BLANKET US, PLEASE SNOW, MAN! We could really use a day of flakes
We'd love some snow--the pretty snow that doesn't cost life or limb
By LUCIA ANDERSON
Date published: 1/19/2007
Snow.
Softly falling flakes, muffling everyday noise, draping ordinary objects in mystery. Hiding all the mess and grime. Making the world new.
Where is it?
Forget talk of tantalizing flurries and messy mixes. Forecasters say we may have a dusting today. But the kind of snow we're looking for has to be at least 4 inches deep.
They have snow to the south of us, snow to the north of us, snow to the west of us. Where's ours?
Quickly now, let us assure you that we understand the concept of too much snow. Snow that makes driving hazardous, if not fatal, snow that topples trees and cuts off electricity, snow that tests survival tactics.
What we want is just enough snow. Enough to make it pretty outside. Enough to justify staying home from work. Enough for a cozy fire in the fireplace, and a bubbling pot of stew or soup on the back burner.
Remember?
You dress in the comfy old shirt and L.L.Bean corduroys, warm wooly socks and slippers. You make a mug of cocoa and stand, looking out the window at the drifting whiteness, while you sip the warm, rich brew.
You pull that turkey soup you made after Thanksgiving out of the freezer and set it to simmering on the stove.
You find that book you've been meaning to read since Christmas and snuggle down with some blankets in the chair by the fireplace. With luck, you have a dog to lay his head across your feet.
No schedules to meet, no tasks to complete. Contentment.
So where is it?
Surely Missouri and Oklahoma would be willing to share. We're already halfway through January and the daffodils are poking up out of the ground.
"The biggest historical snowstorms around here have been in late January and February," warned meteorologist Steve Rogowski at the National Weather Service in Sterling.
He said the lack of snow so far is all the baby's fault--you know, El Niño. Higher than normal water temperatures in the Pacific shift the high-level wind patterns and that plays 10-pins with the surface weather.
But, "There's still a lot of winter to go," Rogowski said. "We're not out of the woods yet."
Can't you just smell that cocoa?
To reach LUCIA ANDERSON: 540/374-5405
Email: landerson@freelancestar.com
WINTER WEATHER SUMMARY
Richmond Winter Statistics
Average snowfall: 14.0 inches
Greatest snow: 21.6 inches in January 1940
Snowiest month: 28.5 inches in January 1940
Coldest temperature: -12 degrees in January 1940
Arlington/Alexandria/Washington Winter Statistics
Average snowfall: 16.6 inches
Greatest snow: 28 inches in January 1922
Snowiest month: 35.2 inches in February 1899
Coldest temperature: -15 degrees in February 1899 |
THERE'S STILL HOPE
This area has a history of late-winter snow storms. Here are a few memorable ones culled from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Web site (vaemer gency.com/newsroom /history/winter.cfm):
January 24-25, 2000. The all-day commute. The heaviest band of snow fell from south-central Virginia through Petersburg and the Northern Neck with 1-11/2 feet of snow. Drifts of 4 to 5 feet were common. Many commuters who were already on their way to work by the time the federal government decided to shut down didn't get back home until late in the evening.
Jan. 28, 1772. The Washington and Jefferson Snow Storm. Recorded in both George Washington's and Thomas Jefferson's diaries, the storm left 30 to 36 inches of snow from Charlottesville to Washington, and remains the unofficial record.
Feb. 12-14, 1899. The Blizzard of '99. No, not that '99. 1899. Extreme cold settled into the state with Quantico recording a record low of -20 degrees on the 11th. The temperature fell to -21 degrees in Fredericksburg. The blizzard struck on Valentine's Day, dropping 16 inches of snow in Richmond and giving Washington a snow depth of 34 inches. For the month, Fredericksburg recorded 35 inches.
February 18-19, 1979. The Presidents Day Storm was considered the worst storm in 57 years to strike Northern Virginia. Snow depths from the storm ranged up to 20 inches. At times, 2 to 3 inches fell per hour.
March 9, 1999. This area got 6 inches of snow, although the forecast had called for 1-3 inches. Snow was even heavier to the north, snarling traffic. At least 200 abandoned, damaged or stuck vehicles had to be towed off interstates 95 and 66.
May 4, 1774. Yes, that's May, not March. The Williamsburg Gazette reported snow had fallen in Dumfries. George Washington's diary notes a cold day at Mount Vernon with spits of snow and a hard wind from the northwest. Thomas Jefferson near Charlottesville observed the Blue Ridge Mountains covered with snow. The late-season snow and frost killed most of the fruit crop in the northern part of the state.
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Date published: 1/19/2007
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