Tag Archives: Columbus Ohio winter weather history

The Biggest Snowstorms of All Time

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The biggest snowstorms of all time Columbus, Ohio

East Broad Street after a snowstorm in March, 1906.

In light of yesterday’s strange storm that challenged local forecasters, I thought it might be time to look at the biggest snowstorms of all time in Columbus, or at least since records began in 1878. I looked up the total snowfall over different periods of time.

Top 20 Largest Single Snowstorms of Any Duration
1. 3/7-3/8/2008: 20.5″
2. 2/14-2/17/2003: 15.5″
3. 2/16-2/19/1910: 15.3″
4. 11/23-11/29/1950: 15.2″
5. 1/6-1/7/1910: 12.7″
6. 4/3-4/5/1987: 12.6″
7. 1/7-1/9/1884, 2/11-2/12/1910: 10.6″
8. 2/15-2/16/2010, 2/4-2/5/2014: 10.4″
9. 3/19-3/20/1906, 1/13-1/14/1917: 10.0″
10. 2/7-2/8/1971, 1/16-1/17/1978, 2/5-2/6/2010: 9.9″
11. 1/6-1/7/1996: 9.8″
12. 1/13-1/15/1968, 2/27-2/28/1984: 9.5″
13. 2/13-2/14/1914: 9.3″
14. 3/5-3/6/1962: 9.2″
15. 12/19-12/20/1960: 8.8″
16. 1/14-1/15/1918: 8.5″
17. 2/25-2/26/1934: 8.4″
18. 1/31-2/1/1881, 2/25-2/26/2014: 8.3″
19. 3/11-3/12/1906: 8.2″
20. 12/3-12/4/1957: 8.1″

Top 12 Largest 1-Day Snowfalls
1. 3/8/2008: 15.5″
2. 4/4/1987: 12.3″
3. 1/6/1910: 11.9″
4. 2/15/2010: 9.7″
5. 3/19/1906: 9.6″
6. 2/5/2010: 9.0″
7. 2/8/1971, 2/16/2003: 8.9″
8. 1/7/1996: 8.8″
9. 3/5/1962: 8.6″
10. 1/8/1884: 8.5″
11. 2/16/1910: 8.2″
12. 12/3/1957: 7.9″

Top 12 Largest 2-Day Snowfalls
1. 3/7-3/8/2008: 20.5″
2. 3/8-3/9/2008: 15.5″
3. 2/16-2/17/1910: 15.0″
4. 1/6-1/7/1910: 12.7″
5. 4/4-4/5/1987: 12.5″
6. 4/3-4/4/1987: 12.4″
7. 2/15-2/16/2003: 12.0″
8. 1/5-1/6/1910: 11.9″
9. 2/16-2/17/2003: 10.8″
10. 2/11-2/12/1910, 2/4-2/5/2014: 10.6″
11. 2/15-2/16/2010: 10.4″
12. 1/8-1/9/1884: 10.2″

Top 12 Largest 3-Day Snowfalls
1. 3/6-3/8/2008, 3/7-3/9/2008: 20.5″
2. 3/8-3/10/2008: 15.5″
3. 2/16-2/18/1910: 15.3″
4. 2/15-2/17/1910: 15.0″
5. 2/15-2/17/2003: 13.9″
6. 2/14-2/16/2003: 13.6″
7. 1/5-1/7/1910, 1/6-1/8/1910: 12.7″
8. 4/3-4/5/1987: 12.6″
9. 4/4-4/6/1987: 12.5″
10. 4/2-4/4/1987: 12.4″
11. 1/4-1/6/1910, 1/7-1/9/1996: 11.9″
12. 11/25-11/27/1950: 11.5″

Players struggle during the infamous Ohio State-Michigan Snow Bowl game on November 27, 1950.



