RodneyS

This does not affect the top of the leaderboard, but the 0.1 inch that DCA received on February 19th has been taken away. As far as I know, that 0.1 still stands, and so the official DCA total should be 5.4. Aside from that, the big change on the board is that Cobalt has eliminated H2O. H2O could still finish second, but he cannot pick up on Cobalt.

DCA is the champion of high minimums year-round. However, it's interesting to note that both DCA and IAD have added four degrees in the last decade to their respective high winter minimums. Coming into 2012, DCA's record high winter minimum was 18 degrees and IAD's was 11. Now, DCA's is 22 and IAD's is 15, with each quite possibly breaking those records by another degree this season.

In yesterday's Capital Weather Gang article, Ian was touting this morning as the day DCA and IAD would reach their 2020-21 seasonal winter minimums. That happened at IAD, with a morning low of 16, but failed to happen at DCA, where the seasonal minimum remains 23, which occurred on December 26th. If these minimums hold for the remainder of the winter, they would break the seasonal high minimum records established a year ago. For DCA, that is 22, and for IAD, 15.

Yes. Olaf is very much in the running. If he were to nail the three Baltimore-Washington airports with no more snow falling at RIC, his total departure would be only 1.6, which would definitely win it. Generally, if you are close to the lead with at least three (ideally four) positive departures, you're in the hunt.

RIC has received only a trace so far today, and so the current standings should be correct pending overnight updates. And Rhino16, tplbge, and I are history.

A very exciting race this year, especially compared to last season's wire-to-wire yawner. FYI, I merely need a two-part weather miracle to win (excluding any tiebreaker): (1) No more than 0.3 inches of additional snow at the three Baltimore-Washington area airports combined; and (2) In a best case (no more snow at any of those three airports), between 0. 7-1.3 inches of snow at RIC.

Okay. It appears that Clueless is now history, and Rhino16 and I are on life support.

The Capital Weather Gang is reporting that BWI has now picked up 2.6 inches in this storm. If that's the case, tplbge is the new leader with H20 second.

As my good buddy Joe Stalin liked to point out, the actual vote is not as important as who counts the vote. More seriously, I think the NWS does a good job of monitoring snow totals -- that's why adjustments are sometimes made after the fact.

A day like today in the Mid-Atlantic, where the temperature was above freezing the entirety of the snowstorm, presents a challenge for snow measurers. According to the National Weather Service: "While acknowledging there is no perfect way of measuring snowfall, the following best practice accommodates the observer while ensuring the best consistency. If the snow event ends well before the end of the 24-hour observing period make the 24-hour measurement at the end of the snow event, if possible. For example if the snow event ends at 1PM, make the snowfall measurement at that time." See https://www.weather.gov/media/coop/Snow_Measurement_Guidelines-2014.pdf However, even by the time the snow ended today, which was around 1 PM in my area, a lot had already melted. When I first observed the snow coming down hard around 9 AM, I thought I would have to shovel for about an hour after the storm ended. In reality, no shoveling at all was required.

This doesn't change the top of the leaderboard, but apparently RIC managed to get 0.1 today, to bring the seasonal total to 4.4.

I think Rhino16 is now a slight favorite, but MillvilleWx is eliminated. The latter has negative departures in three locations, and so can't pick up there. While he can pick up 1.8 on Clueless in Richmond, he trails by 3.1.

Right. The key is when someone already has a negative departure any additional snow increases that departure, whereas if someone has a positive departure any additional snow decreases that departure up to the point the departure is eliminated. So, for example, if Contestant A has a negative departure at all four locations whereas Contestant B has a positive departure of at least an inch at all four locations, a 1-inch snowfall at each location results in a loss for Contestant A of four points and a gain for Contestant B of four points -- an eight-point swing in Contestant B's favor.

You're correct about @RickinBaltimore and @biodhokie. The former trails by 2.6 and can pick up only 1.6 (if he gains the maximum at DCA), and the latter trails by 4.3 and can pick up only 2.2 (1.2 at BWI and 1.0 at DCA).

DCA _ NYC _ BOS __ ORD _ ATL _ IAH ____ DEN _ PHX _ SEA -0.4 -0.3 -0.1 -1.9 0.8 1.6 -0.3 1.1 -0.4

Blame @PrinceFrederickWx. He asked about five-year DCA snow totals, which I had not previously tracked. By the way, the IAD 5-year minimum was set way back during the 1972-73 through 1976-77 snow seasons, at 58.6 inches. The last four years at IAD have totaled 48.6 inches, and so under 10 inches this year there will break the record.

The 5-year minimum DC snow total was set during the 1997-98 through 2001-02 snow seasons at 37.7 inches. The last four snow seasons at DCA have totaled 28.7 inches, and so 8.9 inches or fewer this season would break that record. The minimum two-season DC snow total was set during the 2011-12 through 2012-13 snow seasons at 5.1 inches. So, with last season's 0.6 inch total at DCA, 4.4 inches this season would break that record.

Yes, thanks very much for all the time that you spend on this each year, Roger.

DCA _ NYC _ BOS __ ORD _ ATL _ IAH ___ DEN _ PHX _ SEA 1.4 1.5 2.7 2.7 1.0 -0.3 1.4 0.5 2.0

2020 precipitation at DCA finished at 57.34 inches, 7th highest in DC history. That pushed the record-breaking 3-year total to 165.96 inches and the 2011-2020 decade yearly average to 44.51 inches. The most notable aspect of 2020 DCA precipitation was the second half total of 36.73 inches, which exceeded every past second half except 2018, which was 41.10 inches.

And DCA tied for the 4th hottest November (along with 1985) at 54.3 degrees. 2001 is # 1, at 54.8, and 1975 and 1979 are tied for 2nd at 54.4.

I just posted this to the Capital Weather Gang webpage: I think the bigger news about today's precipitation at DCA is that it pushed the 3-year total, 2018-2020, to 161 inches, with one month remaining to add to that record amount in official DC precipitation history, which began in January 1871. That total eclipsed the previous DC 3-year record of 160.64 inches, set 142 years ago, 1876-1878. Moreover, the current decade, 2011-2020, has averaged 44.0 inches per year, which is DC's second wettest of 15, behind only 1881-1890, which averaged 47.1 inches. The previous second wettest decade was 1931-40, which averaged 43.8 inches. In contrast, 1961-1970 was the driest DC decade, averaging 36.5 inches. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/11/30/dc-area-forecast-stormy-warm-windy-today-before-chillier-weather-settles

DCA _ NYC _ BOS __ ORD _ ATL _ IAH ___ DEN _ PHX _ SEA 0.1 0.9 1.7 2.3 0.0 2.1 -0.6 0.9 0.5

BWI: 6.7 DCA: 4.4 IAD: 7.6 RIC: 8.0 SBY: 5.5

DCA _ NYC _ BOS __ ORD _ ATL _ IAH ___ DEN _ PHX _ SEA 0.7 0.3 0.6 2.5 2.0 0.9 0.3 1.0 1.1 Snowfall DCA: 4.4" NYC: 8.5" BOS: 20.0" ORD: 31.6" DTW: 38.0" BUF: 78.9" DEN: 55.5" BTV: 66.6" SEA: 5.1"