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Winter 2015-2016 Review

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Winter 2015-2016 Review Columbus, Ohio

The winter of 2015-2016 featured warmer than normal temperatures across the country.

After the double cold and snowy winters between 2013-2015, the winter of 2015-2016 was drastically different. It featured general warm temperatures- including the warmest December ever- and little snowfall overall.

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: 44.0 8th Warmest
Average Low: 27.5 14th Warmest
Mean: 35.8 12th Warmest
Precipitation: 9.29″ 37th Wettest
Snowfall: 14.5″ 44th Least Snowy
Average Daily Snow Depth: 0.3″ 4th Lowest
Largest Snowstorm: 2.4″ on January 12th
32 or Below Highs: 21 15th Fewest
32 or Below Lows: 61 9th Fewest
Measurable Precipitation Days: 34 10th Fewest
Measurable Snowfall Days: 14 10th Fewest
Deepest Snow Depth: 3″ on February 16th
Days with 1″+ Snow Depth: 14 11th Fewest

Entire Cold Season: October-April
Average High: 53.7 3rd Warmest
Average Low: 35.3 10th Warmest
Mean: 44.5 5th Warmest
Precipitation: 20.92″ 48th Wettest
Snowfall: 17.1″ 36th Least Snowy
Average Snow Depth: 0.1″ 2nd Lowest
Largest Snowstorm: 2.4″ on January 12th
32 or Below Highs: 21 11th Fewest
32 or Below Lows: 87 7th Fewest
Measurable Precipitation Days: 82 17th Fewest
Measurable Snowfall Days: 17 8th Fewest
Deepest Snow Depth: 3″ on February 16th
Days with 1″+ Snow Depth: 15 8th Fewest

Average High By Month
October 2015: 65.4 45th Warmest
November 2015: 57.7 7th Warmest
December 2015: 52.5 1st Warmest
January 2016: 36.7 56th Warmest
February 2016: 42.9 26th Warmest
March 2016: 57.8 8th Warmest
April 2016: 62.5 41st Warmest

Average Low By Month
October 2015: 45.7 34th Warmest
November 2015: 39.5 6th Warmest
December 2015: 36.9 1st Warmest
January 2016: 20.1 44th Coldest
February 2016: 25.4 39th Warmest
March 2016: 39.1 7th Warmest
April 2016: 40.4 28th Coldest

Mean By Month
October 2015: 55.5 37th Warmest
November 2015: 48.6 5th Warmest
December 2015: 44.7 1st Warmest
January 2016: 28.4 45th Coldest
February 2016: 34.2 34th Warmest
March 2016: 48.5 7th Warmest
April 2016: 51.4 42nd Coldest

Precipitation By Month
October 2015: 2.68″ 44th Wettest
November 2015: 2.37″ 57th Driest
December 2015: 4.88″ 8th Wettest
January 2016: 1.12″ 9th Driest
February 2016: 3.29″ 31st Wettest
March 2016: 4.27″ 36th Wettest
April 2016: 2.31″ 35th Driest

Snowfall By Month
October 2015: 0″ 1st Least Snowy
November 2015: Trace 2nd Least Snowy
December 2015: Trace 2nd Least Snowy
January 2016: 5.4″ 39th Least Snowy
February 2016: 9.1″ 29th Snowiest
March 2016: 2.3″ 22nd Least Snowy
April 2016: 0.3″ 5th Least Snowy

Average Snow Depth By Month
October 2015: 0″
November 2015: 0″
December 2015: 0″
January 2016: 0.2″
February 2016: 0.8″
March 2016: 0.1″
April 2016: 0″



Maximum High By Month
October 2015: 79 on the 6th and 8th
November 2015: 75 on the 3rd and 5th
December 2015: 68 on the 12th
January 2016: 60 on the 31st
February 2016: 68 on the 20th
March 2016: 75 on the 27th
April 2016: 81 on the 18th

Maximum High Records
-The 68 on December 12th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 65 set in 1949.
-The 65 on December 14th tied the record for the date set in 1901 and 1995.
-The 65 on December 23rd was a record for the date, beating the old record of 62 set in 1933.
-The 68 on February 20th tied the record for the date set in 1891.
-The 65 on February 28th tied the record for the date set in 1896, 1939 and 1955.

