SACRUS

Records: Highs: EWR: 63 (1973) NYC: 62 (1966) LGA: 60 (2019) JFK: 62 (1966) Lows: EWR: 6 (2018) NYC: -4 (1918) LGA: 8 (2018) JFK: 7 (2018) Historical: 1767: The morning temperature in Boston was -8°F 1864 - Snow, gales and severe cold hit the Midwest. It was the most bitter cold New Year's day of record with afternoon highs of 16 below zero at Chicago IL and 25 below at Minneapolis MN. (David Ludlum) 1864: A historic cold blast of air charged southeast from the Northern Plains to Ohio Valley. Chicago had a high temperature of -16°. A farmer near Huntertown, Indiana, reported the same high temperature as Chicago, with a low of 21 degrees below zero. He remarked "rough day" in his weather diary. Minneapolis had a temperature of 25 degrees below zero at 2 PM. St. Louis, Missouri, saw an overnight low of 24 degrees below zero. The Mississippi was frozen solid with people able to cross it. 1881: Lowest minimum temperature ever recorded in January for Washington, DC -14°F. The temperature reading was made at the weather bureau office at 24th and M Street, NW. The Naval Observatory in Washington, DC recorded -16.5 degrees Fahrenheit on this date. This same air mass gave the lowest temperature ever recorded in December on December 31, 1880 when a low of 13 below zero F was recorded. Thus, one air mass set the all-time record low temperature for the two months of January and December.(Ref. Washington Weather Records - KDCA) 1888: The Signal Corps office opened in Rapid City, South Dakota, on January 1, 1888. It was located in the Sweeney Building at the corner of 7th and Main Streets. The high and low temperature that day was 6 and -17°F. 1892: At Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, dandelions were in bloom in parks. 1916: Rainmaker Charles Hatfield offered to bring rain to a parched San Diego, California for $10,000. He began to burn strange chemicals on this date to summon rain. It did begin to rain on January 10th. The problem was that it didn't stop raining for days and damaging floods resulted. The city refused to pay him the money. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1918: The coldest period of the winter of 1917 and 1918 occurred from December 29th to January 4th. New England suffered through its coldest New Years Day in modern history. The temperature plunged to -32° at Van Buren, ME., -24° at Northfield, VT, -20° at Bethlehem, NH and -7° at New Haven, CT. Locations reporting daily record lows included: Hartford, CT: -8°, Boston, MA: -3°, Lexington, KY: 3°, Lynchburg, VA: 3°, Richmond, VA: 6°, Roanoke, VA: 8°, Wilmington, NC: 11°, Charlotte, NC: 11°-Tied, Raleigh, NC: 12°, Norfolk, VA: 12°, Jacksonville, FL: 21°, Pensacola, FL: 25°-Tied, West Palm Beach, FL: 35°, Miami, FL: 36° and Key West, FL: 51°. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link) 1934 - Heavy rain which began on December 30th led to flooding in the Los Angeles Basin area of California. Flooding claimed the lives of at least 45 persons. Walls of water and debris up to ten feet high were noted in some canyon areas. Rainfall totals ranged up to 16.29 inches at Azusa, with 8.26 inches reported in Downtown Los Angeles. (The Weather Channel) 1935: The Associated Press Wire Photo Service made its debut, delivering the great weather maps twice each day to newspapers across the country. The first photo transmitted was a plane crash in the Adirondack of New York on this day. The plane crashed during the evening hours on December 28, but the rescue did not occur until New Year's Day. 1935: The Associated Press Wire Photo Service made its debut, delivering the famous weather maps, twice each day to newspapers across the country. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1948: An ice storm glazed surfaces in Chicago, IL, with ½-1” ice; it was followed by 4”+ snow. Winds to 50 mph common (approx. 100 mph estimate at Glenview Naval Air Station) 11 radio station towers destroyed/damaged. 6,000 Western Union poles down; 5,500 miles of wire broken/tangled. (Ref. Weather Guide Calendar with Phenomenal Weather Events 2011 Accord Pub. 2010, USA) 1949: A six-day blizzard began over the Northern Rockies and the Great Plains. The storm produced the most adverse weather conditions in the history of the west. (David Ludlum) 1949 - A six day blizzard began over the Northern Rockies and the Great Plains. The storm produced the most adverse weather conditions in the history of the west. (David Ludlum) 1961: A three-day-long ice storm was beginning over northern Idaho, which produced an accumulation of ice eight inches thick, a U.S. record. Dense fog, which blanketed much of northern Idaho from Grangeville to the Canadian border, deposited the ice on power and phone lines, causing widespread power outages. 