So far this winter season appears to be a let down for snow enthusiasts, but that is not really the statistical case. As of the end of Thursday, February 21, we were only 4.7 inches below the average for the season to this point. And we all know that we can easily pick that up in a few hours!

We can look even deeper into the stats to figure out why this winter hasn't produced the feeling that the past few have had. We have to keep this in mind. When it comes to the snowiest winters on record, many of the past few years have high on the charts.

If you notice, by these numbers, half of the 10 snowiest winters have been in the last 15 years. So, while close to average for the snow season, our 69.9 inches (as of this posting) has just been overshadowed.

Ray Petelin,
WSEE Storm Team Meteorologist

Here are the numbers from the winter storm that moved through our area between February 26th and 27th...

These numbers are from the National Weather Service office in Cleveland, OH. Ace weather watcher Gen Bleakley in Edinboro had 15 inches on the ground at the time of this post!

These totals indicate how much snow is on the ground. A few inches were already in place before this storm moved into the area. That being said, we are still officially in the "Above Average Snowfall" category for Late February!

Ray Petelin,
WSEE Storm Team Meteorologist

When it comes to severe weather, you can never have too many people collecting information. Many times, meteorologists are forced to work with little information, and that is why it is important to have as many trained "spotters" as possible. Spotters pass along important storm information to the National Weather Service, which in turn passes the information to television stations, radio stations, and other organizations. This information can be life saving.

Now is the time of year where you can learn what to look for, and how to report weather information to the National Weather Service, and it is absoloutely free. During March, April, and May, the National Weather Service Office in Cleveland (that is the office that serves most of our viewing area) holds SKYWARN Training seminars to educate the public on what to look for in severe weather. The first one in our area is in Crawford County.

Here is some information from the National Weather Service in Cleveland:

Being a storm spotter not only means dedication, but also training. Each spring the Cleveland office of the National Weather Service trains members of police & fire departments, emergency management officials and amateur radio operators on spotting techniques. Typically the training is coordinated by a local group (such as an emergency management agency), and a NWS meteorologist serves as the guest instructor. The goal of the training is not just to recognize tornadoes, but to have some understanding of storm structure, which in turn better prepares the spotter for the extreme and unusual circumstances.

National Weather Service
5301 West Hangar Rd.
Cleveland, OH 44135
216-265-2382 EXT 223
e-mail:gary.garnet@noaa.gov

There will be a seminar on April 22nd in Erie, and one on May first in Ashtabula. More information will be passed along on the Storm Team Weather Blog as we get closer to those dates.

Ray Petelin,
WSEE Storm Team Meteorologist