Minimum High By Month
October 2015: 49 on the 17th and 30th
November 2015: 37 on the 22nd
December 2015: 33 on the 19th
January 2016: 13 on the 18th
February 2016: 16 on the 13th
March 2016: 33 on the 2nd
April 2016: 36 on the 9th

Maximum Low By Month
October 2015: 57 on the 24th
November 2015: 59 on the 5th
December 2015: 56 on the 12th
January 2016: 49 on the 31st
February 2016: 44 on the 20th
March 2016: 56 on the 14th
April 2016: 59 on the 21st

Maximum Low Records
-The 57 on November 18th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 56 set in 1921.
-The 47 on December 22nd was a record for the date, beating the old record of 46 set in 1931.
-The 51 on December 23rd tied the record for the date set in 1941.
-The 49 on December 31st tied the record for the date set in 1988.

Minimum Low By Month
October 2015: 28 on the 18th
November 2015: 21 on the 23rd
December 2015: 21 on the 20th
January 2016: 2 on the 13th
February 2016: 2 on the 14th
March 2016: 22 on the 2nd and 3rd
April 2016: 23 on the 5th

Highest Daily Precipitation By Month
October 2015: 1.25″ on the 28th
November 2015: 0.55″ on the 28th
December 2015: 1.19″ on the 27th
January 2016: 0.47″ on the 10th
February 2016: 1.22″ on the 24th
March 2016: 0.98″ on the 10th
April 2016: 1.05″ on the 11th

Precipitation Records
-The 1.25″ on October 28th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 1.10″ set in 1883.
-The 1.19″ on December 27th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 0.90″ set in 1968.

Highest Daily Snowfall By Month
October 2015: 0.0″
November 2015: Trace on the 22nd
December 2015: Trace on the 3rd, 18th and 31st
January 2016: 2.4″ on the 12th
February 2016: 1.9″ on the 16th
March 2016: 1.5″ on the 4th
April 2016: 0.3″ on the 9th

Deepest Snow Depth By Month
October 2015: 0″
November 2015: 0″
December 2015: 0″
January 2016: 2″ on the 13th and 14th
February 2016: 3″ on the 16th
March 2016: 2″ on the 4th
April 2016: 0″

For more winter records and local weather information, visit the following links.
Winter Season Records
Wilmington National Weather Service

Other Winter Season Reviews
Winter 2014-2015



Historic Record of Early Season Cold

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early season cold

With temperatures predicted to fall to near freezing for the first time this week for the fall season, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the incidence of early season cold, and the average on when it tends to arrive.

Here are the earliest dates on record for the following:

Temperatures Below 40 and Temperature Range of Observed Dates
1. 8/29/1965: 39
2. 9/8/1951: 39
3. 9/9/1883: 39
4. 9/13/1964: 38
5. 9/14/1902, 9/14/1923, 9/14/1953, 19/14/1975: 38-39
6. 9/17/1959: 37
7. 9/20/1896, 9/20/1956, 9/20/1962: 37-39
8. 9/21/1889, 9/21/1897, 9/21/1991: 37-38
9. 9/22/1918, 9/22/1974, 9/22/1976, 9/22/1995: 37-38
10. 9/23/1885, 9/23/1913, 9/23/1963, 9/23/1967, 9/23/1981, 9/23/1989: 35-39

Average Date of First Under-40 Temp By Decade (1878-2014)
2010s: October 11th
2000s: October 8th
1990s: October 2nd
1980s: September 30th
1970s: October 1st
1960s: September 25th
1950s: September 25th
1940s: September 30th
1930s: October 11th
1920s: October 2nd
1910s: October 9th
1900s: October 5th
1890s: October 1st
1880s: October 2nd
1870s: October 1st

Highs Below 32
1. 10/30/1917: 32
2. 11/3/1951, 11/3/1966: 28-29
3. 11/4/1991: 27
4. 11/6/1967: 31
5. 11/7/1971: 31
6. 11/8/1976: 32
7. 11/10/1913: 27
8. 11/12/1920, 11/12/1921, 11/12/1932: 30-32
9. 11/13/1911, 11/13/1919, 11/13/1986, 11/13/1996: 25-32
10. 11/15/1880, 11/15/1893, 11/15/1916, 11/15/1933, 11/15/1940, 11/15/1969: 24-32

Average Date of First 32 or Below High By Decade
2010s: December 4th
2000s: December 2nd
1990s: December 7th
1980s: November 28th
1970s: November 29th
1960s: November 23rd
1950s: November 26th
1940s: December 2nd
1930s: November 27th
1920s: November 28th
1910s: November 22nd
1900s: November 30th
1890s: November 25th
1880s: November 30th
1870s: December 4th