1964: A snowstorm struck the Deep South on December 31st, 1963, through January 1st, 1964. Meridian MS received 15 inches of snow, 10.5 inches blanketed Bay St Louis MS, and 4.5 inches fell at New Orleans, LA. The University of Alabama Head Football Coach “Bear” Bryant said that the only thing that could have messed up his team’s chances in the Sugar Bowl against Ole Miss in New Orleans, LA was a freak snowstorm. Well, much to his chagrin, 4.5 inches of snow fell the night before the big game. Alabama won the game 12-7 anyway. Freezing temperatures then prevailed for New Year’s Day. 1979 - The temperature at Maybell CO plunged to 60 degrees below zero to tie the state record set back in 1951 at Taylor Park. (The Weather Channel) 1984: A severe cold spell finally broke on New Year's Day at Topeka, KS when the mercury finally rose above 32° after 554 hours. An unprecedented cold spell set temperature records every morning from 12/18 to 12/25/1983. A deep snow cover kept temperatures at or below zero for a record-setting 95 consecutive hours from 12/21 – 12/25/1983. The lowest temperature of -17° occurred on 12/22/1983. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 1987 - A winter storm brought rain and snow and high winds to the Southern and Middle Atlantic Coast Region. The storm, which occurred in a period of unusually high astronomical tides, produced a tide of 9.4 feet at Myrtle Beach SC (their highest since Hurricane Hazel in 1954) which caused a total of 25 million dollars damage in South Carolina. (National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1988 - Arctic cold gripped the north central U.S. The morning low of 31 degrees below zero at Alamosa CO was a record for the date. Squalls in the Great Lakes Region produced 17 inches of snow at Elmira NY. (National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1989 - Those who woke up New Year's morning unable to see much farther than the end of their nose had a good excuse, at least in the central U.S., as dense fog prevailed from Texas to Wisconsin. (National Weather Summary) 1990 - The new year and decade began on a rather peaceful note. Snow was primarily confined to the Great Lakes Region, the Upper Ohio Valley, and the Sierra Nevada Range of California. Subzero temperature readings were confined to Minnesota and North Dakota. (National Weather Summary) 1994 - Strong winds along the eastern slopes of the Central Rockies gusted to 70 mph at Arlington WY, and gusted to 80 mph near Estes Park CO. Heavy snow in the northeast mountains of Oregon produced 14 inches at Tollgate. A series of storms the first three days of the year produced 20 inches of snow at Lowman, in the west central mountains of Idaho. (National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1997 - Heavy precipitation fell from December 26, 1996 to January 3, 1997 in much of the west. In the California Sierra Nevadas the Truckee River reached its highest level on record. Lake Tahoe reached its highest level since 1917. Sacramento was spared the worst of the flooding by a system of levees, although many nearby towns were not so fortunate. Numerous levee breaches and breaks occurred across the state. Approximately 16,000 residences were damaged or destroyed. State officials estimated at least $1.6 billion in damages to private and public property. 1999 - A major blizzard struck portions of the Midwest on January 1-3, 1999. The storm produced 22 inches of snow in Chicago and was rated by the NWS as the second worst blizzard of the 20th century, ranking behind the blizzard in January 1967. Estimates of losses and recovery costs are between $0.3 and $0.4 billion with 73 dead as a result of the blizzard. (NCDC) 1999: The start of 1999 was ushered in with snow, ice, and freezing weather across central and south-central Nebraska. On New Year's Day, a steady snowfall along and north of Interstate 80 dumped from 1 to 5 inches of snow. By late morning, freezing drizzle developed southeast of Hastings and eventually coated area roads with a layer of ice. Light snow later that evening made travel even more treacherous. Several accidents occurred on the Interstates and Highway 30. Once the ice and snow ended, arctic air spilled across the area abroad 20 to 30 mph north winds. Blowing and drifting of the fallen snow caused reduced visibilities for a time on the 2nd. Temperatures dropped to 5 to 15 below zero through midday the 3rd. 2002: Intense lake effect snow squalls buried sections of Lewis County in New York with tremendous snows. Snowfalls for the four day period ending on this day were 127 inches at Montague, 104 inches at Highmarket and 86 inches at North Osceola. The 127 inches at Montague is one of the greatest snowfalls ever recorded for a single lake effect snow event. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 2004: Sierra Mountains, California: Heavy snow derails a passenger car on the California Zephyr 40 miles west of Truckee. The westbound Amtrak train is detained for 14 hours by the weather and accident, stranding 300 people. (Ref. Wx.Doctor) 2009: A strong blizzard which began on New Years Eve continues to hit the Canadian Maritimes. The storm was characterized by very low barometer readings including: Sable Island, Nova Scotia: 966 millibars or 28.54 inches of mercury and Sidney, Nova Scotia, 970 millibars or 28.65 inches of mercury with strong winds. One gust in Halifax Harbor reached 85 mph. Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island was buried under 19.3 inches of snow while Yarmouth Airport, Nova Scotia received 16 inches of snow and Cheticamp, Nova Scotia, recorded 14 inches. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 2011: Southern and central Mississippi saw 11 tornadoes during the night of December 31st into the morning hours of January 1st. Of the 11, two were EF-3 with two more EF-2. Six were EF-1 with one EF-0.

