32-Year Winter Storm Archive

[Cold Miser]

On 2/5/2026 at 4:15 AM, The 4 Seasons said:

@CoastalWx @Chrisrotary12 I updated all the maps for April Fools '97 as well as added a new Lower Northeast view map with all the climate sites on it. I also added that radar loop from BOX you posted in the other thread for this storm, and i sped it up a bit. Also refreshed all the maps for the March 3-4th, 2019 and December 1-3rd, 2019 storms + added the northeast maps for those as well. I think that Dec 2019 is one of the craziest looking maps i've ever done, quite a gradient and really cool to see that bending of higher snow totals towards the CTRV/91

https://www.jdjweatherconsulting.com/apr-1-1997

https://www.jdjweatherconsulting.com/mar-3-4-2019

https://www.jdjweatherconsulting.com/dec-1-3-2019

I loved that storm.  I just moved into my apartment in West Roxbury the day before.  Woke up to this epic storm.  I think we ended up with 30".

It was my first day taking the train to Boston from West Rox.  I was surprised that the train was on time...until I was told that the train I boarded was 2 hours late from earlier.  

[vortex95]

I'll dig out of my archives soon booklets I have that summarize all snow events for SNE from the early 1970s to the mid 1990s.  I'll take pix of the more significant ones, and send them along.

[The 4 Seasons]

Hey @H2Otown_WX could you help me out with something? There is notorious missing data from BDL from 1996-2002 on the F6 and climo data. However, i have this theory and suspicion i wonder if you could verify or deny it. There are a lot of reports from around that time on the PNS from BOS during significant snow events and almost always lists East Granby. Kind of strange that during that missing data time East Granby is always there but Windsor Locks is not. Did BDL once report from East Granby? When i checked on google maps Bradley International spans over both towns. So it would make sense that it was once reported as "East Granby" instead of Windsor Locks. Though that still doesn't explain why a lot of data is missing. Just a theory, thought you might know or could find out. Thanks.

 

[H2Otown_WX]

13 hours ago, The 4 Seasons said:

Hey @H2Otown_WX could you help me out with something? There is notorious missing data from BDL from 1996-2002 on the F6 and climo data. However, i have this theory and suspicion i wonder if you could verify or deny it. There are a lot of reports from around that time on the PNS from BOS during significant snow events and almost always lists East Granby. Kind of strange that during that missing data time East Granby is always there but Windsor Locks is not. Did BDL once report from East Granby? When i checked on google maps Bradley International spans over both towns. So it would make sense that it was once reported as "East Granby" instead of Windsor Locks. Though that still doesn't explain why a lot of data is missing. Just a theory, thought you might know or could find out. Thanks.

 

Hey Dylan, I'm not sure what the situation was back then observing wise...I know in the 2000s and early 2010s we were at the terminal which is in Windsor Locks. In 2012 we moved to Signature Flight Support on the west side of the airport which is indeed in East Granby. I have no idea who would have been doing those measurements at that time though...probably wasn't a contract weather observer if I had to guess. Could it have just been DOT or something or airport operations people? I'll ask my supervisor about it. He started in 2000 I think so he might know.

[The 4 Seasons]

1 hour ago, H2Otown_WX said:

Hey Dylan, I'm not sure what the situation was back then observing wise...I know in the 2000s and early 2010s we were at the terminal which is in Windsor Locks. In 2012 we moved to Signature Flight Support on the west side of the airport which is indeed in East Granby. I have no idea who would have been doing those measurements at that time though...probably wasn't a contract weather observer if I had to guess. Could it have just been DOT or something or airport operations people? I'll ask my supervisor about it. He started in 2000 I think so he might know.

great, thanks. I'm curious about that because like every PNS has East Granby as an ob, which after those missing years you rarely see. 

[dendrite]

That late 90s period was messy with the ASOS transition and observers were reduced. I’m pretty sure East Granby would be the BDL obs. The airport property runs into E Granby anyway.

[The 4 Seasons]

9 hours ago, dendrite said:

That late 90s period was messy with the ASOS transition and observers were reduced. I’m pretty sure East Granby would be the BDL obs. The airport property runs into E Granby anyway.

That was my suspicion as well, though it is never noted on any of the PNS from BOX during that time and the data is missing in the now data F6.

Do you think it would be fair just to label those as BDL on the maps im doing for that time?

Ill wait to see what @H2Otown_WX says

[dendrite]

55 minutes ago, The 4 Seasons said:

That was my suspicion as well, though it is never noted on any of the PNS from BOX during that time and the data is missing in the now data F6.

