PART VII, THE Snowstorm of , 1925.

Figure 1 NOAA, NOAA Central Library. Daily Weather Map for 8am Oct. 28, 1925.

Figure 2 NOAA, NOAA Central Library. Close-up of Mid-Atlantic region at 8am Oct. 29, 1925 on the Daily Weather Map.

Figure 3 NOAA, NOAA Central Library. Daily Weather Map for 8am Oct. 30, 1925.

Figure 4 NOAA, NOAA Central Library. A Close-up view of the Mid-Atlantic Region at 8am Oct. 30, 1925.

Figure 5 NOAA, NOAA Central Library. Weather Conditions and General Forecast from the Daily Weather Map on Oct. 31, 1925.

Figure 6 NOAA, NOAA Central Library. Close-up of the Mid-Atlantic region at 8am Oct. 31, 1925.

Figure 7 AMS, Monthly Weather Review Oct. 1925. Tracks of Centers of Cyclones, October, 1925. (Inset) Change in Mean Pressure from Preceding Month. (Plotted by Wilfred P. Day) Note that October 1925 was a very active month for Storms. There were seven coastal storms that affected the east coast during October 1925. Some of these storms were intense with damaging winds.

Figure 8 AMS, Monthly Weather Review Oct. 1925. Close-up of NE U.S. , Total Snowfall, Inches, October 1925.

Figure 9 Snowfall in Maryland from the Oct. 30, 1925 snowstorm.

Map done by Herbert Close, Jr.

Data provided by NOAA, NCDC in Asheville, N.C.

The October 30, 1925 snowstorm still stands for having the most widespread snowcover across the state of Maryland. Snowfall amounts of two inches extended to southern Maryland and south central DelMarVa.

For others to the south and east, the snowstorm of October 30, 1925 is still the biggest snowstorm on record in modern times. A more widespread snow cover occured in the 1925 storm across the states of Maryland and Delaware. Temperatures were colder in that storm although snowfall amounts varied less. Most areas received two to four inches snowfall from La Plata to Cambridge, Maryland to Dover, Delaware northward. No snow fell at Salisbury, two inches fell at La Plata and Cambridge, 2.2 inches at D.C., three inches at Dover, Delaware, up to 5 inches fell in central and northern Harford County and northern Baltimore County. In western Maryland, 5.7" fell at Frostburg, 7.7" fell at Oakland, and 12.4" fell at Grantsville, Maryland. These amounts are monthly totals and I'm not sure if Grantsville had any other snowfalls that month. I will have to look into that.

1925 Nashville TN was blanketed with an inch of snow, their earliest measurable snow of record. (The Weather Channel) Richmond, Virginia had a high temperature for the day of 44 °F making it the coolest October day on record (records since 1897). (Ref. Richmond Weather Records) The earliest snow greater than one inch in Washington, D.C., fell on October 30, 1925, (2.2") and , 1940,(1.4"). The deepest Baltimore snowstorm ever recorded in October struck on this date in 1925, killing at least one person and blinding the rail birds at Laurel Park through all seven races. The storm dropped 1 to 3 inches of snow across the region, with an official 2.5 inches in Baltimore. That remains the deepest October snowfall on record for the city. In Baltimore, the snow began falling around 1 p.m. and continued into the evening, even as surface temperatures remained above freezing. Deepest October snowfall on record for Baltimore