26 / 4 sunny about 0.75 of fluffy snow with the arctic frontal passage. Happy New Year! Breezy and cold today through Monday. The shift in forecasting on the 30th sustained overnight with ridging into the east in the 1/6 - 1/10 period with moderation perhaps towards midmonth - colder.

Records: Highs: EWR: 63 (1965) NYC: 63 (1965) LGA: 63 (1965) JFK: 55 (2011) Lows: EWR: 2 (1962) NYC: -7 (1917) LGA: 3 (1962) JFK: 5 (1962) HIstorical: 1862: Confederate soldiers used the cover of fog in the Battle of Stone's River in Tennessee to attack Union encampments. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1863: The famous "New Year's Blizzard" swept across the Midwest. Temperatures dropped during the daytime from -8 °F to -24 °F in parts of Iowa. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1880: DCA had the lowest minimum temperature recorded for December -13 degrees F. The temperature reading was made at the weather bureau office at 24th and M Street, NW. This same air mass gave the lowest minimum temperature ever recorded in January for Washington -14 degrees F. Thus, one air mass set the all-time record low temperature for the two months of January and December in Washington. (Ref. Washington Weather Records - KDCA) (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link) 1882: Downtown San Francisco saw 3.5 inches of snow. 1917 - The temperature at Lewisburg, WV, plunged to 37 degrees below zero to set a state record. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987) 1929 - Greenland Ranch, in Death Valley, California, went the entire year without measurable precipitation. (The Weather Channel) 1933 - A 24 hourrainfall of 7.36 inches set the stage for the worst flood in Los Angeles history. Flooding claimed 44 lives. (David Ludlum) 1933: During the last week of December, a series of winter storms pounded the mountainside with 12 inches of rain near Los Angeles. More rain occurred on New Year’s Eve, including 4.86 inches in downtown Los Angeles. The 4.86 inches is currently the fourth most rainfall to occur in one day in downtown Los Angeles since 1877. Around midnight, hillsides in at least three mountain locations collapsed sending millions of tons of mud and debris into the Crescenta Valley neighborhoods below. Crescenta Valley is a few miles north of Los Angeles. This mudslide destroyed more than 400 homes. Following the disaster, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the County of Los Angeles built a flood control system of catch basins, and concrete storm drains, designed to prevent a repeat of the 1934 disaster. The Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley has a few “Then and Now” photos from this event. 1941 - Snow which began on New Year's Eve became a major blizzard on New Year's Day, burying Des Moines, IA, uunder 19.8 inches of snow in 24 hours, an all-time record for that location. (The Weather Channel) 1947 - A late afternoon tornado touched down 10 miles north of Shreveport LA, and dissipated south of El Dorado AR. The tornado, as much as 400 yards in width, killed 18 persons. It damaged or destroyed two thirds of the structures at Cotton Valley LA. (The Weather Channel) 1951: No annual measurable snow in Richmond, Virginia from 1897 to 2010 was observed only once in 1951. (Ref. Richmond Weather Records) 1955: Hurricane Alice became both the latest and the earliest hurricane on record in the Atlantic when she became a hurricane on December 31, 1954 and battered the Leeward Islands with winds of 85 mph on this date. Hurricane Alice is the only known Atlantic hurricane to span two calendar years and one of only two named Atlantic tropical cyclones, along with Tropical Storm Zeta of 2005, to do so. It was officially recognized as a significant tropical cyclone on January 2, 1955. At the time, the National Weather Service used the same naming list each year, so the name given to this storm was "Alice" and it was designated as a part of the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season. However, it was found during post-storm analysis that the storm had actually formed on December 30, and was instead a part of the 1954 season. Therefore, the season had two storms named "Alice" — the first storm of the season, and the last. Had Alice been discovered before the end of the calendar year, it would have been named Irene, the next name on the 1954 list. Some reports named this storm Alice2 to avoid confusion with the earlier Alice from June 1954.