Do you think it would be fair just to label those as BDL on the maps im doing for that time?

Ill wait to see what @H2Otown_WX says

Def wait for him and brush it by Will too.

[The 4 Seasons]

I remapped and updated Feb 2013 Blizzard, Jan 2000, Feb 2007, Dec 2010 (Boxing Day) and Jan 2022 as well as added new L. Northeast maps for all events. 

 

[The 4 Seasons]

Just wanted to shout out similar archives that have snowfall maps for many significant storms that i never knew even existed until i started working on this last year, except Ray's which is very prominent. A lot of them were helpful in finding additional snowfall reports for past storms. I will add this to the first post on this thread as well. 

Snowstorm Archives

Ray's Winter Storm Archive - NJ Mercer Co (PHI/OKX) focused, 1993-2013

Rutgers State Winter Storm Archive - NJ State (PHI/OKX) focused, 2002-present

Steve LaPointe's Weathernet6 Archive - NY Capital Region (ALY) focused, 1993-present

Eric Webb's Archive - NC (RAH) focused, 1885-present

 

NWS Snowstorm Archives

OKX Significant Weather Events

BOX Significant Weather Events

ALY Significant Weather Events

PHI Significant Weather Events

 

Significant Storms Reanalysis

Tomer Burgs PolarWx Archive - Reanalysis of past storms

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

Can you do 1992-93 and 1993-94, as both were really good snow seasons? The archive would feel incomplete without the Blizzard of 1993.

[codfishsnowman]

9 hours ago, The 4 Seasons said:

I remapped and updated Feb 2013 Blizzard, Jan 2000, Feb 2007, Dec 2010 (Boxing Day) and Jan 2022 as well as added new L. Northeast maps for all events. 

 

This map is the best one yet for this storm. Your attention to detail is exceptional.

[The 4 Seasons]

22 hours ago, PhiEaglesfan712 said:

Can you do 1992-93 and 1993-94, as both were really good snow seasons? The archive would feel incomplete without the Blizzard of 1993.

It's here: https://www.jdjweatherconsulting.com/historic-storms

That's what the historic storms section is for (one reason anyway) for big storms pre-1994. I'm going to go back and touch it up at some point.

The reason i stopped at 94-95 is because NEXRAD WSR-88D is unavailable before Jan 1, 1995. So i stopped the seasons at 94-95. Technically there is one event in the 94-95 season, Nov 1994 that doesnt have radar because of that fact. On top of that there is no PNS reports from around 95-97 and earlier depending on the forecast office so reports are thin and it's basically just COOP data so i dont really feel that good about the maps before that time...they are rough and coarse.

13 hours ago, codfishsnowman said:

This map is the best one yet for this storm. Your attention to detail is exceptional.

Thanks. I do the best i can with hand made maps, it's never going to be perfect and there will always be small discrepancies depending on what reports you use or keep out. I try to use every resource available and throw out the bad data. It's all just one persons interpretation thats why you're never going to see two maps that look identical to each other for the same storm. The best ones are the computer generated ones that get fed data and spit out a hi resolution contoured map and factor in terrain. Tomer Burg probably has the best maps out there in my opinion. The NWS maps are also great but they don't filter out a lot of obviously bad data that gets ingested. 

[IrishRob17]

15 hours ago, codfishsnowman said:

This map is the best one yet for this storm. Your attention to detail is exceptional.

It sure is, I was just looking at stuff from the 80's and 90's, all very well done for my neck of the woods.

[ORH_wxman]

The old East Granby reports are definitely BDL. At least most of them are I’d think of not all of them. There wasn’t an active coop there either.

[vortex95]

13 hours ago, The 4 Seasons said:

It's here: https://www.jdjweatherconsulting.com/historic-storms

That's what the historic storms section is for (one reason anyway) for big storms pre-1994. I'm going to go back and touch it up at some point.

The reason i stopped at 94-95 is because NEXRAD WSR-88D is unavailable before Jan 1, 1995. So i stopped the seasons at 94-95. Technically there is one event in the 94-95 season, Nov 1994 that doesnt have radar because of that fact. On top of that there is no PNS reports from around 95-97 and earlier depending on the forecast office so reports are thin and it's basically just COOP data so i dont really feel that good about the maps before that time...they are rough and coarse.

