February snowfall lowest on record
February in the Pittsburgh region set a record for the lowest snowfall in more than 150 years — but more could be on the way, according David Shallenberger, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh.
“February did set a record for snowfall,” Shallenberger said. “We ended up with 0.2 inches of snowfall for the month of February — that is 11.5 inches below normal, and it is the least-snowy February on record.”
The records, Shallenberger said, trace back to 1870, even though the location in which they are recorded has changed during the last 153 years.
Since 1952, he said, they have been recorded at Pittsburgh International Airport.
“Then it was at the Allegheny County Airport from ’32’ to ’52,” Shallenberger said. “And then, before that, it was downtown. The downtown records start all the way back from 1870.”
While the location of the recordings could affect measurement, Shallenberger said this winter, so far, ranks as the “12th least-snowy winter” on record.
“The least-snowy winter was 1889 to 1890, and there was only 1.3 inches,” Shallenberger said. “So we’re not in super-rare territory in regard to the season yet, but we’ve still got March to go, so we’ll see what happens.”
A recipe of low temperatures and high precipitation this March might make up for a lack of snowfall in February, Shallenberger said.
“While we can’t necessarily comment on snowfall amounts,” he said, “we can look at trends.”
From March 11 to 15, Shallenberger said, there is a strong possibility of below-average temperatures and an increase in precipitation as the spring season begins.
“So the fact that, on the six- to 10-day (forecast), we’re looking at near-normal precipitation combined with colder temperatures, you get the right setup that you can actually get a little bit more snow,” he explained.
That trend is set to continue over the eight- to 14-day forecast, according to Shallenberger.
“Which, I’m going to be taking a trip during that period,” he said with a laugh, “so that kind of gives you the idea there.”
While Shallenberger emphasized that snowfall could be unpredictable, March has all the ingredients to make good on a certain groundhog’s prediction.
“It would seem that there stands to be a good chance for some wet, heavy snow in March,” Shallenberger said. “It all depends on when we get our heavy moisture coming over our cold air into the area.”
