This is a quick documentation of the snow event that began on Thursday evening March 3 and lasting into the Friday morning March 4 2016. This event was a tough call since temperatures had been above freezing for a few days and even though it cooled down with the storm, the ground retained the heat. Baltimore’s BWI was in my 1 to 3 inch forecast zone. The official snow total was 2.5″, on the high end of the zone. This brought the seasonal total to 35.1″, which is well above the seasonal average of 21″. This is the third year in a row with above average snowfall.
The temperature at BWI did drop to 31°F by 10 PM Thursday, and stayed below freezing for the rest of the event, but roads remained wet (as seen here). All the accumulation was on the grass. The bullseye was in southern Maryland, where the town of California recorded 6.3″ of snow. There was another pocket of 5 to 7 inches between Salisbury and Crisfield. That was all with temperatures above freezing, so some of that wet snow was compacted and also melted. Imagine this over achieving event would have produced even more earlier in the winter.
Below is a comparison to my last call for snowfall map. I had most of our region in 1 to 3 inches with a higher zone in southern Maryland. My bust zone was in the mountains, and the expectation for melting on the lower Eastern Shore.
For central Maryland I grade myself an A. But considering the bust zone, I must drop to a low B or B- for our entire region. It was hard to calculated snow amounts where temperatures were above freezing.
Compare to some of the National Weather Service snow spotter maps. Then see the individual reports as listed for the NWS Sterling, VA region.
NWS Snow Forecast:
National Weather Service Spotter Maps
Check Out The Full Collection Of FITF Shirts And Snow Sticks
NWS Sterling VA Reports:
********************STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL********************
LOCATION STORM TOTAL TIME/DATE COMMENTS
SNOWFALL OF
/INCHES/ MEASUREMENT
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
...DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA...
1 WSW NATIONAL ZOO 1.3 727 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 E WASHINGTON 0.6 700 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
MARYLAND
...ALLEGANY COUNTY...
ECKHART MINES 1.0 1110 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
...ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY...
BWI AIRPORT 2.5 700 AM 3/04 AIRPORT
...BALTIMORE COUNTY...
1 NNW ARBUTUS 2.3 730 AM 3/04 STATE EMERG MGMT
2 NNW BROOKLANDVILLE 2.2 756 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
OWINGS MILLS 2.2 857 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
3 WNW HEREFORD 2.2 740 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 WSW GLYNDON 2.1 739 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 SW LOCH RAVEN VILL 2.0 648 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 NNE PERRY HALL 2.0 947 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 E BENTLEY SPRINGS 1.5 524 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 NE ROSSVILLE 1.3 920 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
...BALTIMORE CITY...
1 NE PIMLICO 2.3 715 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
PIMLICO 2.3 655 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
2 NNW PARK HEIGHTS 1.5 436 AM 3/04 BROADCAST MEDIA
...CALVERT COUNTY...
2 N HUNTINGTOWN 4.6 844 AM 3/04 NWS EMPLOYEE
1 S PRINCE FREDERICK 3.5 829 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
2 NE DOWELL 3.0 853 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
...CHARLES COUNTY...
MOUNT VICTORIA 4.6 732 AM 3/04 NWS EMPLOYEE
2 ENE HUGHESVILLE 4.2 800 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 SW DENTSVILLE 3.5 846 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
2 W WALDORF 1.5 450 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
...FREDERICK COUNTY...
1 NE POINT OF ROCKS 1.3 736 AM 3/04 NWS EMPLOYEE
...HOWARD COUNTY...
2 N COLUMBIA 1.9 700 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 NW ELLICOTT CITY 1.8 820 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 SSE SIMPSONVILLE 1.8 440 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
2 W SAVAGE 1.8 727 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
2 W ELKRIDGE 1.7 600 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 N SAVAGE 1.5 700 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 SSE ELLICOTT CITY 1.5 945 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
HIGHLAND 1.5 545 AM 3/04 NWS EMPLOYEE
...MONTGOMERY COUNTY...
3 SSW DAMASCUS 2.5 656 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
1 N CLARKSBURG 2.3 1000 AM 3/04 OTHER FEDERAL
1 ESE NORBECK 2.0 600 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 NNW CALVERTON 2.0 818 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 NNE WASHINGTON GRO 1.9 707 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 ENE GARRETT PARK 1.9 759 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 ENE MONTGOMERY VIL 1.5 830 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
2 ENE GERMANTOWN 1.5 659 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 ESE TAKOMA PARK 1.0 700 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 S COLESVILLE 0.9 500 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
...PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY...
1 E CALVERTON 1.7 830 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 E GREENBELT 1.7 648 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
...ST. MARYS COUNTY...
2 W CALIFORNIA 6.3 615 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 ENE RIDGE 4.7 500 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 NNE GREAT MILLS 4.5 804 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
...WASHINGTON COUNTY...
3 SW FAIRPLAY 1.0 615 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
3 NNW PECKTONVILLE 0.7 830 AM 3/04 NWS EMPLOYEE
VIRGINIA
...ARLINGTON COUNTY...
