While we wait for winter... Some accounts from the past

[donsutherland1]

A black frost. Ye ice on ye side of my house as thick as window glass.<br>--John Higginson of Salem, Massachusetts wrote on September 25, 1696 (David M. Ludlum, The Weather Factor, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1984, p.17).

The snow is now three or four inches deep and a very cold Norwest wind. A sad face of Winter, to see the Houses and Ground so covered with snow, and to see much Ice. <br>--Samuel Sewall writing in his diary concerning an October 10, 1703 snowfall in Boston (Massachusetts Historical Society Collection).

With winter still 10 long weeks away, a rare October snowstorm swept across the metropolitan area [NYC area]..., burying parts of upstate New York and New Jersey under a white blanket up to three inches deep...<br>An account of the October 10, 1979 snowfall in the Northeast in Donald Singleton, "It's autumn of our discontent as snow & cold winterize area," <i>Daily News</i>, October 11, 1979, p.3.

There was a slight fall of rain, sleet, and snow in the early hours of Sunday morning [October 15, 1876], making it exceedingly disagreeable for the few persons who were obliged to be on the streets.<br>--An account of the 0.5" snowfall in New York City in "The Cold Wave," The New York Times, October 16, 1876, p.5.

[Stephanie]

I remember that snowy day in October 1979. I was a senior in High School and I remember trying to get out of the school parking lot and driving home in it. I was my first snow that I had to drive in and I was alittle nervous!

[donsutherland1]

Stephanie,

The October 10, 1979 storm was remarkable in that it brought snowfall from the Mid-Atlantic region into New England, where cities from Washington, D.C. to Boston received some accumulations. The flakes were also incredibly large soon after changeover (at least where I live up in the NYC area).

[JCT777]

I was in 5th grade during the October 10, 1979 snow. I just remember thinking "Isn't it very early for us to be seeing snow?" We got inch of snow from that event. Unfortunately, the rest of winter was not all that great - with below normal snowfall.

[ColdFront77]

I was in 5th grade during the October 10, 1979 snow. I just remember thinking "Isn't it very early for us to be seeing snow?" We got inch of snow from that event. Unfortunately, the rest of winter was not all that great - with below normal snowfall.

There is some proof that an early snowfall, (in October), doesn't mean a snowy [very] late fall and winter.

[JCT777]

There is some proof that an early snowfall, (in October), doesn't mean a snowy [very] late fall and winter.

Very true. The winters of 1987-88 and 1989-90 started with early snowfalls (both in November) and both ended up being relatively mild winters with not much snow. I just hope this winter has a good amount of cold and snow.

[Stephanie]

I couldn't remember what kind of winter we had later in that season (though I could've looked it up ).

You're right Tom, early snowfalls don't necessarily suggest a sign of things to come!