(Ref. Wikipedia.org) (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1962: Perhaps the worst blizzard in the history of the state of Maine finally came to an end. The storm produced 40 inches in 24 hours at Orono, and a total of 46 inches at Ripogenus Dam. Gale force winds produced snowdrifts twenty feet high around Bangor. A disastrous ice storm was over Georgia and South Carolina. It ravaged the two states for days causing more than seven million dollars damage. (Also see Dec. 30th, 1962) (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel) 1962 - Perhaps the worst blizzard in the history of the state of Maine finally came to an end. The storm produced 40 inches in 24 hours at Orono, and a total of 46 inches at Ripogenus Dam. Gale force winds produced snow drifts twenty feet high around Bangor. A disastrous icestorm was over Georgia and South Carolina. It ravaged the two states for days causing more than seven million dollars damage. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel) 1963 - A snowstorm struck the Deep South. Meridian, MS, received 15 inches of snow, 10.5 inches blanketed Bay St Louis MS, and 4.5 inches fell at New Orleans LA. Freezing temperatures then prevailed for New Year's Day. (David Ludlum) 1967: The kickoff temperature for the NFL Championship Game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers was -13°F with a wind chill of -36°F. This game is known as the “Ice Bowl.” 1982: The rain gauge total for this December in Puu Kukui, HI (elevation almost 5,800 feet near the top of the West Maui Mountains) was 42.00 inches; the year’s total: 704.83 inches (or 58.7 feet or 19.6 yd). This is the all-time greatest calendar year rainfall for the U.S. (Ref. Weather Guide Calendar with Phenomenal Weather Events 2011 Accord Pub. 2010, USA) 1987 - Torrential rains caused extensive flash flooding over eastern sections of the island of Ohau in Hawaii, resulting in many rock and mud slides. Rainfall totals ranged up to 22.89 inches in a 24 hour period, and property damage was estimated at 35 million dollars. Strong winds continued to usher arctic cold into the north central U.S. The temperature at Alexandria MN remained below zero through the day, and Jamestown ND reported a wind chill reading of 58 degrees below zero. Gales lashed the Great Lakes, with wind gusts to 54 mph reported at Lansing MI. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) 1988 - Warm and wet weather prevailed in the southeastern U.S. Six cities in Florida reported record high temperatures for the date. Thunderstorms produced locally heavy rains from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Southern Atlantic Coast. (The National Weather Summary) 1989 - The year and decade ended on a soggy note in the eastern U.S. Thunderstorm rains pushed precipitation totals for the year to 88.32 inches at Baton Rouge, and to 75.37 inches at Huntsville AL, establishing all-time records for those two locations. Dry weather continued in California. Sacramento and San Francisco finished the month without any rain or snow, and Santa Maria reported their driest year of record with just 3.30 inches of precipitation. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1992: Wenatchee, WA received 6 inches of snow to bring the snow depth to 26 inches, to set a record for the location. The previous record was 24 inches on 2/11/1969. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1994: A late afternoon tornado touched down 10 miles north of Shreveport, LA, and dissipated south of El Dorado AR. The tornado, as much as 400 yards in width, killed 18 persons. It damaged or destroyed two thirds of the structures at Cotton Valley, LA. (The Weather Channel) 1996: Storms that have battered the Northwest since Christmas boosted Eureka, California, to its wettest December on record, with 21.26 inches. Portland, Oregon, wound up its second wettest year on record with 63.56 inches. The record was 67.24 inches in 1871. Many other reporting stations in the Pacific Northwest also recorded their wettest years on record in 1996.(Ref. AccWeather Weather History)Fog caused a 70 car pileup on I-10 between Ne 2000: The “Snow Bowl” was played between Mississippi St and Texas A&M at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana. Snow began about a half hour before kickoff and didn’t stop until well after the bowl game. 2010 - Unusually warm air fueled strong storms in the midwestern and southern U.S., producing high winds and a preliminary count of 53 tornadoes across five states. At least eight people were killed in Missouri and Arkansas and dozens of others were injured. In Mississippi, about 200 people were evacuated from the Jackson-Evers International Airport, where an EF-2 tornado crossed a runway. (NCDC)