Lows Below 32
1. 9/21/1962: 31
2. 9/29/1961: 32
3. 9/30/1888, 9/30/163: 31-32
4. 10/1/1899: 30
5. 10/2/1886, 10/2/1908, 10/2/1974: 31-32
6. 10/3/1975, 10/3/1981, 10/3/2003: 32
7. 10/4/1952, 10/4/1987: 29-32
8. 10/5/1965, 10/5/1968: 31-32
9. 10/6/1892, 10/6/1964, 10/6/1980, 10/6/1988: 30-31
10. 10/7/1889, 10/7/1935: 30-31

Average Date of First 32 or Below Low By Decade
2010s: October 24th
2000s: October 26th
1990s: October 22nd
1980s: October 17th
1970s: October 17th
1960s: October 8th
1950s: October 22nd
1940s: November 3rd
1930s: October 24th
1920s: October 28th
1910s: October 31st
1900s: October 24th
1890s: October 20th
1880s: October 20th
1870s: October 26th




Worst Winters of All Time

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As summer slowly approaches its inevitable end, thoughts of winter have started to creep into our minds. The last two winters seemed particularly harsh, and questions were often asked as to their historic status as well as whether another bad winter was on the way. Ask any older person in Ohio, and the winters between 1976 and 1979 will often come up. But do they really deserve their reputations? To find out, I came up with a ranking system for meteorological winter only- December through February0- to rank the worst winters of all time. Here was the criteria:

Temperature: # of 32 or Below Highs, # of 32 or Below Lows, # of 0 or Below Highs, # of 0 or Below Lows: Each earned the winter a point for each day that featured these conditions.
# of 60 or Above Highs and # of 50 or Above Lows meant a point was removed for each occurrence.

Precipitation: # of Days with Measurable Snowfall, # of 1″+ Snow Days, # of 2.5″+ Snow Days, # of 5″+ Snow Days, # of 10″+ Snow Days as well as # of Measurable Precipitation Days all counted as 1 point for each occurrence.

I then added the temperature and precipitation points together to come up with a ranking for how miserable each winter really was.

Here are the 30 worst winters of all time and their total points.
1. 1976-1977: 240
2. 1977-1978: 238
3. 1969-1970: 230
4. 2002-2003: 228
5. 1978-1979: 226
6. 1880-1881: 225
7. 1917-1918: 223
8. 1935-1936: 220
9. 2013-2014: 219
10. 1892-1893, 1962-1963: 218
11. 1909-1910: 217
12. 1995-1996, 2009-2010: 208
13. 2010-2011: 207
14. 1903-1904: 204
15. 1981-1982: 202
16. 1911-1912, 1963-1964: 197
17. 1886-1887, 1919-1920: 196
18. 1904-1905: 195
19. 1984-1985: 194
20. 1916-1917: 193
21. 1894-1895: 191
22. 1883-1884: 189
23. 2000-2001: 188
24. 1947-1948, 1961-1962: 187
25. 1993-1994: 186
26. 1884-1885, 1939-1940: 185
27. 1983-1984, 1987-1988: 183
28. 1902-1903, 2014-2015: 182
29. 1954-1955: 180
30. 1878-1879, 1882-1883, 1960-1961, 1985-1986, 2003-2004, 2008-2009: 179

Do any of these surprise you? Both 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 are in the top 30 worst, but only 2013-2014 is in the top 10. In fact, other recent winters like 2000-2001, 2002-2003, 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 are all ranked worse than last winter. There have been a surprising number of recent winters in the top 30, however. There have been 8 total since 2000. No other similar time frame has produced as many.

And here are the 30 best winters (if you like warm, snowless, dry winters, that is).
1. 1931-1932: 74
2. 1889-1890: 75
3. 1879-1880: 86
4. 1997-1998: 102
5. 1881-1882, 1943-1944: 111
6. 2001-2002: 112
7. 1996-1997: 115
8. 1948-1949, 1953-1954: 118
9. 1941-1942, 1982-1983: 120
10. 1918-1919: 122
11. 1936-1937: 123
12. 1932-1933, 1991-1992: 124
13. 1930-1931: 125
14. 1905-1906, 1972-1973: 126
15. 1949-1950: 128
16. 1897-1898, 1986-1987: 129
17. 2011-2012: 130
18. 1938-1939: 131
19. 1937-1938: 134
20. 1908-1909, 1920-1921, 2005-2006: 135
21. 1924-1925: 137
22. 1896-1897: 138
23. 1927-1928, 1929-1930, 1940-1941, 1990-1991: 139
24. 1952-1953: 140
25. 1921-1922, 1945-1946, 1998-1999: 141
26. 1988-1989: 143
27. 1891-1892: 144
28. 1946-1947, 1971-1972: 145
29. 1912-1913, 1934-1935: 147
30. 1923-1924, 1992-1993: 148

Look how many of the warmest/least snowy occur between 1920 and 1945. Historically, this period had the fewest number of cold and/or snowy winters on record of any such 25-year period.