Thanks. I do the best i can with hand made maps, it's never going to be perfect and there will always be small discrepancies depending on what reports you use or keep out. I try to use every resource available and throw out the bad data. It's all just one persons interpretation thats why you're never going to see two maps that look identical to each other for the same storm. The best ones are the computer generated ones that get fed data and spit out a hi resolution contoured map and factor in terrain. Tomer Burg probably has the best maps out there in my opinion. The NWS maps are also great but they don't filter out a lot of obviously bad data that gets ingested. 

Before the NWS started issuing PNSs, they used OPUs (other public products).  Reports from the early-mid 90s from BOS and PVD can be found here.

https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/wx/afos/old.phtml

Enter OPUBOS and OPUPVD and go back 1500 bulletins.

Most notable is totals from the Dec 11-12, 1992 blockbuster (not one CoastalWx wants to recall b/c of how screwed he got in Brockton!  LOL.)

 

OTHER PUBLIC PRODUCTS..FINAL CORRECTED STORM ESTIMATES..
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOSTON MA
805 PM EST MON DEC 14 1992

TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS FROM THE DECEMBER 11...12 1992 SNOW STORM.

WORCESTER NWS        32.1
BLUE HILL NWS        16
BOSTON NWS            9.2
HARTFORD NWS          5.1
PROVIDENCE NWS        3.5

SPECIAL OBSERVERS TO THE NWS THROUGH PRIVATE SECTOR/DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS.

WHILE THIS WAS AN ELEVATION SNOWSTORM IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...
CONNECTICUT AND RHODE ISLAND...ENOUGH COLD AIR ENTERED THE PICTURE
SATURDAY MORNING TO TURN THIS INTO A GENERAL SNOWSTORM...ALBEIT A WET
AND MANAGEABLE SNOW...EVEN FOR LOWER ELEVATIONS OF INTERIOR EASTERN
MASSACHUSETTS.  

****CORRECTIONS TO ADD DRACUT/MEDWAY/MARBLEHEAD...ADJUST PEABODY/
                                                         ARLINGTON
SAVOY           48
PLAINFIELD      48
SANDISFIELD     40
ADAMS           36
OTIS            33
PITTSFIELD      30
HOPKINTON       28
NORTH ADAMS     24
PHILLIPSTON     24
FRAMINGHAM      24
MEDWAY          22 
DRACUT          20
LOWELL          20
BLACKSTONE      20 
GROVELAND       20
LEOMINSTER      18
WESTBOROUGH     18
WOBURN          18
GEORGETOWN      16
BILLERICA       16
TEWKSBURY       16
ARLINGTON       16
PEABODY         16
HAVERHILL       14 
PEPPERELL       13
METHUEN         13
MAYNARD         13
CANTON          11
BROCKTON        11
FOXBORO         10
WESTFIELD (BAF)  7   
NEWBURY          6
BEVERLY          6
TAUNTON          6
MANSFIELD        5
MARBLEHEAD       TRACE ON THE NECK TO 4 INCHES INTERIOR
ACUSHNET         3
MIDDLEBOROUGH    3
NORTH AMHERST    3 
CHICOPEE FALLS   2 

 

[The 4 Seasons]

34 minutes ago, vortex95 said:

Before the NWS started issuing PNSs, they used OPUs (other public products).  Reports from the early-mid 90s from BOS and PVD can be found here.

https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/wx/afos/old.phtml

Enter OPUBOS and OPUPVD and go back 1500 bulletins.

Most notable is totals from the Dec 11-12, 1992 blockbuster (not one CoastalWx wants to recall b/c of how screwed he got in Brockton!  LOL.)

 

OTHER PUBLIC PRODUCTS..FINAL CORRECTED STORM ESTIMATES..
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOSTON MA
805 PM EST MON DEC 14 1992

TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS FROM THE DECEMBER 11...12 1992 SNOW STORM.

WORCESTER NWS        32.1
BLUE HILL NWS        16
BOSTON NWS            9.2
HARTFORD NWS          5.1
PROVIDENCE NWS        3.5

SPECIAL OBSERVERS TO THE NWS THROUGH PRIVATE SECTOR/DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS.

WHILE THIS WAS AN ELEVATION SNOWSTORM IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...
CONNECTICUT AND RHODE ISLAND...ENOUGH COLD AIR ENTERED THE PICTURE
SATURDAY MORNING TO TURN THIS INTO A GENERAL SNOWSTORM...ALBEIT A WET
AND MANAGEABLE SNOW...EVEN FOR LOWER ELEVATIONS OF INTERIOR EASTERN
MASSACHUSETTS.  

