A Climatology of Mean Monthly Snowfall for the Conterminous United States: Temporal and Spatial Patterns

Harrington, John A.; Cerveny, Randall S.; Dewey, Kenneth F.

doi:10.1175/1520-0450(1987)026<0897:acomms>2.0.co;2

Cited by 22 publications

(19 citation statements)

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“…The areas of early storm incidence reveal lake and elevation effects on initiating storm activity (Rauber et al 2002). The area in which storms start in October in the West is an area of frequent cyclogenesis (Whittaker and Horn 1984) and is also where annual average snowfall amounts are higher than elsewhere in the United States (Harrington et al 1987).…”

Section: Monthly Frequenciessupporting

confidence: 77%

“…The influence of Atlantic moisture on storm activity and intensity along the Eastern Coastal Plain from Virginia north to Maine results in the February storm maximum along the coast (Goree and Younkin 1966). Areas for which February had the highest storm frequencies, including the Appalachians and East Coast, also have their highest average monthly snowfall amounts in February (Harrington et al 1987). March is the peak month of snowstorms in the southwestern mountains, high plains, and northern Midwest where temperatures are low and storm-producing frontal systems are frequent (Morgan et al 1975).…”

Section: Monthly Frequenciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…January is the peak storm month over a larger area than any other month, being the peak month in much of the West and over much of the South, Midwest, and East, reflecting a peak in storm-producing conditions across the central-eastern United States (Whittaker and Horn 1984). The areas for which January is the peak storm month also coincide with areas in which the total January snowfall is higher than in any other month (Harrington et al 1987).…”

Section: Monthly Frequenciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…March is the peak month of snowstorms in the southwestern mountains, high plains, and northern Midwest where temperatures are low and storm-producing frontal systems are frequent (Morgan et al 1975). These areas also experience their highest monthly average snowfall in March (Harrington et al 1987). The northern Rockies experience their storm maximum in April, and this is also the peak month of total snowfall.…”

Section: Monthly Frequenciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Temporal and Spatial Characteristics of Snowstorms in the Contiguous United States

Changnon¹,

Changnon

Karl

2006

Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology

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A climatological analysis of snowstorms across the contiguous United States, based on data from 1222 weather stations with data during 1901–2001, defined the spatial and temporal features. The average annual incidence of events creating 15.2 cm or more in 1 or 2 days, which are termed as snowstorms, exhibits great spatial variability. The pattern is latitudinal across most of the eastern half of the United States, averaging 0.1 storm (1 storm per 10 years) in the Deep South, increasing to 2 storms along the Canadian border. This pattern is interrupted by higher averages downwind of the Great Lakes and in the Appalachian Mountains. In the western third of the United States where snow falls, lower-elevation sites average 0.1–2 storms per year, but averages are much higher in the Cascade Range and Rocky Mountains, where 5–30 storms occur per year. Most areas of the United States have had years without snowstorms, but the annual minima are 1 or more storms in high-elevation areas of the West and Northeast. The pattern of annual maxima of storms is similar to the average pattern. The temporal distribution of snowstorms exhibited wide fluctuations during 1901–2000, with downward 100-yr trends in the lower Midwest, South, and West Coast. Upward trends occurred in the upper Midwest, East, and Northeast, and the national trend for 1901–2000 was upward, corresponding to trends in strong cyclonic activity. The peak periods of storm activity in the United States occurred during 1911–20 and 1971–80, and the lowest frequency was in 1931–40. Snowstorms first occur in September in the Rockies, in October in the high plains, in November across most of the United States, and in December in the Deep South. The month with the season’s last storms is December in the South and then shifts northward, with April the last month of snowstorms across most of the United States. Storms occur as late as May and June in the Rockies and Cascades. Snowstorms are most frequent in December downwind of the Great Lakes, with the peak of activity in January for most other areas of the United States.

