F, Grand Junction, CO: -12 °F (broke previous record by 15 degrees), Goodland, KS: -11 °F, Winslow, AZ: -10 °F (broke previous record by 15 degrees), Denver, CO: -10 °F, Clayton, NM: -7 °F, Roswell, NM: -7 °F (broke previous record by 13 degrees). Meanwhile, an upper level ridge off the southeast coast brought record high temperatures to parts of the southeast including: Fort Myers, FL: 90 °F, Orlando, FL: 88 °F, Daytona Beach, FL: 85 °F, Key West, FL: 85 °F, Vero Beach, FL: 85 °F-Tied, Jacksonville, FL: 83 °F, Columbia, SC: 83 °F, Savannah, GA: 82 °F, Charleston, SC: 82 °F, New Orleans, LA: 82 °F-Tied, Meridian, MS: 81 °F, Pensacola, FL: 80 °F, Wilmington, NC: 80 °F, Columbus, GA: 79 °F, Raleigh, NC: 78 °F, Bristol, TN: 77 °F, Chattanooga, TN: 77 °F, Richmond, VA: 77 °F, Norfolk, VA: 77 °F-Tied, Atlanta, GA: 76 °F, Tupelo, MS: 76 °F-Tied, Knoxville, TN: 75 °F-Tied, Cape Hatteras, NC: 74 °F, Washington, DC: 74 °F, Roanoke, VA: 73 °F, Sterling (Dulles Airport), VA: 72 °F and Oak Ridge, TN: 72 °F-Tied.(Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link) 1987 - A cold front crossing the northwestern U.S. continued to produce high winds along the coast, and heavy snow blanketed parts of the western U.S. Snowfall totals in the mountains of western Nevada ranged up to 18 inches at Heavenly Valley, and near the Boreal Ski Resort, and winds at Reno NV gusted to 56 mph. Thunderstorms over southern Florida deluged the Florida Keys with up to five inches of rain. Strong winds, gusting to 48 mph at Gage OK, ushered wintry weather into the Central High Plains. Goodland KS, which one day earlier was 63 degrees, was blanketed with two inches of snow. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1988 - Santa Ana winds buffeted southern California, with gusts to 92 mph reported at Laguna Peak. The high winds unroofed buildings, and downed trees and power lines, igniting five major fires, and numerous smaller ones. Damage was estimated at 15 to 20 million dollars. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1989 - A winter storm spread snow and freezing rain across much of the Atlantic Coast Region, from Georgia to New Jersey. Snowfall totals ranged up to seven inches, at Stanton VA and Tobacco MD. Up to six inches of snow blanketed the mountains of northern Georgia. More than one hundred auto accidents were reported in Gwinnett County GA. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1991: A late-season outbreak of severe thunderstorms ahead of a cold front moved across central Illinois. Baseball-size hail was reported at Manito in Mason County, as well as Tremont in Tazewell County. In Menard County, tennis-ball size hail was reported at Petersburg. A tornado touched down near the town of McLean and moved east to near Heyworth. This tornado caused some damage to a manufacturing plant, as well as several outbuildings on farms along the storm's path. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1996: The same coastal storm the dumped heavy snow over central and northern New England produced 3 inches of rain at the Blue Hill Observatory in Milton, MA. This pushed its yearly rainfall to 65.77 inches. This set a new record for yearly rainfall for a site that has kept records at a relatively unchanged climatological location for 110 years. This new record was broken only two years later, in 1998. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 1998: The most consecutive days of 70 °F or warmer in the winter season in Richmond, Virginia was 6 days in 1998 from December 3rd to December 8th. Also a maximum temperature of 81 °F occurred on the 6th and 7th in this period. (Ref. Richmond Weather Records KRIC) 2000: California braced for blackouts as the state continued to experience an electrical power crisis. Abnormally cold temperatures, 10 to 20 degrees below normal, pushed power demands to critical levels. The state warned that it was facing a Staff 3 crisis, where mandatory blackouts would occur. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 2002: A tragedy unfolded as residents in North Carolina started using unorthodox methods to keep warm during the state's worst ice storm ever. Over 100 people were hospitalized and two died from carbon monoxide poisoning. One man died after using a charcoal grill to heat his home and another died while using a generator in an enclosed sun-porch area. National Guardsmen went door to door to caution residents about heating their homes improperly and to notify them about the availability of shelters. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)