March 6th-8th Long Duration Snowstorm Recap: Snowfall Totals

This was one strange storm to witness and there were many aspects in play that affected the amount of snow that fell. A cut-off low pressure system way south of Southern New England stalled to our SE after interacting with an upper-level disturbance over the Great Lakes slinged moisture time and time again bringing substantial snowfall and heavy snow bands onshore. Even though many saw plowable snow, there were some that had considerably less which I want to address in the blog post.

Valley Shadowing

We saw an interesting range of snowfall totals across the region. The valley was under constant shadowing throughout the storm and only a few inches fell along the I-91 corridor. At UMass Amherst, I saw barely enough snow to coat grassy surfaces! Incredible gradient between the valley and the hilltowns... I know there has been valley shadowing in past storms but I've never anything like this before. Out in Eastern Hampden and Worcester County ten to twenty minutes away from the valley, there were reports of a foot and up to two feet of snow! Those spots were constantly under intense bands of snow. However, when they progressed westward, the snow bands severely weakened as they went across the lower elevations of the valley. Only upon reaching the eastern slopes of the Berkshires did they redevelop again. This pattern happened every single time and never relented. I believe the lack of a true cold airmass prevented the light snow from otherwise accumulating because snow rates were never high enough to do so.

Snow Hole in RI?

Snowfall map by NWS Boston showing the prominent valley
shadowing and the unexpected lack of snow in Rhode Island

I have to admit the valley shadowing was forecasted to occur (albeit not as severely as progged) but this definitely wasn't. Snowfall graphic by NWS Boston above suggested that mild temperatures and perhaps shadowing produced a lack of snow in Southern Rhode Island. It showed up as a distinctive hole on radar and it stayed there in one spot throughout the duration of the storm. Very, very strange and I have not come across a reasonable explanation why.

Snowfall Totals

Less snow fell up and down the Pioneer Valley where up to 6" of snow fell. But go a few towns east and west out of the low-lying areas and totals climbed up fairly quickly. The eastern slopes of the Berkshires and eastern Hampden County received the most snow with more than a foot. Here is a list of snowfall totals for Western Massachusetts:

NWS (merged with older PNS versions)

...BERKSHIRE COUNTY...
   SAVOY                 11.0  1104 PM  3/08  WEATHERNET6
   NORTH OTIS            10.0  1030 AM  3/08  PUBLIC
   LENOX                  9.6   542 PM  3/08  CO-OP OBSERVER
   PITTSFIELD             8.0   538 PM  3/08  WEATHERNET6
   SHEFFIELD              8.0  1005 AM  3/08  FACEBOOK
   LANESBOROUGH           5.5   444 PM  3/08  WEATHERNET6
   ALFORD                 5.0   544 PM  3/08  WEATHERNET6
   RICHMOND               4.5  1005 AM  3/08  FACEBOOK

...FRANKLIN COUNTY...
   HEATH                  6.5   328 PM  3/08  SPOTTER
   NEW SALEM              6.0   300 AM  3/08  PUBLIC
   LEYDEN                 5.0  1015 AM  3/08  HAM RADIO
   ASHFIELD               4.9   700 AM  3/08  COOP OBSERVER
   LEVERETT               4.0   700 AM  3/08  COOP OBSERVER
   EAST CHARLEMONT        3.5  1055 AM  3/08  SPOTTER
   SUNDERLAND             3.5   700 AM  3/08  COOP OBSERVER
   GREENFIELD             2.0   849 AM  3/08  GENERAL PUBLIC
   TURNERS FALLS          1.0  1001 AM  3/08  NONE

...HAMPDEN COUNTY...
   WALES                 21.0   350 PM  3/08  HAM RADIO
   MONSON                18.0   312 PM  3/08  HAM RADIO
   EAST LONGMEADOW       11.5  1139 AM  3/08  HAM RADIO
   LUDLOW                11.0   209 PM  3/08  TRAINED SPOTTER
   CHESTER                7.0   606 AM  3/08  HAM RADIO
   HOLYOKE                2.0   830 AM  3/08  SPOTTER

...HAMPSHIRE COUNTY...
   WARE                  10.8   700 AM  3/08  COOP OBSERVER
   BELCHERTOWN            8.0  1145 AM  3/08  HAM RADIO
   WORTHINGTON            6.6   700 AM  3/08  COOP OBSERVER
   HUNTINGTON             7.0   845 AM  3/08  HAM RADIO
   SOUTH HADLEY           2.5  1146 AM  3/08  HAM RADIO
   NORTHAMPTON            2.0   939 AM  3/08  HAM RADIO
   AMHERST                1.0   700 AM  3/08  COOP OBSERVER

CoCoRaHS
Stockbridge: 7"
Wilbraham: 8"
Westhampton: 3.6"

COOP
West Otis: 9.3"
Worthington: 7.3"
Sunderland: 3.4"
Ware: 10.8"
Leverett: 4.5"
Amherst: 1"

WWLP Springfield
18" Holland
18" Monson
17" Brimfield
16" Wales
15" Palmer
15" West Brookfield
14" Hampden
12.5" Warren
11" Wilbraham
10" Belchertown
10" Otis
9" Shutesbury
8" East Longmeadow
8" East Forest Park
8" East Otis
8" Plainfield
8" Middlefield
7" Chester
7" Ludlow
7" Blandford
7" Cummington
7" Worthington
6" Chesterfield
5.5" Granby
5.5" Westhampton
4.5" Goshen
4.5" Orange
2" Chicopee
1" Easthampton

http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/weather/us_wx_news/snowfall-totals-from-early-march-storm

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