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Section: Monthly Frequenciessupporting

confidence: 77%

Section: Monthly Frequenciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Monthly Frequenciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Monthly Frequenciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Temporal and Spatial Characteristics of Snowstorms in the Contiguous United States

Changnon¹,

Changnon

Karl

2006

Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology

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“…Some have looked at the mechanisms associated with snowfall in the central and eastern USA (Goree and Younkin, 1966;Browne and Younkin, 1970;Wagner, 1979), whereas others have examined snowfall patterns (Harrington et al, 1987;Leathers and Robinson 1993). The role of synoptic conditions on snow-atmosphere energy exchanges and ablation has been investigated in a variety of regions (Treidl, 1970;Male and Granger, 1981;Moore and Owens, 1984;Brazel et al, 1992;McGregor and Gellatly, 1996;Cline, 1997;Hannah et al, 2000;Leathers et al, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

A synoptic‐scale climate analysis of anomalous snow water equivalent over the Northern Great Plains of the USA

Grundstein

2003

Intl Journal of Climatology

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The Northern Great Plains is a region where variations in seasonal snow accumulation can have a dramatic affect on regional hydrology. In the past, one of the problems in studying snow hydrology has been obtaining information of sufficiently high temporal and spatial resolution on the water content of the snowpack. This project used a hybrid climatology of snow water equivalent (SWE) that incorporated both model and observed data. This climatology has a long time series (49 years) and a high spatial resolution (1°× 1°) sufficient for use in a climatic analysis.The long and complete time series of SWE generated in this project allowed for a comprehensive analysis of the meteorological and climate forcing mechanisms that influence the amount of SWE. The five largest (high SWE) and five smallest SWE (low SWE) accumulations on 1 March were examined. High SWE years received greater snowfall and fewer accumulated melting degree days throughout the season. Large SWE accumulations at the end of the season, however, were not always associated with deep snowpacks early in the season. Also, all five high SWE years had above normal snowfall in February. Years with small or no SWE had below-average snowfall but greater than average accumulated melting degree days.A synoptic analysis examined both atmospheric circulation and air mass frequencies to assess impacts on ablation and snowfall. A distinct difference in the frequency of different air mass during high SWE versus low SWE years was evident. High SWE years were characterized by substantially greater intrusions of the coldest and driest air mass type (dry polar). Low SWE years, in contrast, had a greater frequency of more moderate air masses (dry moderate and moist moderate). In years with above average SWE, negative departures in November-December-January-February composite 700 hPa field were evident across the continental USA and indicate a greater frequency of troughing across the study area. Low SWE years were characterized by a ridging pattern that reduced the likelihood of precipitation and may have aided in the intrusion of more moderate air masses.

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Synoptic Mechanisms Associated With Snowfall Increases to the Lee of Lakes Erie and Ontario

Leathers¹,

Ellis²

1996

Int. J. Climatol.

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Snowfall is a cyrospheric variable that impacts nearly every sector of society. Because of its societal importance, snowfall is a logical variable to be used as an indicator of potential global environmental change. This study investigates the mechanisms responsible for large observed snowfall increases across the eastern Great Lakes region of the USA. Results indicate that mean snowfall amounts across sections of western New York and north‐western Pennsylvania have increased by up to 100 cm over the 60‐year period encompassing the snowfall seasons 1930–1931 through to 1989–1990. A synoptic climatological approach is utilized to identify consistent synoptic‐scale atmospheric patterns responsible for snowfall across the region. Nine synoptic types are identified as producing significan t snowfall in the study area; five with synoptic characteristics indicative of lake‐effect snowfall and four evidencing characteristics of snowfall associated with cyclonic influence. An examination of the seasonal frequency of the nine synoptic types indicates a substantial increase in the frequency of the five lake‐effect synoptic types and a long‐term decrease in the numbers of cyclone synoptic types over the period 1950–1951 through to 1981–1982. Information concerning trends in the frequency and the intensity of each of the nine snowfall‐producing synoptic types was combined to produce a modelled snowfall change due to frequency and intensity variations over the period. Trends in the frequency and intensity of the synoptic patterns associated with lake‐ effect snowfall explain the majority of the observed snowfall increase across the region. Variations in the synoptic types associated with cyclonically induced snowfall are shown to be unimportant to snowfall changes across the eastern Great Lakes area. Possible reasons for increases in the frequency and the intensity of the lake‐effect synoptic types are discussed.

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A Climatology of Mean Monthly Snowfall for the Conterminous United States: Temporal and Spatial Patterns

Cited by 22 publications

References 0 publications

Temporal and Spatial Characteristics of Snowstorms in the Contiguous United States

Temporal and Spatial Characteristics of Snowstorms in the Contiguous United States

A synoptic‐scale climate analysis of anomalous snow water equivalent over the Northern Great Plains of the USA

Synoptic Mechanisms Associated With Snowfall Increases to the Lee of Lakes Erie and Ontario

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