Top 12 5-Day Snowfalls
1. 3/4-3/8/2008, 3/5-3/9/2008: 21.2″
2. 3/6-3/10/2008, 3/7-3/11/2008: 20.5″
3. 1/16-1/20/1978: 17.6″
4. 3/31-4/4/1987: 16.4″
5. 2/15-2/19/2003: 15.9″
6. 4/2-4/6/1886: 15.7″
7. 2/13-2/17/2003, 2/14-2/18/2003, 3/8-3/12/2008: 15.5″
8. 2/14-2/18/1910, 2/15-2/19/1910, 2/16-2/20/1910: 15.3″
9. 2/13-2/17/1910: 15.0″
10. 4/3-4/7/1886, 2/12-2/16/1910, 2/5-2/9/2010: 14.3″
11. 1/17-1/21/1978: 14.2″
12. 2/12-2/16/2003: 14.0″

Top 12 Largest 7-Day Snowfalls
1. 2/11-2/17/1910: 25.6″
2. 2/12-2/18/1910: 21.4″
3. 3/2-3/8/2008, 3/3-3/9/2008, 3/4-3/10/2008, 3/5-3/11/2008: 21.2″
4. 3/6-3/12/2008, 3/7-3/13/2008: 20.5″
5. 1/14-1/20/1978: 19.0″
6. 2/10-2/16/1910: 18.8″
7. 3/30-4/5/1987: 18.3″
8. 3/29-4/4/1987: 18.1
9. 1/15-1/21/1978, 1/16-1/22/1978: 17.8″
10. 2/13-2/19/2003, 2/14-2/20/2003: 17.5″
11. 2/10-2/16/2003: 17.0″
12. 4/1-4/7/1886, 4/2-4/8/1886: 16.9″

Top 12 10-Day Snowfalls
1. 2/9-2/18/1910: 28.4″
2. 2/8-2/17/1910: 28.1″
3. 2/10-2/19/1910, 2/11-2/20/1910: 25.9″
4. 3/11-3/20/1906: 23.5″
5. 3/10-3/19/1906: 23.1″
6. 2/28-3/8/2008, 2/29-3/9/2008: 21.7″
7. 2/12-2/21/1910: 21.4″
8. 2/7-2/16/1910: 21.3″
9. 3/1-3/10/2008, 3/2-3/11/2008, 3/3-3/12/2008, 3/4-3/13/2008, 3/5-3/14/2008: 21.2″
10. 2/10-2/19/2003: 20.9″
11. 1/12-1/21/1978, 1/2-1/11/1996: 20.8″
12. 1/11-1/20/1978: 20.6″

Top 12 Largest 15-Day Snowfalls
1. 2/8-2/22/1910, 2/9-2/23/1910: 28.8″
2. 2/3-2/17/1910: 28.5″
3. 2/4-2/18/1910, 2/5-2/19/1910, 2/6-2/20/1910, 2/7-2/21/1910: 28.4″
4. 2/10-2/24/1910, 2/11-2/25/1910: 26.3″
5. 2/2-2/16/2010: 25.8″
6. 1/7-1/21/1978, 1/8-1/22/1978: 25.7″
7. 1/6-1/20/1978, 2/3-2/17/2010, 2/4-2/18/2010, 2/5-2/19/2010: 25.5″
8. 1/12-1/26/1978: 25.2″
9. 2/1-2/15/2010: 25.1″
10. 3/10-3/24/1906, 3/11-3/25/1906, 1/13-1/27/1978: 24.8″
11. 1/14-1/28/1978, 2/10-2/24/2003: 24.5″
12. 3/6-3/20/1906, 3/7-3/21/1906: 23.8″

Top 12 Largest 30-Day Snowfalls
1. 1/20-2/18/1910, 1/21-2/19/1910: 37.9″
2. 1/19-2/17/1910: 37.6″
3. 1/22-2/20/1910: 35.3″
4. 1/2-1/31/1978, 1/3-2/1/1978, 1/4-2/2/1978, 1/5-2/3/1978: 34.0″
5. 1/8-2/6/1978: 33.8″
6. 1/1-1/30/1978, 1/7-2/5/1978: 33.6″
7. 12/30/1977-1/28/1978, 12/31/1977-1/29/1978: 33.4″
8. 12/29/1977-1/27/1978: 32.8″
9. 12/28/1977-1/26/1978: 32.5″
10. 1/6-2/4/1978: 32.0″
11. 2/8-3/8/2008: 31.8″
12. 1/24-2/22/1910, 1/25-2/23/1910, 1/26-2/24/1910, 1/27-2/25/1910, 1/28-2/26/1910, 1/29-2/27/1910, 1/30-2/28/1910, 1/26-2/24/2003: 30.7″

