Don’t worry, spring is coming
As I write this, an early spring snowstorm is piling up snow across Southwestern Pennsylvania. Our storm was part of the fourth 鈥淣oreaster鈥� to effect the east in the past three weeks. This one is called Toby. Fortunately, the first three storms did not have much of an effect on our area, but did bring havoc to much of New England, New York and New Jersey. We have seen a steady barrage of news pictures of downed trees and power lines and inter-states filled with wrecked cars and trucks. According to the early winter forecasts, this was supposed to be an average or normal winter in our area and a bit colder and snowier in the northeast, although, I don鈥檛 recall anyone, including the Farmers Almanac, predicting the intensity and number of storms that affected the Northeast.
Weather forecasting is still an inexact science that is certainly being influenced by the current warming trend that is taking place across much of the globe. It蘑菇视频 also important not to blame every cold snap, series of storms or heat waves on the current trend. Reliable weather data across the United States only goes back to 1870. It is interesting to note that the two climatic events that influenced our weather the most during this period were the coldwave of 1899 and the heatwave of 1936.
In February of 1899, a massive wave of arctic air moved out of Canada and into the states. It was so massive and so cold that every state reported temperatures below zero, including Florida at -2 degrees, Louisiana at -16, Nebraska at -47 and Ohio at -39. These records still stand today. In our area, the 20 below zero that was part of the 1899 cold wave was the record low until 1994 when our area and Pittsburgh dropped to -22. The record in Minnesota of -59 held until 1996 when it dropped to -60 at tower Minnesota establishing a new cold record. Record cold temperatures from 40 cities established in the 1899 cold wave still stand in the weather record books.
The second biggest weather event of the last 150 years was the heatwave of 1936. It also covered the entire country and was responsible for the dust bowl in the middle part of the country.
Thirteen states still have their record high temperatures from July of 1936 including our Pennsylvania record of 111 degrees. Other states include North Dakota and Kansas with 121, Texas and Arkansas with 120. Indiana saw 116, Michigan and West Virginia 112. Closer to home, our area and Pittsburgh had 102 during this historic heatwave. Uniontown tied that record 1988 and Pittsburgh established a new heat record of 103 during the heat of 1988. Although 1988 was a hot one with a few new records, the intensity and length of the heatwave of 1936 is still the big heat event. Uniontown still has 6 days from 1936 that remain daily heat records.
We have had cold snaps and heatwaves, but these two events still are the yardsticks that need to be remembered. Unfortunately, a lot of current climate talk only involves the past 30 years of data. Both of the above two weather events would be excluded from the data if we just use the 30 year model.
I guess it蘑菇视频 time to get back to spring. Forecasts call for spring to have a 45 percent chance of above average temperatures and a 35 percent chance of above normal rainfall. As the snow melts away this weekend, get ready spring is on its way.