And what about winter 2015-2016? Well, that remains to be seen. However, the developing strong El Nino suggests a warmer than average winter. However, factors such as its position (west or east-based) as well as the PDO could throw some wrenches into that standard El Nino forecast. Either way, it will likely not be a top 30 worst.

Winter 2014-2015 Review

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Winter 2014-2015 Review Columbus, Ohio

The mid-November 2014 cold wave that kickstarted a historic winter.

The Winter 2014-2015 Review details the historic season, with its bouts of extreme cold and heavy snowfall occurring in all months except December.

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: 34.8 19th Coldest
Average Low: 19.3 14th Coldest
Mean: 27.1 15th Coldest
Precipitation: 7.27″ 57th Driest
Snowfall: 23.9″ 33rd Snowiest
Average Daily Snow Depth: 0.9″ 15th Highest
Largest Snowstorm: 6.8″ on February 21st
32 or Below Highs: 36 14th Most
32 or Below Lows: 76 13th Most
Measurable Precipitation Days: 36 12th Fewest
Measurable Snowfall Days: 15 11th Fewest
Deepest Snow Depth: 6″ on February 21st
Days with 1″+ Snow Depth: 30 16th Most

Entire Cold Season: October-April
Average High: 46.6 14th Coldest
Average Low: 29.4 14th Coldest
Mean: 38.0 14th Coldest
Precipitation: 19.51″ 67th Wettest
Snowfall: 33.4″ 28th Snowiest
Average Snow Depth: 0.6″ 7th Lowest
Largest Snowstorm: 6.8″ on February 21st
32 or Below Highs: 43 12th Most
32 or Below Lows: 116 17th Most
Measurable Precipitation Days: 89 16th Most
Measurable Snowfall Days: 22 13th Fewest
Deepest Snow Depth: 6″ on February 21st
Days with 1″+ Snow Depth: 45 8th Most

Average High By Month
October 2014: 63.4 32nd Coldest
November 2014: 45.7 9th Coldest
December 2014: 42.1 33rd Warmest
January 2015: 33.8 32nd Coldest
February 2015: 28.6 5th Coldest
March 2015: 47.6 37th Coldest
April 2015: 63.5 34th Warmest

Average Low By Month
October 2014: 45.4 37th Warmest
November 2014: 30.0 6th Coldest
December 2014: 29.9 19th Warmest
January 2015: 18.1 33rd Coldest
February 2015: 10.0 3rd Coldest
March 2015: 28.1 22nd Coldest
April 2015: 42.9 28th Warmest

Mean By Month
October 2014: 54.4 35th Coldest
November 2014: 37.9 7th Coldest
December 2014: 36.0 27th Warmest
January 2015: 26.0 31st Coldest
February 2015: 19.3 2nd Coldest
March 2015: 37.9 33rd Coldest
April 2015: 53.2 28th Warmest

Precipitation By Month
October 2014: 2.77″ 42nd Wettest
November 2014: 1.46″ 22nd Driest
December 2014: 2.70″ 63rd Driest
January 2015: 2.87″ 51st Wettest
February 2015: 1.70″ 45th Driest
March 2015: 3.92″ 45th Wettest
April 2015: 4.09″ 37th Wettest

Snowfall By Month
October 2014: Trace 2nd Least Snowy
November 2014: 4.1″ 15th Snowiest
December 2014: Trace 2nd Least Snowy
January 2015: 8.4″ 48th Snowiest
February 2015: 15.5″ 8th Snowiest
March 2015: 5.4″ 23rd Snowiest
April 2015: 0.0″ 1st Least Snowy

Average Snow Depth By Month
October 2014: 0″
November 2014: 0.4″
December 2014: 0″
January 2015: 0.8″
February 2015: 3.3″
March 2015: 1.1″
April 2015: 0″