1 NNE BAILEYS CROSSR 1.4 655 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
REAGAN NATIONAL AIRP 0.3 700 AM 3/04 AIRPORT
...AUGUSTA COUNTY...
5 WNW WINTERGREEN 5.0 800 AM 3/04 BROADCAST MEDIA
CHURCHVILLE 2.5 800 AM 3/04 BROADCAST MEDIA
FISHERSVILLE 2.4 800 AM 3/04 BROADCAST MEDIA
FISHERSVILLE 2.4 849 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
...CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE...
1 SSE CHARLOTTESVILL 0.3 640 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
...FAIRFAX COUNTY...
VIENNA 2.0 631 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
MCLEAN 1.5 940 AM 3/04 BROADCAST MEDIA
2 ENE HERNDON 1.5 610 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
3 N CHANTILLY 1.4 659 AM 3/04 NWS EMPLOYEE
FALLS CHURCH 1.3 749 AM 3/04 NWS EMPLOYEE
1 SE I66 AND I495 IN 1.2 730 AM 3/04 NWS EMPLOYEE
1 W FALLS CHURCH 1.0 757 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
1 SSW FRANCONIA 1.0 630 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
VIENNA 0.9 808 AM 3/04 BROADCAST MEDIA
...FREDERICK COUNTY...
2 E STEPHENS CITY 1.4 615 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
...KING GEORGE COUNTY...
1 SSE SHILOH 3.5 818 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
KING GEORGE 2.0 445 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
...LOUDOUN COUNTY...
DULLES INTERNATIONAL 1.3 700 AM 3/04 AIRPORT
1 ESE HUGHESVILLE 1.2 754 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
ASHBURN 1.0 545 AM 3/04 NWS EMPLOYEE
...PAGE COUNTY...
STANLEY 0.8 800 AM 3/04 BROADCAST MEDIA
...PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY...
1 W DALE CITY 1.0 715 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
...ROCKINGHAM COUNTY...
BERGTON 0.8 800 AM 3/04 BROADCAST MEDIA
...WARREN COUNTY...
1 ENE FRONT ROYAL 1.0 735 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
WEST VIRGINIA
...BERKELEY COUNTY...
1 E INWOOD 1.4 625 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
2 E MARTINSBURG 1.3 540 AM 3/04 NWS EMPLOYEE
...GRANT COUNTY...
2 ESE KLINE GAP 2.3 546 AM 3/04 TRAINED SPOTTER
...PENDLETON COUNTY...
2 NNE OAK FLAT 1.0 800 AM 3/04 BROADCAST MEDIA
FRANKLIN 0.3 800 AM 3/04 BROADCAST MEDIA
**********************24 HOUR SNOWFALL**********************
LOCATION 24 HOUR TIME/DATE COMMENTS
SNOWFALL OF
/INCHES/ MEASUREMENT
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
...DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA...
THE WHITE HOUSE 0.8 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
DALECARLIA RESERVOIR 0.2 800 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
NATIONAL ARBORETUM 0.1 800 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
MARYLAND
...ALLEGANY COUNTY...
FROSTBURG 1.0 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
1 S CUMBERLAND 0.3 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
...ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY...
2 E SEVERN 2.6 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 W SEVERN 2.5 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 SSW SEVERN 2.0 609 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
3 ESE PASADENA 2.0 800 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 WSW ODENTON 2.0 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
WSW BIRDSVILLE 1.6 630 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 SE DEALE 1.0 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...BALTIMORE COUNTY...
1 E KINGSVILLE 2.6 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 ESE WHITE MARSH 2.6 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 SW LONG GREEN 2.3 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 SW TOWSON 2.2 830 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
CYLBURN 2.0 800 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
...CALVERT COUNTY...
3 NNW HUNTINGTOWN 4.2 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 W PRINCE FREDERICK 4.2 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
6 E MARLTON 3.0 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...CARROLL COUNTY...
SE MOUNT AIRY 1.5 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...CHARLES COUNTY...
6 SE LA PLATA 3.5 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
3 S WALDORF 2.3 800 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...FREDERICK COUNTY...
1 SSE THURMONT 1.6 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
4 SSW FREDERICK 1.1 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 W URBANA 1.0 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 SE EMMITSBURG 1.0 625 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
3 NNW NEW MARKET 1.0 500 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...HARFORD COUNTY...
3 NNE KINGSVILLE 2.5 900 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 WSW NORRISVILLE 2.2 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...HOWARD COUNTY...
2 W ELKRIDGE 2.0 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 N COLUMBIA 1.9 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 E COLUMBIA 1.5 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...MONTGOMERY COUNTY...