The Baltimore Sun Newspaper OCTOBER 30, 2009 Worst October snow ever struck in 1925 Parts of Colorado are digging out from two to three feet of snow today, the worst October storm in years for the Denver area. And that's why we don't live there. The deepest Baltimore snowstorm ever recorded in October struck on this date in 1925, killing at least one person and blinding the railbirds at Laurel Park through all seven races. The storm dropped 1 to 3 inches of snow across the region, with an official 2.5 inches in Baltimore. That remains the deepest October snowfall on record for the city. The storm was born in the Gulf of Mexico and intensified as it spun up the east coast. The coastal low left snow on the ground from Virginia to southern New England. "Below-zero weather was reported at several places in the Middle West, where all October records for seventy years were shattered ," The Sun said. " West Virginia and Eastern Ohio experienced almost blizzard weather and a considerable fall of snow. Heavy damage to late crops was reported in most sections of the Middle West and lakes Region. " In Baltimore, the snow began falling around 1 p.m. and continued into the evening, even as surface temperatures remained above freezing. The previous day's high temperature of 46 degrees remains the coolest high temperature on record for an Oct. 29 in Baltimore. George Holritter, a 70-year-old Baltimore scissors grinder, was walking in snow on Calverton Road, near Frederick Avenue, when he was struck by a coal truck and killed instantly. The driver " told the police that snow on his windshield prevented him from seeing the man in time to avoid the accident ," The Sun reported. Elsewhere in the city, Mrs. Annie Weinlich, 76, of the 700 block of West Cross St., slipped and fell in the slush and snow on South Hanover Street and broke her leg. She was taken toSouth Baltimore General Hospital. Down at Laurel Park, The Sun's racing reporter described a " blinding snowstorm which made it impossible to distinguish colors ." "Despite the fact that all the horses looked alike, whether they were finishing, starting, rounding around the first or lower bend, or going down the backstretch, their admirers cheered for their favorites anyway. Many didn't even know the winners until the official numbers were posted ," The Sun said. (Photo by Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club, Jan. 5, 2003) The above report provided to Herb from Lowell L. Koontz.

Here's how The Evening Sun recounted the event, in its report the next day, on Saturday, Oct. 31, 1925: This is the first October day in forty-nine years on which Marylanders found snow on the ground and ice over the milk bottles when they arose, says James H. Spencer, forecaster. There was ice on the milk bottle on his porch, where his thermometer showed twenty-six degrees before the sun began to warm things up. That is four degrees below the official record of the lowest temperature in the last twenty-four hours. Mr. Spencer drops into poetry when he isn't working over weather maps. He became poetic today in describing snow-covered lawns, houses and trees glistening under the sun. He says he never before, in any climate, saw the gorgeous oranges, scarlets, purples and browns of October trees covered with the white mantle of winter. This October, the Weather Man declares, has been freakish, and the snowstorm of yesterday was the climax of its weirdness ... "Does all this verify," Mr. Spancer was asked, "the prophesies that this winter is going to be a record-breaker for snows and severe weather?" "Not at all," he answered. "Nobody is able to guess now what the weather is going to be through the winter. There is no foundation for those stories." There was ice on the milk bottle on his porch, where his thermometer showed twenty-six degrees before the sun began to warm things up. That is four degrees below the official record of the lowest temperature in the last twenty-four hours. Mr. Spencer drops into poetry when he isn't working over weather maps. He became poetic today in describing snow-covered lawns, houses and trees glistening under the sun. He says he never before, in any climate, saw the gorgeous oranges, scarlets, purples and browns of October trees covered with the white mantle of winter. This October, the Weather Man declares, has been freakish, and the snowstorm of yesterday was the climax of its weirdness ... "Does all this verify," Mr. Spancer was asked, "the prophesies that this winter is going to be a record-breaker for snows and severe weather?" "Not at all," he answered. "Nobody is able to guess now what the weather is going to be through the winter. There is no foundation for those stories.

This report is provided by Lowell L. Koontz

Figure 10 Information on earliest snows from Lowell L. Koontz

Figure 11 This report provided by Lowell L. Koontz

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to give a special thanks to all those who helped with this report.

Thanks to Lowell L. Koontz for all the great information he provided on past October snowstorms. Lowell provided news reports, weather maps, and weather records.

Thanks to ACON Coordinator Kevin Shaw for all the snowstorm information on the snowstorms of 2011 and 1979.

Thanks to Caroline and the staff of the NOAA Central Library and the Metro Climate Review for the , 1979 snowfall information for the DC metro area.

Thanks to Jeff Taylor for Climatological Data on the October 1940 snowstorm.