28 / 12 cloudy. In a 2 day turn around the latest forecasts have spun a gentler period to one that transfers to a warmer one. We'll see if the current Dec and ate Nov trend continues to see any pronounced warmup short and muted once here and more focused south and wetst. Otherwise once to around the 7th its near to above normal. 12/31 - 1/5 : Colder than normal - potential light snow with reinforcing clippers 12/31 , 1/2-1/3 1/6 - 1 / 11 : Near normal - warmer 1/12 - beyond : ridge into the east - warmer

More on th3 1917 cold wave: 1917: A great cold wave set many records in the northeastern U.S. The mercury plunged to 13 degrees below zero at New York City. Boston recorded -15 °F and temperature readings dipped below zero at Boston five nights in a row. The temperature at Pittsburgh NH reached 44 degrees below zero.(Ref. AccWeather Weather History)(David Ludlum) The state record minimum temperature for West Virginia was -37 °F in Lewisburg, WV on this date. The state record minimum temperature for Tennessee was also set on this date at Mountain City, TN and was -32 °F. (Extreme Weather p. 54, by Christopher C. Burt) Boston, Massachusetts had a severe cold wave from the 27th to the 30th.(Ref. NOAA Boston Weather Events)(Ref. Lowest and Highest Temperatures for the 50 States) Richmond on December 30, 1917 recorded the lowest temperature ever recorded in the month of December -2 °F. Also the high temperature for the day was only 13 °F making it the coldest December day on record (records since 1897). (Ref. Richmond Weather Records) The official high temperature in Washington, DC on 12-30-1917 was 9 degrees F and the low was -3 degrees °F. That makes this day one of only five days in the official climate history of Washington (11-1-1870- present) to have a maximum temperature less than 10 degrees F. What makes it even more unusual was that it was the SECOND time it happened on the date 12-30. The first time was on 12-30-1880 when the high was also 9 degrees F.A high temperature of 8 degrees F has occurred twice - the first time was 1-13-1912 and the second time was 1-19-1994.The coldest maximum ever recorded in Washington occurred on 2-10-1899: 4 degrees F (Stanley Rossen) Boston, Massachusetts had 17 days consecutive days with no measurable precipitation from the 14th to the 30th the longest dry period for December.(Ref. NOAA Boston Weather Events)

