February 2010’s second snowstorm came just 3 days after the month’s first major event. This second low pressure system tracked from Louisville, Kentucky and then up along I-71 to Cleveland. Even though the track was through the heart of the state, the majority of the precipitation in most areas was snowfall. This storm followed so closely on the heels of the February 5th storm that the cold air that first storm had pulled into Ohio was still in place on the 9th. This allowed for snow despite the far north track. While the February 9-10, 2010 snowstorm wasn’t the largest of the month, it helped establish it as one of the snowiest winter months in history.
Snow began in Columbus in the early morning hours of the 9th and continued into the 10th. Snowfall rates reached their peak in the late morning hours of the 9th, falling at 1/2″ per hour at times, but never quite reached the intensities of Storm #1. While some parts of the state had 7-8″, the Columbus area had 5-6″, about half of what it got in Storm #1. Still, cleanup from the first storm was still ongoing, and this latest snowfall severely complicated the process. Traffic and airport delays were common, and many schools were cancelled. Snow depths in Franklin County reached 10-16″ after the storm.
Use the Weather History archive to further your search through local weather history, and the Wilmington National Weather Service for the current status of weather in the area.