1 NE WHEATON-GLENMON 2.1 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
6 NW SILVER SPRING 2.0 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 NNW POTOMAC 2.0 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 W COLESVILLE 2.0 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
SE POOLESVILLE 2.0 800 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 ESE NORBECK 2.0 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 N WHITE OAK 2.0 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 SE OLNEY 2.0 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 NNW TAKOMA PARK 1.8 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
5 NNE GERMANTOWN 1.7 600 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 ESE ROSSMOOR 1.7 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
3 NE GAITHERSBURG 1.5 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 ENE OLNEY 1.5 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
7 SW DICKERSON 1.4 710 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
6 NNE SILVER SPRING 0.9 500 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
BRIGHTON DAM 0.4 900 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
...PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY...
7 ESE BRANDYWINE 2.9 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
3 WNW BOWIE 1.8 803 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 N GREENBELT 1.7 610 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 SE SUITLAND 1.5 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
4 S BOWIE 1.5 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 NNW CAMP SPRINGS 1.3 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 E BOWIE 1.1 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 N ANDREWS AFB 1.0 658 AM 3/04 AWOS
2 WNW GREENBELT 1.0 840 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 WSW FORT WASHINGTO 1.0 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 SE OXON HILL 1.0 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
1 W OXON HILL 1.0 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
3 WNW LAUREL 0.5 930 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...ST. MARYS COUNTY...
1 NE LEONARDTOWN 7.0 600 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 N RIDGE 4.7 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
SW PARK HALL 4.0 745 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...WASHINGTON COUNTY...
3 ENE WILLIAMSPORT 1.2 600 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 ENE HAGERSTOWN 1.0 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
5 S SHARPSBURG 0.6 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
VIRGINIA
...ALBEMARLE COUNTY...
EARLYSVILLE 1.0 600 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
2 W CHARLOTTESVILLE 0.4 800 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
...AUGUSTA COUNTY...
1 WNW STAUNTON 2.5 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
STAUNTON 2.3 800 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
5 NNE WAYNESBORO 2.0 830 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
WAYNESBORO T 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
...CLARKE COUNTY...
1 NNW BERRYVILLE 0.7 800 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...CULPEPER COUNTY...
6 W CULPEPER 1.1 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
3 N RIXEYVILLE 0.4 530 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
6 N RIXEYVILLE 0.2 739 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...FAIRFAX COUNTY...
3 N VIENNA 1.6 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 S MCLEAN 1.5 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 SSE MCLEAN 1.3 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 W FALLS CHURCH 1.3 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
6 SSW ALEXANDRIA 1.3 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 N RESTON 1.3 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
VIENNA 1.2 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
3 S HERNDON 1.1 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 W VIENNA 1.0 800 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...FREDERICK COUNTY...
WINCHESTER 1.4 730 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
2 E STEPHENS CITY 1.4 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
SE MIDDLETOWN 0.7 845 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...HIGHLAND COUNTY...
1 SW MILL GAP 2.6 600 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
...LOUDOUN COUNTY...
3 WSW ROUND HILL 2.2 730 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 E LEESBURG 1.5 800 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
MOUNT WEATHER 1.5 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
2 WNW MIDDLEBURG 1.5 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
...MADISON COUNTY...
HAYWOOD 1.1 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
7 NNW MADISON 0.5 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...ORANGE COUNTY...
1 SSW ORANGE 1.0 800 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
...PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY...
5 SE MANASSAS 0.5 600 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
6 SE MANASSAS 0.4 530 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
2 SE GAINESVILLE 0.3 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTY...
SPERRYVILLE 0.7 500 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
...ROCKINGHAM COUNTY...
1 SE MASSANUTTEN 1.3 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
DALE ENTERPRISE 1.0 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
1 NW HARRISONBURG 0.8 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...SHENANDOAH COUNTY...
4 N STRASBURG 0.6 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY...
5 SSW FREDERICKSBURG 0.3 600 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...STAFFORD COUNTY...
8 ESE FREDERICKSBURG 1.7 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...WARREN COUNTY...
FRONT ROYAL 0.2 600 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
WEST VIRGINIA
...BERKELEY COUNTY...
1 W MARTINSBURG 1.0 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
4 E MARTINSBURG 0.8 800 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...GRANT COUNTY...
BAYARD 0.8 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
3 W PETERSBURG 0.5 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
...HAMPSHIRE COUNTY...
1 SW ROMNEY 0.3 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
...HARDY COUNTY...
NW RIG 0.3 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
1 SSE MOOREFIELD T 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
...JEFFERSON COUNTY...
3 NE CHARLES TOWN 0.7 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...MINERAL COUNTY...
2 SSW KEYSER 1.3 700 AM 3/04 CO-OP OBSERVER
2 SSW KEYSER 0.8 700 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
...PENDLETON COUNTY...
3 NE FORT SEYBERT 1.0 600 AM 3/04 COCORAHS
Please share your thoughts, best weather pics/video, or just keep in touch via social media
- Facebook: Justin Berk, Meteorologist
- Twitter: @JustinWeather
- Instagram: justinweather
Get the award winning Kid Weather App I made with my oldest son and support our love for science, weather, and technology. Our 3 year anniversary of the release and our contribution to STEM education is this November. It has been downloaded in 60 countries, and works in both temperature scales. With your support we can expand on the fun introduction to science and real weather.