The storm that started many online tracking

Records: Highs; EWR: 63 (1984) NYC: 65 (1984) LGA: 63 (1984) JFK: 64 (1984) Lows: EWR: -8 (1933) * tied the coldest (recorded) NYC: -13 (1917) * coldest LGA: 3 (1962))3) JFK: 5 (1962) Historical: 1880 - The temperature at Charlotte, NC, plunged to an all-time record cold reading of 5 degrees below zero, a record which was equalled on the 21st of January in 1985. (The Weather Channel) 1880: Washington, DC had -7 degrees below zero a record low for the date and a high of 9 degrees F. That makes this day one of only five days in the official climate history of Washington (11-1-1870 to present) to have a maximum temperature less than 10 degrees F.What makes it even more unusual was that it was the SECOND time it happened on the date 12-30. The second time was on 12-30-1917 when the high was also 9 degrees F. A high temperature of 8 degrees has occurred twice - the first time was 1-13-1912 and the second time was 1-19-1994. The coldest maximum ever recorded in Washington occurred on 2-10-1899: 4 degrees F(Ref. Stanley Rossen) The temperature at Charlotte NC plunged to an all-time record cold reading of 5 degrees below zero, a record that was equaled on the 21st of January in 1985(The Weather Channel) Philadelphia, PA set their all-time record low with -5 °F. Locations that reported daily record lows included: Havre, MT: -36 °F, Cheyenne, WY: -18 °F, Cleveland, OH: -10 °F, Pittsburgh, PA: -9 °F, Washington, DC: -7 °F, New York (Central Park), NY: -6 °F, Baltimore, MD -3 °F, Atlanta, GA: 1 °F, Nashville, TN: 4 °F, Norfolk, VA: 6 °F, Wilmington, NC: 10 °F.(Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link) 1889: 67 Eastern U.S. cities recorded the coldest December ever; DC had 61.33 inches of snow that set a new record. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link) 1915: Flagstaff, AZ recorded 31 inches of snow for its greatest one day snowfall total on record. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) 1917 - A great cold wave set many records in the northeastern U.S. The mercury plunged to 13 degrees below zero at New York City, and to 15 degrees below zero at Boston. Temperature readings dipped below zero at Boston five nights in a row. Berlin NH hit 44 degrees below zero in the "Great World War I Cold Wave," and Saint Johnsbury VT reached 43 degrees below zero. (David Ludlum) 1933 - The temperature reached 50 degrees below zero at Bloomfield, VT. It was the coldest reading in modern records for New England. The temperature at Pittsburgh NH reached 44 degrees below zero. (David Ludlum) 1955 - Anchorage, AK, reported an all-time record snow depth of 47 inches. (30th-1st) (The Weather Channel) 1962: On this date through the 31st, one of the worst blizzards this century occurred in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Parts of Maine received most of the snow with dangerous wind chills the primary effect for New Hampshire and Vermont. Snowfall totals in Maine included 46 inches at Ripogenus Dam and 40 inches fell in just 24 hours at Orono. Drifts reached 20 feet deep at Bangor.(Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1963: The hottest temperature for 1963 in Eureka, CA, occurred today (with an offshore wind) with its high of 77 degrees. This not only set its all-time December high temperature record, but is 1 degree warmer than its all-time July temperature record. (Ref. Weather Guide Calendar with Phenomenal Weather Events 2011 Accord Pub. 2010, USA) 1968: The minimum temperature at Withrop, Washington was -48 °F and equaled Washington state's record low temperature. (This same record has been equaled on other dates and/or other places in the state.) (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1983: Record cold affects the Gulf States. The mercury at Tupelo MS plunged to 7 degrees. For Baton Rouge, LA, it was the coldest week on record and would be the coldest December on record at Corpus Christi TX. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1987 - A storm in the western U.S. produced heavy snow in Utah, with 28 inches reported in the Mount Holly and Elk Meadows area. Strong winds prevailed ahead of a cold front in the central U.S. Winds gusted to 46 mph at Dodge City KS, and reached 80 mph at Ruidoso NM. Strong northerly winds, ushering arctic cold into the north central U.S., created blizzard conditions in western Minnesota and central and eastern South Dakota. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) 1988 - Unseasonably cold weather prevailed in the southwestern U.S. A week of subfreezing temperatures in southern California claimed the lives of five people. Redding CA was blanketed with four inches of snow. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1989 - Extreme cold continued across northern Maine. Milo ME was the cold spot in the nation with a morning low of 38 degrees below zero, and the low of 31 degrees below zero at Caribou ME was a December record for that location. Freezing rain spread across much of Lower Michigan, knocking out electrical power to 1.9 million customers in southeastern Lower Michigan. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 2000: A winter storm affected the Mid-Atlantic States into the Northeast. New York City, NY picked up 12 inches of snow as the first major East Coast storm of the winter struck on a weekend, turning the Big Apple into a winter wonderland. Theaters and businesses were still open as preparations for the big New Year's Eve celebration were underway. All three major New York airports were closed and hundreds of flights canceled. Snowfall rates were around 4 inches per hour at times in Sussex County, New Jersey, where as much as 25 inches of snow was reported. While snowfall totals were less further south and west, major cities such as Philadelphia, Atlantic City, and Allentown still received in excess of 6 inches of snow. The large amount of snow was a result of Low Pressure which developed off of the Virginia coast. The storm rapidly intensified as it moved along the Mid-Atlantic coast, passing east of Atlantic City during the afternoon, and across Long Island and into southern New England during the evening and nighttime hours. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History) Ref. (NWS Ranking for Storms between 1956 and 2011) This is the 37th Worst Snowstorm 2003: Las Vegas was blanketed with 1 to 3 inches of snow. (Ref. The Old Farmer's Almanac) 2008 - Severe to extreme drought was observed across parts of the Hawaiian Islands, the western continental U.S., and parts of Georgia and South Carolina. Meanwhile, severe to exceptional drought conditions were present across southern Texas. (NCDC)

31 / 9 partly - mostly cloudy still gusting. Cold overall now through the 10/11th. Trough into the northeast with several opportunities for storms. Snow showers / light snow tomorrow night - Jan 1 - 2. Next storm threats in the 1/5 - 1/9 timeframe and beyond there. Dec closing with a very deep negative departure.