Certain years show up on all the lists, including 1906, 1910, 1978, 2003, 2008 and 2010. These winters all had periods of extreme snowfall and are considered “historic”.
Check out more winter and other local weather data with the following links.
Winter Storms
Winter Season Records
Annual Weather Records
Wilmington National Weather Service



Winter 2017-2018 Review

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Winter 2017-2018 Review Columbus, Ohio

Wind and heavy snow on the evening of January 12, 2018.

The Winter 2017-2018 Review shows the season featured some wild swings, from a very cold late December-early January to one of the warmest Februaries of all time. Let’s take a closer look at this volatile season, specifically December to February.

Temperature and snowfall ranking data goes back to the winter of 1878-1879. Snow depth ranking data goes back to 1940.

December-February Only
Average High: 40.2 29th Warmest
Average Low: 24.2 42nd Warmest
Mean: 32.2 36th Warmest
Precipitation: 9.40″ 33rd Wettest
Snowfall: 24.6″ 32nd Snowiest
Average Daily Snow Depth: 0.7″ 8th Lowest
32 or Below Highs: 29 21st Most
32 or Below Lows: 70 18th Fewest
Measurable Precipitation Days: 40
Measurable Snowfall Days: 20
Deepest Snow Depth: 5″ on January 16th and 17th
Days with 1″+ Snow Depth: 26 19th Most

Entire Cold Season: October-April
Average High: 49.6 29th Warmest
Average Low: 32.0 36th Coldest
Mean: 40.8 30th Warmest
Precipitation: 25.83″ 13th Wettest
Snowfall: 30.7″ 34th Snowiest
Average Snow Depth: 0.3″ 4th Lowest
32 or Below Highs: 29 19th Fewest
32 or Below Lows: 119 14th Most
Measurable Precipitation Days: 87 18th Most
Measurable Snowfall Days: 34 11th Most
Deepest Snow Depth: 5″ on January 16th and 17th
Days with 1″+ Snow Depth: 31 20th Most

Average High By Month
October 2017: 68.5 21st Warmest
November 2017: 52.5 33rd Warmest
December 2017: 38.6 36th Coldest
January 2018: 35.4 39th Coldest
February 2018: 47.3 7th Warmest
March 2018: 47.5 36th Coldest
April 2018: 58.0 14th Coldest

Average Low By Month
October 2017: 48.8 15th Warmest
November 2017: 34.8 38th Warmest
December 2017: 23.7 33rd Coldest
January 2018: 19.3 39th Coldest
February 2018: 30.3 9th Warmest
March 2018: 29.6 33rd Coldest
April 2018: 37.5 9th Coldest

Mean By Month
October 2017: 58.6 16th Warmest
November 2017: 43.6 32nd Warmest
December 2017: 31.2 37th Coldest
January 2018: 27.3 39th Coldest
February 2018: 38.8 7th Warmest
March 2018: 38.5 36th Coldest
April 2018: 47.7 12th Coldest

Precipitation By Month
October 2017: 3.57″ 28th Wettest
November 2017: 4.67″ 15th Wettest
December 2017: 1.76″ 28th Driest
January 2018: 2.39″ 64th Wettest
February 2018: 5.25″ 8th Wettest
March 2018: 2.96″ 57th Driest
April 2018: 5.23″ 15th Wettest

Snowfall By Month
October 2017: Trace 2nd Least Snowy
November 2017: Trace 2nd Least Snowy
December 2017: 8.1″ 23rd Snowiest
January 2018: 10.5″ 38th Snowiest
February 2018: 6.0″ 45th Snowiest
March 2018: 3.2″ 48th Least Snowy
April 2018: 2.9″ 8th Snowiest