Thanks to David Lesher for all the climatological data that he has supplied me with.

Thanks to weather observers Stan Rossen, Marty Brumback, Robert Rickell, and Ray Muller for their help.

Thanks to Gary Gallaher for his help with my report in ACON.

Thanks to Ed Stannard of the New Haven Register.

Thanks to all the weather observers of ACON, Cocorahs, CO-OP Observers, SKYWARN, National Weather Service, and Emergency Management, and the general public for their snowfall and storm reports.

Special thanks to all the staff and offices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, and the Environmental Data Service.

NOAA, National Weather Service, Sterling, Va.

NOAA, National Weather Service, State College, Pa.

NOAA, National Weather Service, Mt. Holly, Pa.

NOAA, National Weather Service, New York, NY

NOAA, National Weather Service, Binghamton, NY

NOAA, National Weather Service, Taunton, MA

NOAA, National Weather Service, Portland, Me. NOAA, National Weather Service, Grey, Me.

NOAA, National Weather Service, Caribou, Me.

NOAA, NWS, STORM PREDICTION CENTER, NORMAN, OK

NOAA, NATIONAL CLIMATE DATA CENTER in Asheville, N.C.

The American Meteorological Society

(NOAA, NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE DATA AND INFORMATION SERVICE) NOAA ENVIRONMENTAL VISUALIZATION LABORATORY Figure 1 NOAA, NESIS

Figure 2 NOAA, NWS, State College, Pa.

Figure 3 WGAL Channel 8 in Lancaster, Pa.

Figure 4 Data provided by NOAA, NWS, Sterling, Virginia.

Snowfall Amounts NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STERLING VA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME

CLIMATE REPORT FROM THE NWS AT GRAY, ME

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA

A report by Matt Daniel of earthsky.org “Unprecedented snowfall hits New England late October 2011”. http://earthsky.org/earth/unprecedented-snowfall-hits-new-england-late-october-2011

Figure 5 GOES Satellite Photo from NOAA

Figure 6 Water vapor image from NOAA GOES Satellite photo

“ Review of Snow-tober 2011” by NOAA, NWS in Taunton, Massachusetts.

Figure 7 NOAA, NWS U.S. Map of watches and Warnings. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/historic-october- northeast-storm-epic-incredible-downright-ridiculous/2011/10/31/gIQApy7LZM_blog.html

Figure 8 Visible GOES Satellite photo WWW ACCUWEATHER.COM.

MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 2276 NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK

NOAA / National Weather Service National Centers for Environmental Prediction Storm Prediction Center 120 David L. Boren Blvd. Norman, OK 73072 U.S.A.

THE WEATHER CHANNEL

WEATHER.COM (The Weather Channel)

Special thanks to the media, all the newspapers, broadcast media, and private forecast services, ACCUWEATHER, THE WEATHER CHANNEL, Capital-Weather-Gang of the Washington Post, earthsky.org, and the DC Weather Examiner.

Washington Post, Washington, D.C.

The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, Md.

The Evening Sun of Hanover, Pa.

The Carroll County Section of the Evening Sun in Westminster, Md.

The Carroll County Times, Westminster, Md.

The New Haven Register, New Haven, Ct.

Daily News Record

WGAL TV Channel 8 in Lancaster, Pa.

FOX 43 News in York, Pa.

Thanks to Google for all their help in my research.

For further reading on October snowstorms including the historic snowstorm of , 2011 check out the web sites from Google and the World Wide Web. There are many great reports out there including the web sites of the above credits. Check them out!

In the months ahead, I hope to do a follow up report on early snowstorms focusing on storms from the 1800s back. I’ve been continuing my research in old diaries, garden books, journals, weather history books including those by David M. Ludlum. I was hoping to include that information in this report. However this report was quickly becoming too large and this report was taking much longer to finish than I thought it would. I will have to do a second report. There are a number of very interesting October storms that hit the northeast United States in the past. I would like to share those with you.

Until then, take care and Happy Holidays!

Herbert Close, Jr.