An East Coast Winter Storm Precipitation Climatology Nicholas

An East Coast Winter Storm Precipitation Climatology Nicholas J. Frankoski Dr. Arthur T. De. Gaetano Cornell University Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Ithaca, NY

Research Objectives • Percentage of Snowfall from East Coast Winter Storms (ECWS) Throughout the Eastern United States • Percentage of Precipitation from ECWS Throughout the Eastern United States • Percentage of Snowfall and Precipitation from Rapidly Deepening Storms (“Bombs”) Throughout the Eastern United States • Analysis of Percentages Trends, Variations, Relationships to El Niño Southern Oscillation President’s Day Storm of 2003 (NCDC and NOAA)

Climatology of ECWS An East Coast Winter Storm Climatology (Hirsch, De. Gaetano, Colucci)

Cooperative Observer Stations collecting daily snowfall data

Determining ECWS Snowfall and Precipitation: The Decision Process

Precipitation (in) 02 Nov 1970 Precipitation Gradient Line Pressure Gradient Line

Average Annual Percentage of Snowfall from ECWS during 1951 -1952 to 2005 - 2006

Average Annual Percentage of Precipitation from ECWS during 1951 -1952 to 2005 - 2006

Average Annual Snowfall (cm) from ECWS during 1951 -1952 to 2005 -2006

Average Annual Precipitation (mm) from ECWS during 1951 -1952 to 2005 -2006

Average Percentage of November Snowfall from ECWS during 1951 -1952 to 2005 -2006

Average Percentage of November Precipitation from ECWS during 1951 -1952 to 2005 -2006

Analysis by Region: Based on Average Annual % of ECWS Snowfall Appalachians Transition Zone Northern New England Urban Corridor Southeast Local Minimum Deep South Maximum

Northern New England: ECWS Snowfall (cm), % of Snowfall from ECWS, by snow-year

Next Steps… • Sensitivity Analysis: – How would the ECWS percentages change if any COOP station in the study having precipitation or snowfall during an ECWS event was included in the climatology? – How would the ECWS percentages change around the Great Lakes if Lake Effect snow was included in the climatology?