Clearing line working its way slowly east

Heaviest rains/mix north

Adding this to 14 years later to the 1917 December cold outbreak 1933: Locations in the U.S. that reported all-time December record lows included: Burlington, VT: -29 °F-Tied, Alpena, MI: -27 °F, Milton, MA: -19 °F, and Worcester, MA: -17 °F. Locations reporting daily record lows included: Houghton Lake, MI: -25 °F, Ste. St. Marie, MI: -24 °F, Syracuse, NY: -24 °F, Concord, NH: -21 °F, Portland, ME: -18 °F, Albany, NY: -18 °F, Hartford, CT: -11 °F, Providence, RI: -10 °F, Avoca, PA: -10 °F-Tied, Buffalo, NY: -7 °F, Rochester, NY: -7 °F, Williamsport, PA: -4 °F, Newark, NJ: -2 °F, Allentown, PA: -1 °F and Wilmington, DE: 2 °F-Tied. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History ) Boston, Massachusetts had a -17 °F the coldest low temperature for the month of December. (Ref. NOAA Boston Weather Events)

Records: Highs: EWR: 71 (1984) NYC: 70 (1984) LGA: 68 (1984) JFK: 65 (1984) Lows: EWR: -2 (1933) NYC: -6 (1917) *start of brutal record cold wave into the city LGA: 12 (2017) JFK: 12 (2017) Historical: 1830 - A very heavy snowstorm ushered in the "winter of the deep snow." The storm produced 30 inches of snow at Peoria IL and 36 inches at Kansas City MO. Cold and snow continued until the middle of February causing great suffering among pioneers. (David Ludlum) 1876: The Pacific Express train was crossing the Ashtabula River in Ohio when the bridge collapsed. The bridge collapsed at 7:28 PM, during a snowstorm that left two feet of snow and produced 40 mph winds. The only railcar not to fall into the icy river below was the first locomotive. 1894 - A severe freeze hit Florida destroying fruit and causing considerable damage to trees. (David Ludlum) 1917: The coldest period of the winter of 1917-18 occurred from December 29th to January 4th. Brutal record cold dominated from the Plains to the East Coast. Locations that reported all-time December record lows included: Washta, IA: -40 °F, Huron, SD: -33 °F (broke previous daily record by 10 degrees), Sioux Falls, SD: -31 °F, Sioux City, IA: -28 °F and Philadelphia, PA: -1 °F. Locations reporting daily record lows included: Bismarck, ND: -37 °F, International Falls, MN: -36 °F, Aberdeen, SD: -35 °F, Aberdeen, SD: -35 °F, Grand Forks, ND: -35 °F, Wheaton, SD: -33 °F, Watertown, D: -32 °F, Kennebec, SD: -31 °F, Duluth, MN: -30 °F, St. Cloud, MN: -27 °F, Norfolk, NE: -27 °F, Minneapolis, MN: -24 °F, Burlington, VT: -23 °F, Ste. St. Marie, MI: -20 °F, Omaha, NE: -20 °F, Waterloo, IA: -18 °F, Lincoln, NE: -18 °F, Elkins, WV: -18 °F, Des Moines, IA: -17 °F-Tied, Syracuse, NY: -16 °F, Grand Island, NE: -14 °F, Green Bay, WI: -14 °F, Dubuque, IA: -13 °F, Peoria, IL: -13 °F, Peoria, IL: -13 °F, Portland, ME: -12 °F, Rockford, IL: -11 °F, Boston, MA: -11 °F, Hartford, CT: -10 °F, Milton, MA: -10 °F, Avoca, PA: -10 °F (broke previous record by 10 degrees), Concordia, KS: -9 °F, Topeka, KS: -9 °F, Kansas City, MO: -9 °F, Columbia, MO: -8 °F, Providence, RI: -8 °F, New York (Central Park), NY: -6 °F, Rochester, NY: -5 °F, Washington, DC: 2 °F, Wilmington, DE: 2 °F, Baltimore, MD: 2 °F, Beckley, WV: 2 °F, Asheville, NC: 3 °F, Lynchburg, VA: 4 °F, Richmond, VA: 5 °F, Charleston, WV: 8 °F, Raleigh, NC: 10 °F-Tied, Norfolk, VA: 11 °F, Wilmington, NC: 12 °F,Boston, Massachusetts had a +2 °F the lowest high temperature for the month of December. (Ref. Wilson Wx. Additional Temperatures Given) (Ref. NOAA Boston Weather Events) 1919: The American Meteorological Society was founded in St. Louis, MO. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History ) 1954 - Fort Scott, KS, was buried under 26 inches of snow in 24 hours to establish a state record. (28th-29th) (The Weather Channel) 1972: A late season severe weather outbreak brought tornadoes, hail, and damaging winds to central and north-central Oklahoma. A tornado in McClain County damaged a farm, destroyed a garage, and blew away a boat near Purcell. Farther north, in the Perry area, hail larger than baseballs damaged homes, businesses, and automobiles. As the storms moved east into the Stillwater area, they produced 70 to 90 mph winds, which damaged 10 trailer homes. Fortunately, no one was hurt or killed by the widespread severe weather. On the backside of the storm, heavy snow and high winds buffeted portions of eastern Nebraska through the 30th. Snowfall accumulated to depths of around a foot in this area coupled with winds of 30 to 50 mph. Norfolk clocked winds to 67 mph. