2010-11 Meteorological Winter Prelim Stats

[Chicago WX]

Here's the preliminary meteorological winter statistics for select locations across the Midwest. Mean temperature and total snowfall, as well as departures, for each location found below. DJF period runs from December 1, 2010 to February 28, 2011.

Alpena MI

December: 23.5º (-0.5º)...22.9" (+3.3")

January: 14.3º (-3.5º)...25.9" (+4.1")

February: 20.8º (+1.8º)...12.6" (-3.9")

DJF: 19.5º (-0.7º)...61.4" (+3.5")

Chicago IL

December: 22.5º (-4.9º)...16.2" (+7.5")

January: 20.6º (-1.4º)...11.1" (-0.2")

February: 26.2º (-0.8º)...29.0" (+20.7")

DJF: 23.1º (-2.4º)...56.3" (+28.0")

Cleveland OH

December: 26.4º (-4.7º)...12.7" (-0.4")

January: 23.1º (-2.6º)...21.5" (+4.4")

February: 29.0º (+0.6º)...23.3" (+9.2")

DJF: 26.2º (-2.2º)...57.5" (+13.2")

Columbus OH

December: 26.5º (-7.0º)...7.3" (+2.3")

January: 24.5º (-3.8º)...13.3" (+2.8")

February: 32.6º (+0.6º)...4.8" (-1.4")

DJF: 27.9º (-3.4º)...25.4" (+3.7")

Des Moines IA

December: 23.5º (-1.4º)...9.7" (+2.0")

January: 18.6º (-1.8º)...12.8" (+4.0")

February: 26.7º (+0.1º)...10.3" (+2.1")

DJF: 22.9º (-1.0º)...32.8" (+8.1")

Detroit MI

December: 25.6º (-4.0º)...9.3" (-1.8")

January: 21.8º (-2.7º)...17.9" (+6.0")

February: 24.8º (-2.5º)...31.7" (22.4")

DJF: 24.1º (-3.1º)...58.9" (+26.6")

Dubuque IA

December: 15.8º (-6.7º)...27.5" (+17.0")

January: 15.7º (-1.3º)...11.3" (+0.7")

February: 21.2º (-1.9º)...18.4" (+9.7")

DJF: 17.6º (-3.3º)...57.2" (+27.4")

Duluth MN

December: 12.8º (-1.2º)...18.1" (+3.2")

January: 7.1º (-1.3º)...18.5" (-1.1")

February: 14.5º (-0.3º)...3.2" (-8.2")

DJF: 11.5º (-0.9º)...39.8" (-6.1")

Grand Rapids MI

December: 27.4º (-0.2º)...11.4" (-7.4")

January: 21.4º (-1.0º)...21.2" (+0.1")

February: 25.6º (+0.6º)...38.2" (+26.0")

DJF: 24.8º (-0.2º)...70.8" (+18.7")

Green Bay WI

December: 20.1º (-1.1º)...22.2" (+9.6")

January: 13.9º (-1.7º)...19.1" (+5.2")

February: 19.9º (-0.6º)...17.8" (+9.1")

DJF: 18.0º (-1.1º)...59.1" (+23.9")

Indianapolis IN

December: 25.4º (-6.2º)...16.6" (+10.2")

January: 23.8º (-2.7º)...11.8" (+2.5")

February: 33.4º (+2.2º)...7.5" (+1.4")

DJF: 27.5º (-2.2º)...35.9" (+14.1")

Kansas City MO

December: 29.3º (-2.0º)...2.9" (-1.4")

January: 22.8º (-1.4º)...17.3" (+11.5")

February: 29.5º (-3.5º)...16.2" (+11.2")

DJF: 27.2º (-2.3º)...36.4" (+21.3")

La Crosse WI

December: 16.7º (-5.1º)...32.3" (+22.7")

January: 14.1º (-1.8º)...11.3" (-1.6")

February: 20.2º (-2.4º)...10.8" (+2.8")

DJF: 16.9º (-3.1º)...54.4" (+23.9")

Louisville KY

December: 30.8º (-6.8º)...6.2" (+4.2")

January: 30.8º (-2.2º)...10.0" (+4.9")

February: 40.9º (+3.3º)...1.1" (-3.4")

DJF: 34.2º (-1.9º)...17.3" (+5.6")

Marquette MI

December: 19.0º (+1.0º)...57.7" (+19.2")

January: 11.7º (-0.7º)...47.4" (+4.9")

February: 16.9º (+1.2º)...13.7" (-15.5")

DJF: 15.9º (+0.5º)...118.8" (+8.6")

Milwaukee WI

December: 24.7º (-1.5º)...8.3" (-3.4")

January: 20.6º (-0.1º)...19.0" (+3.8")

February: 25.2º (-0.2º)...29.6" (+18.3")