Average Snow Depth By Month
October 2017: 0″ 1st Lowest
November 2017: 0″ 1st Lowest
December 2017: 0.3″ 4th Lowest
January 2018: 1.4″ 15th Lowest
February 2018: 0.4″ 5th Lowest
March 2018: 0.1″ 2nd Lowest
April 2018: 0.1″ 2nd Lowest



Maximum High By Month
October 2017: 86 on the 4th
November 2017: 73 on the 5th
December 2017: 60 on the 4th
January 2018: 60 on the 11th and 22nd
February 2018: 77 on the 20th
March 2018: 61 on the 19th and 29th
April 2018: 82 on the 13th

Record Highs
-The 77 on February 20th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 68 set in 1891 and 2016.

Minimum High By Month
October 2017: 43 on the 28th
November 2017: 35 on the 10th
December 2017: 17 on the 27th
January 2018: 10 on the 2nd
February 2018: 22 on the 2nd
March 2018: 33 on the 8th
April 2018: 37 on the 17th

Minimum High Records
-The 10 on January 2nd was a record for the date, beating the old record of 11 set in 1928.
-The 37 on April 17th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 39 set in 1907.

Maximum Low By Month
October 2017: 66 on the 7th
November 2017: 60 on the 5th
December 2017: 47 on the 22nd
January 2018: 52 on the 11th
February 2018: 60 on the 20th
March 2018: 51 on the 28th
April 2018: 63 on the 13th

Record Maximum Lows
-The 47 on December 22nd tied the record set in 2015, and ties for the warmest December low on record.
-The 55 on February 15th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 53 set in 1954.
-The 60 on February 20th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 49 set in 1930.
-The 63 on April 13th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 61 set in 1916.

Minimum Low By Month
October 2017: 31 on the 26th
November 2017: 21 on the 11th
December 2017: 2 on the 31st
January 2018: -4 on the 2nd
February 2018: 10 on the 5th
March 2018: 20 on the 10th
April 2018: 25 on the 8th

Highest Daily Precipitation By Month
October 2017: 1.14″ on the 8th
November 2017: 1.72″ on the 5th
December 2017: 0.72″ on the 23rd
January 2018: 0.66″ on the 12th
February 2018: 1.23″ on the 24th
March 2018: 0.83″ on the 1st
April 2018: 2.06″ on the 15th

Precipitation Records
-The 1.14″ on the October 8th was the record for the date, beating the old record of 0.92″ set in 1959.
-The 1.72″ on November 5th was the record for the date, beating the old record of 0.88″ set in 1988.
-The 1.95″ on April 3rd was a record for the date, beating the old record of 1.50″ set in 2000.
-The 2.06″ on April 15th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 1.46″ set in 1939.

Highest Daily Snowfall By Month
October 2017: Trace on the 28th
November 2017: Trace on the 22nd
December 2017: 2.1″ on the 30th
January 2018: 3.5″ on the 12th
February 2018: 4.4″ on the 7th
March 2018: 0.9″ on the 21st
April 2018: 0.9″ on the 1st

Snowfall Records
-The 4.4″ on February 7th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 3.6″ set in 1895.
-The 0.9″ on March 21st was a record for the date, beating the old record of 0.8″ set in 1984.

Deepest Snow Depth By Month
October 2017: 0″
November 2017: 0″
December 2017: 3″ on the 30th and 31st
January 2018: 5″ on the 16th and 17th
February 2018: 4″ on the 7th
March 2018: 1″ on the 8th, 14th and 21st
April 2018: 1″ on the 2nd and 7th

So overall, the winter was definitely warmer than normal, but not record-breaking, even with the extremely warm February. It was also wetter and snowier than normal as well.

To see other winter records and local weather information, check out the following links.
Winter Season Records
Wilmington National Weather Service

Other Winter Reviews
Winter 2016-2017
Winter 2015-2016
Winter 2014-2015