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History ) 1984 - One hundred cities in the central and eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures. Kansas City, MO, experienced its warmest December day of record with a morning low of 60 degrees and an afternoon high of 71 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987) 1987 - A storm off the Middle Atlantic Coast produced heavy snow in the Appalachians and the northeastern U.S. Snow and high winds created blizzard conditions in southeastern Massachusetts. Cape Cod received thirteen inches of snow, and snow drifts three feet deep were reported around Chatham MA. Strong winds produced wind chill readings as cold as 60 degrees below zero in southwestern New England. In the western U.S., a Pacific coast storm produced heavy snow in the Sierra Nevada Range of California, with 24 inches reported at Mammoth Mountain. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1988 - A cold front brought rain and snow to the northwestern U.S. The rainfall total of 2.70 inches at Astoria OR was a record for the date. High winds along the eastern slopes of the Northern Rockies gusted to 81 mph at Livingston MT. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) 1989 - Snow and ice prevailed from the southwestern U.S. to the Great Lakes Region. Flagstaff, AZ, received nine inches of snow in just six hours. Bitter cold weather continued over Maine. Portland ME reported a record twenty-two straight days with highs 32 degrees or colder. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) 1992: Big time snows across the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 30 inches of snow fell at Daggett Pass CA in just 24 hours. The snow depth at the Sierra Ski Ranch had accumulated to 118 inches. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 1994: Wind gusts to 80 mph caused the derailment of a ski lift at NH’s Loon Mountain. Appprox. 180 skiers had to be evacuated from the lift. The winds also caused minor structural damage to the base lodge. (Ref. Weather Guide Calendar with Phenomenal Weather Events 2011 Accord Pub. 2010, USA) 1996: 27 inches of snow was on the ground at Yakima, WA to set a new record for greatest snowfall depth ever on the ground at that location. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History) 2004: The world's highest barometric pressure (adjusted to sea level) was recorded at Tonsontsengel, Mongolia at 32.25 inches of mercury or 1092 millibars. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History ) 2006: A major winter storm crippled much of southwest Kansas through the 31st. Widespread total precipitation from this storm ranged from 2 to 4 inches of rain and freezing rain and there was even an area from Garden City to Dighton that had up to 6 inches. This is incredible for any time of the year, let alone for December. Significant, widespread damage to trees and especially utility lines, poles, and towers resulted from one half to two and a half inches of ice accumulation. An area from Sublette to Garden City, north through Dighton had the most severe damage. Over 60,000 people were without electricity at one time or another from the nearly 10,000 power poles that were taken down from the weight of the ice. Some of these structures were high transmission towers. In addition to the ice accumulation, large snow amounts were reported in the western part of the area, especially near the Colorado State Line. A location 15 miles west of Johnson had 32 inches of snow. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History ) Albuquerque, New Mexico: Albuquerque, breaks its all-time 24-hour snowfall record with 10.5 inches of snow. The accumulation lifted their monthly total to 14.8 inches, breaking their all-time monthly snowfall record as well. The record would be short-lived as another 15.6 inches of snow would fall there on the 31st. (Ref. WxDoctor)

36/35 here fog - just an ugly day anyway you slice it weather - wise. Tempa up to the 48 - 52 range and making a dentin in the snow-sleet - ice. Back down the temperature coaster Dec 30 - Jan 5. Overnight forecasts were softer with the extent of the trough / cold but i suspect we can hone in on a period of cold after the 5th with a potential sharp moderation towards the 11th.

Just touched freezing and at 33, under today on forecasts.

Dec 28 1990 : NYC 7.2 inches of snow had fallen overnight into the morning. EWR: 7.6 LGA: 7.3 JFK: 6.1