DJF: 23.5º (-0.6º)...56.9" (+18.7")

Minneapolis/St. Paul MN

December: 16.4º (-2.3º)...33.6" (+23.6")

January: 12.0º (-1.1º)...17.0" (+3.5")

February: 18.7º (-1.4º)...16.1" (+7.9")

DJF: 15.7º (-1.6º)...66.7" (+35.0")

Paducah KY

December: 32.0º (-4.9º)...5.6" (+4.1")

January: 31.5º (-1.4º)...4.3" (+0.4")

February: 39.3º (+1.2º)...9.0" (+5.7")

DJF: 34.3º (-1.7º)...18.9" (+10.2")

Peoria IL

December: 23.3º (-4.5º)...19.2" (+12.6")

January: 20.9º (-1.6º)...12.4" (+4.6")

February: 28.4º (+0.2º)...20.9" (+15.3")

DJF: 24.2º (-2.0º)...52.5" (+32.5")

St. Louis MO

December: 30.3º (-3.6º)...7.9" (+3.0")

January: 27.7º (-1.9º)...14.7" (+7.3")

February: 36.6º (+1.2º)...6.4" (+1.6")

DJF: 31.5º (-1.4º)...29.0" (+11.9")

South Bend IN

December: 24.7º (-4.0º)...23.6" (+4.4")

January: 21.2º (-2.2º)...53.8" (+30.6")

February: 25.6º (-1.7º)...25.5" (+10.0")

DJF: 23.8º (-2.6º)...102.9" (+45.0")

Springfield MO

December: 32.4º (-3.3º)...0.9" (-3.1")

January: 29.8º (-1.9º)...3.0" (-3.6")

February: 34.3º (-2.8º)...14.9" (+10.5")

DJF: 32.2º (-2.7º)...18.8" (+3.8")

[Chicago WX]

Meteorological winter top 10 snowfall lists. Columbia MO, Peoria IL, and Rochester MN with their snowiest on record. Really all three "shattered" their former respective records.

Snowfall totals from December 1, 2010 through February 28, 2011.

Chicago IL

1) 80.6"...1978-79

2) 71.2"...1977-78

3) 59.9"...1917-18

4) 58.1"...1966-67

5) 56.3"...2010-11

6) 54.2"...1973-74

7) 52.4"...2009-10

8) 52.1"...2007-08

9) 50.0"...1961-62

10) 48.0"...1884-85

Columbia MO

1) 45.6"...2010-11

2) 36.2"...1904-05

3) 35.5"...1978-79

4) 33.5"...1899-00

5) 32.6"...1976-77

6) 31.9"...1977-78

7) 30.6"...1973-74

8) 29.0"...1992-93

9) 28.9"...1981-82

10) 28.4"...1907-08

Fort Wayne IN (since 1940)

