'Snowmaggedon' or 'Snowpocalypse' Times Two in February
With the mild winter much of the United States has been experiencing, the two massive snowstorms that struck the Northeast in one week of February 2010 seem like a distant memory.
The first of the two storms hit the Ohio Valley into the mid-Atlantic from Feb. 4-6, 2010. A couple of feet of snow and more fell across southern Pennsylvania, Maryland and northern Virginia.
High winds whipped the snow around, causing massive blowing and drifting and leading to blizzard conditions.
Philadelphia was clobbered by 28.5 inches of snow. Washington, D.C., received 17.8 inches of snow, making travel a nightmare and stranding many motorists along the beltway.
Thousands of airline travelers were also stranded in airports along the storm's path.
The severity of the February snowstorm was expressed by President Obama when he referred to it as "Snowmaggedon." AccuWeather.com dubbed the storm "Snowpocalypse."
RELATED: Pictures From 'Snowmaggedon' in February 2010
Only two days passed with dry weather and highs at or just above freezing before yet another snowstorm arrived Feb. 9-10.
Photo from Bromall, Pa., submitted by user vbabyvetter on the AccuWeather.com Photo Gallery on Feb. 6, 2010.
A total of 15.8 inches of snow piled up in Philadelphia. February 2010 ended up with nearly six times the normal monthly snowfall.
Washington, D.C., received 10.8 inches of snow from the second storm. The total snowfall for February 2010 added up to 32.1 inches, nearly seven times the normal monthly snowfall.
The winter of 2010 went down in the record books as the snowiest on record for some of the major cities of the Northeast, including Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
Some AccuWeather.com Facebook fans reminisced about how much snow fell in February of 2010, wishing that there was more snow this winter.
"Yeah, here in Pickens, WV we had 4' or more of snow in Feb. 2010. We haven't had much snow this winter. The most we have had is 18" at one time. I like the bigger snows. That is the way winter is supposed to be," said AccuWeather.com Facebook fan Velda B.
"*sigh* The good old days," said AccuWeather.com Facebook fan Ramona X when remembering the snow of February 2010.
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Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 100° | Smyrna, TN |
| Low | 15° | Sunset Crater, AZ |
| Precip | 3.99" | Wadena, MN |
WeatherWhys®
Hail is much more common during the months of May and June compared to July and August. The main reason is the fact that the freezing level is usually higher during July and August as pockets of cold air in the upper atmosphere are less common as the jet stream weakens and retreats farther north.
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