Snowy October in Boston

[donsutherland1]

Lost in the tremendous precipitation totals that occurred across parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast was the fact that Boston had its snowiest October since regular snowfall recordkeeping began in 1891. All 1.1" fell on October 29, making the date the earliest in modern recordkeeping for 1" or more snow.

Snowiest Octobers:
2005 1.1"
1979 0.4"
1913 0.2"
26 years saw a trace of snow fall in October

Prior to 1891, there had been heavier October snowfalls. Prominent October snowfalls included:

October 8-10, 1703: 3"-4"
October 28-29, 1746: 5.75" at Salem, Massachusetts
October 27, 1851: Up to 3" near Boston
October 17, 1868: 2"

Such heavy early season snowfall does not necessarily indicate that a snowy winter lies ahead. The following has occurred in seasons where October saw a trace or more of snow:

50" or more: 5/29 (17%) seasons
40"-49.9": 12/29 (41%) seasons
< 40": 12/29 (41%) seasons

December's snowfall could be indicative of which course Winter 2005-06 will take:

∙ 5/5 (100%) seasons with 50" or more received 10" or more snow in December
∙ 2/12 (17%) seasons with < 40" snowfall received 10" or more snow in December

[donsutherland1]

Another Boston snowfall tidbit...

6 of Boston's 10 snowiest months on record, including 5 of its 6 snowiest months, have occurred from 1993 onward:

1. 43.3" January 2005
2. 41.6" February 2003
4. 39.8" January 1996
5. 38.9" March 1993
6. 36.2" February 1994
10. 33.7" January 1994