1) 61.1"...1981-82

2) 49.8"...1977-78

3) 45.3"...2010-11

4) 41.5"...2002-03

5) 37.6"...2007-08

6) 36.7"...1973-74

7) 35.2"...2004-05

8) 35.0"...1983-84

9) 34.4"...1996-97

10) 33.4"...1984-85

Indianapolis IN

1) 51.0"...1981-82

2) 49.7"...1977-78

3) 46.9"...2002-03

4) 39.3"...1973-74

5) 37.8"...1995-96

6) 37.8"...1978-79

7) 35.9"...2010-11

8) 33.0"...2009-10

9) 32.6"...1983-84

10) 32.4"...1892-93

La Crosse WI

1) 60.4"...1970-71

2) 57.5"...2007-08

3) 54.4"...2010-11

4) 54.3"...1928-29

5) 54.1"...1885-86

6) 50.5"...2008-09

7) 49.0"...1978-79

7) 49.0"...1974-75

9) 46.7"...1916-17

10) 45.6"...1990-91

Lincoln IL

1) 37.0"...1981-82

2) 36.0"...1913-14

3) 32.4"...1961-62

4) 30.9"...2010-11

5) 29.0"...1973-74

6) 28.5"...1909-10

6) 28.5"...1963-64

8) 28.3"...1944-45

9) 27.7"...1935-36 and 1977-78

10) 27.1"...1907-08 and 1917-18

Peoria IL

1) 52.5"...2010-11

2) 42.5"...1978-79

3) 41.5"...2009-10

4) 35.7"...1977-78

5) 33.7"...2007-08

6) 33.6"...1935-36

7) 31.5"...1892-93

8) 29.3"...1942-43

9) 28.5"...1961-62

10) 27.8"...1974-75

Rochester MN

1) 60.4"...2010-11

2) 50.0"...2000-01

3) 48.1"...1969-70

4) 46.4"...2008-09

5) 45.8"...1996-97

6) 44.4"...2009-10

7) 43.9"...1995-96

8) 43.6"...1978-79

9) 43.1"...1993-94

10) 43.0"...1970-71

Rockford IL

1) 65.1"...2007-08

2) 63.4"...1978-79

3) 51.2"...2010-11

4) 49.9"...1993-94

5) 49.3"...2008-09

6) 48.9"...1909-10

6) 48.9"...2009-10

8) 47.3"...1973-74

9) 46.4"...1917-18

10) 42.8"...1935-36

St. Louis MO

1) 43.9"...1977-78

2) 37.7"...1913-14

3) 37.0"...1911-12

4) 35.8"...1976-77

5) 35.0"...1973-74

6) 33.5"...1981-82

7) 31.4"...1909-10

8) 29.5"...2002-03

9) 29.0"...2010-11

10) 27.0"...1992-93

South Bend IN (since 1940)

1) 136.3"...1977-78

2) 102.9"...2010-11

3) 101.8"...1981-82

4) 88.7"...1976-77

5) 87.4"...1978-79

6) 83.0"...1984-85

7) 80.2"...1966-67

8) 80.0"...1962-63

9) 78.0"...1985-86

10) 72.8"...1958-59

Springfield IL

1) 45.0"...1981-82

2) 36.9"...1976-77

3) 35.9"...1913-14

4) 35.3"...1973-74

5) 34.2"...2010-11

6) 31.8"...1961-62

7) 31.7"...1907-08

8) 31.1"...2007-08

9) 29.9"...1983-84 and 1902-03

10) 29.6"...1963-64

[michsnowfreak]

Another excellent stats thread. Thanks!!!

[wishforsnow]

According to John Dee he measured 180" since November at his house and he lives north of me up in Keweenaw county. Overall it has been an easy winter for our standards. I think Houghton town average is 220 inches so we are below that. The snow in a normal year should be up to the bottom of the front window and it isn't even close to that. That can change quick if we start getting some big synoptic storms in March and April.

[IWXwx]

I'm shaking my head in amazement that SBN surpassed '81-'82. I don't think I'll live to see the day they break '77-'78, although I'd like to see it.

[Chicago WX]

Maps.

[michsnowfreak]

At Detroit it was the 20th coldest winter on record!

So far we sit at 16th snowiest (58.9") but Im sure we will climb higher :-)

[Stevo6899]

At Detroit it was the 20th coldest winter on record!

So far we sit at 16th snowiest (58.9") but Im sure we will climb higher :-)

My confidence in snow is almost gone

[michsnowfreak]

My confidence in snow is almost gone

Im curious why you say that? Climo says its a near-lock to get 1.1" or more snow. Climo is 7" in March and 1.7" in April. March 2009/2010 were NOT normal (in a bad way), just as February 2010/2011 were not normal (in a good way).

[Hoosier]

Maps.

All I can say is that at least I called my winter outlook bust in mid December.

[Stevo6899]

Prety cool link from GRR

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=grr&storyid=64803&source=0

[michsnowfreak]

Prety cool link from GRR

http://www.crh.noaa....=64803&source=0

This says it all

[snowstormcanuck]

This says it all

I'd be in the greens. About 8" above normal YTD. Actually looks a lot like last year's map, but with the contour field shifted north about 75-100 miles.

[Stevo6899]

This says it all

yea and this one explains the little rain we had. ONly had the new years storm that gave us rain or a mix. I never got sleet with the feb 1 storm. Still waiting for a miracle 12+ storm this march to give this winter an A+.

[Harry]

yea and this one explains the little rain we had. ONly had the new years storm that gave us rain or a mix. I never got sleet with the feb 1 storm. Still waiting for a miracle 12+ storm this march to give this winter an A+.

Only way this winter gets a A from me is if i am the bullseye of a 18+ event. Thus the chances are close to nil..

[Stevo6899]

Only way this winter gets a A from me is if i am the bullseye of a 18+ event. Thus the chances are close to nil..

haha yea. Your chances of getting that the next 20 winters in close to nil. Ill take the more frequent 4-8 6-12 events versus a 2 foot snowfall with warmer temps melting it 5 days down the road (east coast) or 2 feet of snow then nothing for months after that (east coast). Once it snows 2 feet in minneapolis it sticks around until april.

[Harry]

haha yea. Your chances of getting that the next 20 winters in close to nil. Ill take the more frequent 4-8 6-12 events versus a 2 foot snowfall with warmer temps melting it 5 days down the road (east coast) or 2 feet of snow then nothing for months after that (east coast). Once it snows 2 feet in minneapolis it sticks around until april.

This time of year sure but past history shows ( see Jan 67, 78, 79 ) that the best snowcover and deepest came at the hands of a beast. In all of those cases the snowcover lasted well into March and or beyond the 15th. In Jan 67 there was several decent events after the big blizz as well all the way into late April. That winter ofcourse defied all laws of averages around here anyways.lol But still possible..