The Blizzard of 2005

[W13]

I think that it is way to premature to call this the Blizzard of 2005. A lot could happen, and most likely will between now and when the Winter season is over.

[Chris the Weather Man]

Yeah, Like 2002-2003........ People thought that Christmas Snowstorm of 2002 was THE storm, well, Until Feb 2003.......

[vbhoutex]

Just in case there is any question about the severity of this Blizzard the following is from Weathermatrix where I am also a member.

A quick look has led me to believe that these are the records for this
storm, if anyone can correct me please do...

Lowest Pressure (Sea):
Buoy Off Nantucket: 28.96" (Close to Cat 1 Hurricane)
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=44008

Lowest Pressure (Land):
Nantucket: 29.17"
<http://www.accuweather.com/adcbin/public/meteo_current_obs.asp?sta=ack&time=24&partner=6037&BtnMet=Decoded&type=metar>

Highest Waves:
Buoy Off Nantucket: 29.9 Feet
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=44008

Highest Wind Gusts (Over 70mph shown):
http://www.weathermatrix.com/archive/sn ... /1130.html

NANTUCKET-MADAKET 84 mph
NANTUCKET 75 mph
AWS North Kingstown HS 75 mph*
NANTUCKET 74 mph
PLYMOUTH 72 mph
BARNSTABLE 72 mph
Buoy Off Nantucket: 70 mph**

**http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=44008

*http://www.instaweather.com/wjar/default.asp?cid=90&id=NRTHK

[JenyEliza]

Just in case there is any question about the severity of this Blizzard the following is from Weathermatrix where I am also a member.

A quick look has led me to believe that these are the records for this
storm, if anyone can correct me please do...

Lowest Pressure (Sea):
Buoy Off Nantucket: 28.96" (Close to Cat 1 Hurricane)
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=44008

Lowest Pressure (Land):
Nantucket: 29.17"
<http://www.accuweather.com/adcbin/public/meteo_current_obs.asp?sta=ack&time=24&partner=6037&BtnMet=Decoded&type=metar>

Highest Waves:
Buoy Off Nantucket: 29.9 Feet
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=44008

Highest Wind Gusts (Over 70mph shown):
http://www.weathermatrix.com/archive/sn ... /1130.html

NANTUCKET-MADAKET 84 mph
NANTUCKET 75 mph
AWS North Kingstown HS 75 mph*
NANTUCKET 74 mph
PLYMOUTH 72 mph
BARNSTABLE 72 mph
Buoy Off Nantucket: 70 mph**

**http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=44008

*http://www.instaweather.com/wjar/default.asp?cid=90&id=NRTHK

Certainly does resemble a winter hurricane, doesn't it?

[arlwx]

We ordinarily would be safe in specifying this as the New England blizzard of January 2005, but even January is not quite done with the East Coast yet...

[Tri-State_1925]

I posted on this in the middle of the storm...and my opinion really hasn't changed since the final totals came in. For many parts of New England including Western Mass and much of CT, this really wasn't a memorable storm at all. I'm not sure I'm going to remember it well in a few years...I know in WMass we've had a handful of snow events of equal or larger magnitude over the past decade of which I have little recall.

The newspapers and people I have talked to in both of the above regions have echoed my impressions. The snowfall totals weren't close to historic and the snow was light and easy to clear...didn't get the big power outages you'd find with wet snow.

Just an example, my father felt that the snow event they had earlier this month was more impressive...snow literally caused a noticeable explosion in the power lines nearby...power was out for a good portion of the following day.

This is definitely a historic storm worthy of the "Blizzard of 05" title for far Eastern Mass and RI...hard to believe they'll see a big costal event around those parts again this year or in the next couple years. However, for those more westward and inland, this title doesn't apply as there definitely could be a much bigger event to hit that region over the next couple months.