****CORRECTIONS TO ADD DRACUT/MEDWAY/MARBLEHEAD...ADJUST PEABODY/
                                                         ARLINGTON
SAVOY           48
PLAINFIELD      48
SANDISFIELD     40
ADAMS           36
OTIS            33
PITTSFIELD      30
HOPKINTON       28
NORTH ADAMS     24
PHILLIPSTON     24
FRAMINGHAM      24
MEDWAY          22 
DRACUT          20
LOWELL          20
BLACKSTONE      20 
GROVELAND       20
LEOMINSTER      18
WESTBOROUGH     18
WOBURN          18
GEORGETOWN      16
BILLERICA       16
TEWKSBURY       16
ARLINGTON       16
PEABODY         16
HAVERHILL       14 
PEPPERELL       13
METHUEN         13
MAYNARD         13
CANTON          11
BROCKTON        11
FOXBORO         10
WESTFIELD (BAF)  7   
NEWBURY          6
BEVERLY          6
TAUNTON          6
MANSFIELD        5
MARBLEHEAD       TRACE ON THE NECK TO 4 INCHES INTERIOR
ACUSHNET         3
MIDDLEBOROUGH    3
NORTH AMHERST    3 
CHICOPEE FALLS   2 

 

Thanks I didn't know that I'll take a look.  Do those exist for BOX for the 95-96 season? Specially jan 1996 blizzard? 

If they do I'll have to redo a lot of those events pre 1997 or so

[vortex95]

9 minutes ago, The 4 Seasons said:

Thanks I didn't know that I'll take a look.  Do those exist for BOX for the 95-96 season? Specially jan 1996 blizzard? 

If they do I'll have to redo a lot of those events pre 1997 or so

I might actually have saved text files for the biggest storms from the early and mid 90s (PNS and other bulletins).  I'll get to that in the next few days, along w/ stuff from individual storms from New England snow books that cover every year from the early 70s to the mid 90s.

[vortex95]

29 minutes ago, The 4 Seasons said:

Thanks I didn't know that I'll take a look.  Do those exist for BOX for the 95-96 season? Specially jan 1996 blizzard? 

If they do I'll have to redo a lot of those events pre 1997 or so

Check out these historical snowstorms for NC:

https://x.com/webberweather/status/2017664133848830174
https://x.com/webberweather/status/2017748647543509317
 

The March 1927 event - HOLY (    )!!!, and we thought what happened this season was impressive in NC??

So you may want to contact this person as to where and how gets all his snowfall data.  Actually, he lists his sources on the snowfall map attached!  I think there is a lot data out there you could use to produce in detail many pre mid-1990s events for SNE.

 

[The 4 Seasons]

On 3/9/2026 at 2:17 PM, ORH_wxman said:

Most of these systems were able to be found in PNS data if they were recent. For stuff prior to 1997 (which is when PNS data cutoff on the old BOX page), I'd generally use 2 day totals if I wasn't sure, but I did remember most of the late 80s to mid 1990s events so I'd know if they were separate ones (like December 6-7, 1996 for example). Most of the time, your numbers won't be affected if you solely used 2 day totals....you might get a rare instance like the Dec '96 example....but most of the time your bin won't change if it's adding a rogue few tenths from a snow shower...the only way it would matter is if it made a 5.8" storm into like a 6.1" or something like that....but even then, you aren't really going to be that far off the mark if you accidentally included a 5.8" event in the 6-11.9 bin. 

 

Most long duration events I already knew about too....late Feb 1969, Nov 10-12, 1987, Dec 20-22, 1975, etc. 

Well it looks like we found an answer to no PNS from BOX pre 1997.. it's there just under a different product name OPU. I just checked jan 1996 is there, Feb 1995 is there. Thanks to @vortex95for that. Big help. Looks like I'll have to go back and re do all the storms pre 1997 that I didn't have BOX and ALY PNS for which will help a lot. They are all on the IEM site. 

[dendrite]

38 minutes ago, The 4 Seasons said:

Well it looks like we found an answer to no PNS from BOX pre 1997.. it's there just under a different product name OPU. I just checked jan 1996 is there, Feb 1995 is there. Thanks to @vortex95for that. Big help. Looks like I'll have to go back and re do all the storms pre 1997 that I didn't have BOX and ALY PNS for which will help a lot. They are all on the IEM site. 

You can search them by date here

https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/wx/afos/list.phtml

[The 4 Seasons]

32 minutes ago, dendrite said:

You can search them by date here

https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/wx/afos/list.phtml

Yeah I know that's what I been using for years to find all the products for the archive, probably the most active bookmark I have.  

BTW I credited all you guys for your help at the bottom of the archive main page