The Allsnow Blizzard of 2026

[donsutherland1]

2 hours ago, ILoveWinter said:

NWS responded as follows:

“The 0.15" was an automated measurement determined to be erroneous, likely from snowmelt getting into the gauge. A trace of snow was reported by our Park observers after 1 pm, and the storm total for the event is 19.7.”

Thank you for this update. 

[EWR757]

The siting of the ASOS in Central Park is poor.   A large chunk of heavy, wet snow could easily fall into the gauge from nearby trees during a wind gust.   In addition, the lack of any augmentation and backup causes periodic erroneous measurements.   The AWPAGs in ASOS are much better with frozen precipitation than the heated tipping buckets, but they are not foolproof.  NYC deserves better.  
 

While the mesoscale models and NBM forecasted more accurately along the coast, the ECMWF and UKMET did the best in western NJ and eastern PA.   Both opposing model solutions were accurate and inaccurate, at the same time.  A Blizzard Warning 20+ miles west of NYC was not needed as the criteria was never met.  
 

In Somerset County, NJ I measured 12”, the NWS forecasted 15-26” and the NBM consistently forecasted about 20”.   The errors were even greater further west.
 

All in all an impressive and well forecast storm.   It’s too bad the climatological record needs to be QCd, corrected and amended post-event.

The ASOS at EWR is in Union County on the southeast corner of the airport property.   Snow is measured approximately 2 miles northeast of the ASOS in Essex County.   It’s still on airport property but the county boundary slices the airport in half.