Maximum High By Month
October 2014: 86 on the 2nd
November 2014: 69 on the 11th
December 2014: 61 on the 1st
January 2015: 59 on the 3rd
February 2015: 56 on the 8th
March 2015: 69 on the 16th
April 2015: 79 on the 13th and 18th

Minimum High By Month
October 2014: 49 on the 31st
November 2014: 19 on the 18th
December 2014: 26 on the 31st
January 2015: 13 on the 7th
February 2015: 8 on the 15th and 19th
March 2015: 23 on the 5th and 6th
April 2015: 50 on the 23rd

Minimum High Records
-The 33 on November 14th was a record for the day, beating the old record of 34 set in 1900, 1908, 1911 and 1916.
-The 19 on November 18th tied the record for the day set in 1904.
-The 8 on February 15th was a record for the day, beating the old record of 12 set in 1920.
-The 10 on February 16th was a record for the day, beating the old record of
-The 8 on February 19th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 10 set in 1885.
-The 18 on February 27th tied the record for the date set in 1888 and 1934.
-The 25 on February 28th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 26 set in 1986.

Maximum Low By Month
October 2014: 58 on the 13th and 14th
November 2014: 47 on the 4th
December 2014: 44 on the 23rd
January 2015: 34 on the 18th and 21st
February 2015: 41 on the 8th
March 2015: 43 on the 16th
April 2015: 57 on the 19th

Maximum Low Records
-The 54 on November 30th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 53 set in 1998 and 2006.

Minimum Low By Month
October 2014: 38 on the 4th, 26th and 31st
November 2014: 12 on the 18th
December 2014: 15 on the 15th
January 2015: -6 on the 8th
February 2015: -11 on the 24th
March 2015: 4 on the 6th
April 2015: 28 on the 24th

Minimum Low Records
-The -11 on February 24th was a record for the date, beating the old record of -1 set in 1914.
-The 0 on February 28th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 2 set in 1934.
-The 28 on April 24th tied the record for the date set in 1930.

Highest Daily Precipitation By Month
October 2014: 0.57″ on the 6th
November 2014: 0.39″ on the 17th
December 2014: 0.82″ on the 6th
January 2015: 1.46″ on the 3rd
February 2015: 0.55″ on the 1st
March 2015: 0.63″ on the 14th
April 2015: 0.66″ on the 2nd

Highest Daily Snowfall By Month
October 2014: Trace on the 4th
November 2014: 3.8″ on the 17th
December 2014: Trace on the 10th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th and 31st
January 2015: 3.7″ on the 6th
February 2015: 6.8″ on the 21st
March 2015: 3.6″ on the 1st
April 2015: 0.0″

Snowfall Records
-The 6.8″ on February 21st was a record for the day, beating the old record of 5.8″ set in 1893.
-The 3.6″ on March 1st was a record for the date, beating the old record of 3.5″ set in 1954.

Deepest Snow Depth By Month
October 2014: 0″
November 2014: 3″ on the 18th and 19th
December 2014: 0″
January 2015: 3″ on the 6th, 7th and 9th
February 2015: 6″ on the 21st
March 2015: 6″ on the 1st and 2nd
April 2015: 0″

For more winter records and local weather information, visit the following links.
Winter Season Records
Wilmington National Weather Service



January 1879 Arctic Outbreak

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January 1879 arctic outbreak

After a generally cold December, the January 1879 arctic outbreak would begin the new year, leading to Columbus’ 2nd coldest temperature ever officially recorded. The outbreak began on January 2nd, when a strong cold front moved in from the northwest in the early afternoon hours. The temperature fell rapidly during the evening, reaching a low of -13 on the 2nd for a total drop that day of 42 degrees. The core of the cold air moved across Ohio during the day of the 3rd, so temperatures warmed very little. Highs across the state were in the single digits south to below zero across the norther 2/3rds. Columbus had a rare below zero high of -4, which is the 2nd coldest January high on record and the 3rd coldest high of any month. The low on the 3rd was a frigid -20. This low stood as the coldest temperature in Columbus for 115 years, only being surpassed during the great arctic outbreak of January 1994, during which the temperature fell to -22.

The strong front was very moisture starved, and only a few tenths to an inch to an inch of snow fell with its passage.

Temperatures remained in the single digits for two more days before a gradual warming commenced. By the 8th temperatures went above freezing. The rest of January 1879 was fairly tame. 16 days after the 8th had highs of 35 or greater.

Of note is that the temperature of -20 occurred two more times before the end of the 19th century, in January 1884 and February 1899.