NEW ENGLAND'S SECOND SNOW IN ONE WEEK SETS RECORDS

Jan 27, 2005 � Snow continued to fall on Cape Cod in Massachusetts on Thursday as the second storm to hit New England in one week began to depart. In its wake, up to ten inches of snow had fallen as of Thursday morning, according to the NOAA National Weather Service, and the additional accumulation set new monthly records in two locations. (Click NOAA image for larger view of snow depth across the USA as of Jan. 24, 2005, based on preliminary figures. Click here for latest snow depth reports. Please credit “NOAA.”)

With 43.1 inches of snow so far, this is the snowiest January and the snowiest month in Boston since records began in 1872. The previous snowiest January was in 1996 with 39.8 inches, and the previous snowiest month was February 2003 with 41.6 inches—that month is remembered for the President's Day snowstorm, which was Boston's single snowiest storm with 27.5 inches on February 17-18.

This is also the snowiest January on record for Worcester, Mass., with 51.1 inches through Thursday morning. Previously, January 1987 held the top position with 46.8 inches. This is the second snowiest month overall, surpassed only by February 1893 with 55.0 inches. Records in Worcester date back to 1892.

In Rhode Island, Providence continues to recover from what has been the city's second snowiest January and second snowiest month on record. Wednesday's 2.2 inches of snow was not enough to bring this month's total above the existing record (for both snowiest January and snowiest month) of 37.4 inches set in January 1996. Still, the 36.7 inches that have accumulated from New Year's Day through Wednesday far exceeds the average snowfall of 9.0 inches for the same period.

Under clear skies, temperatures will remain bitterly cold in southern New England on Thursday and Friday, before a warming trend over the weekend could drive thermometers above the freezing mark.

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Relevant Web Sites
Today's National Weather

NOAA National Winter Weather Forecasts

NOAA Weather Service

NOAA Operational Daily Snow Cover Analysis (Satellite Imagery)

NOAA Snow Water Equivalent

NOAA U.S. Snow Monitoring

NOAA National Climatic Data Center (Archived Weather Data)

NOAA Weather Service Suite of Official Weather Products

NOAA Winter Weather Safety/Wind Chill

NOAA Storm Watch

Media Contacts:
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National Media: Carmeyia Gillis, NOAA Climate Prediction Center, (301) 763-8000 ext. 7163
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NOAA Weather Service Central Region: Pat Slattery, (816) 891-7734 ext. 621
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