La Nina Winters in the Baltimore Area

Compiled by Barbara McNaught Watson for the Baltimore-Washington Forecast Office

All Snowstorms in Baltimore with over 8 inches of snow since 1950:

Storms during moderate or strong La Niña events - There were none.
Storms during weak La Niña Events - are noted in blue
Storms during moderate or strong El Niño events - are noted in red
Storms during weak El Niño events - are noted in orange
Years that were neither are noted in black
Rank Storm Date Storm Total Snowfall
1 Feb. 11, 1983 22.8 inches 
2 Jan. 7, 1996 22.5 inches 
3 Feb. 18, 1979 20.0 inches
4 Feb. 15, 1958 15.5 inches 
5 Jan. 25, 2000 14.9 inches
6 Dec. 11, 1960 14.1 inches
7 Mar. 5, 1962 13.0 inches 
8 Jan. 22, 1987 12.3 inches 
9 Jan. 30, 1966 12.1 inches
10 Mar. 13, 1993 11.9 inches 
11 Mar. 21, 1964 11.5 inches
12 Feb. 4, 1961 10.7 inches
13 Feb. 6, 1967  10.6 inches
14 Mar. 2, 1960  10.5 inches 
15 Feb. 22, 1987 10.1 inches
16 Jan. 12, 1964 9.9 inches
17 Jan. 25, 1987 9.6 inches
18 Feb. 11, 1964 9.1 inches
19 Feb. 5, 1978  9.1 inches
20 Dec. 24, 1966 8.5 inches 
21 Jan. 8, 1988 8.4 inches 
22 Nov. 31, 1967 8.4 inches 
23 Feb. 24, 1966 8.4 inches 
24 Mar. 19, 1958 8.2 inches

Since 1950, there have been 8 winters with moderate to strong La Niña events and 7 winters with weak events (5 weak through the entire winter and 2 weak at the start and normal from January through March). Of those 15 winters, only two significant event (8 + inches of snowfall) was recorded at Baltimore: January 1996 and January 2000. Both of these events occurred during a weak La Niña. By contrast, there have been 8 significant snow events during moderate to strong El Niño events and 3 more during weak El Niño episodes. See page on El Niño events for more details.


La Niña Years since 1950: (moderate to strong events only!)
     Winter significant storms = 8+ inches; Snow totals are for the season
Season Snow Total Significant Storms; Any other points of interest
1950-1951 6.2 inches No storms; Much below normal for the season
1954-1955 10.1 No storms; Much below normal for the season
1955-1956 19.1  No storms; Driest December on record; Below normal season
1964-1965 18.6 No storms; Below normal for season
1970-1971 13.0 Above normal snow in December; Below normal for season
1973-1974  17.1 Above normal snow in December; Below normal for season
1975-1976 11.5 No storms; Much below normal for the season
1988-1989 8.3 No storms; Much below normal for the season

Of the 8 moderate to strong La Niña winters, no significant snowstorms (8+ inches) occurred and all 8 seasons reported below normal seasonal totals. That means that a La Niña winter greatly diminishes the risk of a significant snow event. The lack of a sub-tropical jet across the southern U.S. greatly diminishes the likelihood of coastal storms. Coastal storms (also known as "nor'easters) give the Baltimore area its significant snow storms. Smaller snow storms (not related to coastal storms) can be expected and less than normal snowfall can be expected for the season. Warning: This does not consider ice and the potential for an ice storm.

Normal Average Snowfall = 22.0 inches at Baltimore
Average La Nina year Snowfall = 13.0 inches at Baltimore
All years were below normal;  4 (half) were 50% or less of normal

When looking at the 6 weak La Niña winters, the same pattern holds true with 5 of the winters recording snowfall in the 10 to 15 inch range and only one strong outlier (1995-1996) with a record year producing almost 3 times the normal snowfall (62.5 inches).

Temperature (T), Precipitation (P), and Snowfall(S) Departures for La Niña Years:
 
November
December
January
February
March
Season
 T / P / S 
T / P / S 
T / P / S
 T / P / S
 T / P / S
Norm
46.8°/3.3"/1.1"
36.7°/3.4"/3.6"
31.8°/3.1"/6.6"
34.8°/3.1"/7.6"
44.1°/3.4"/3.0"
50-51
-1.7/-1.3/-0.6
-4.4/+0.3/-1.1
+5.0/-0.2/-4.1
+1.2/+0.2/-6.9
-1.2/+0.3/-3.0
54-55
-3.4/-0.9/-1.1
-1.7/-0.7/-3.2
+0.5/-2.8/-4.3
-0.4/-0.4/-1.4
+0.8/0.0/-1.8
55-56
-3.8/-2.0/+0.9
-5.4/-3.5/-3.1
+0.9/-0.6/+1.8
+3.9/+0.3/-7.2
-3.4/+0.7/+4.8
64-65
+3.0/-0.8/-1.1
+2.4/+0.5/-2.8
-1.0/0.0/+1.7
+0.1/-0.2/-6.5
-4.9/+0.9/+5.4
70-71
+1.8/+1.8/-1.1
+1.4/+0.1/+2.7
-1.8/-1.0/-2.5
+2.6/+3.1/-7.0
-2.3/-1.5/-1.0
73-74
+0.5/-2.0/-1.1
+0.6/+3.0/+4.7
+7.1/-0.2/-4.4
-1.0/-2.2/0.0 
+1.1/+0.7/-3.0
75-76
+5.1/-1.3/-1.1
+0.5/+1.2/-2.9
-1.0/+1.0/-4.9
+9.3/-0.9/-6.3
+4.0/-1.2/+4.8
88-89
+1.3/+1.5/-1.1
-0.4/-2.4/-2.7
+6.1/0.0/-0.6
+1.7/+0.3/-6.5
-0.3/+0.8/-2.7

Summary of Table findings:

November   =   5 out 8 were warmer than normal ; 7 out of 8 normal or below normal
                         Snowfall ; 6 out 8 had below normal precipitation
December   =   6 out 8 were within 2° of  normal ; no bias on overall precipitation
                    6 out 8 had below normal snowfall
January       =   5 out of 8 were within 1° of normal but 3 were 5 to 6° above; 6 out of 8 had
                        below normal snowfall ; 7 out of 8 had normal or below normal precipitation
February     =   5 out of 8 were warmer than normal (3 were normal) ; 6 out of 8 were
                         significantly below normal on snowfall (6 to 7") and 2 were normal ;
                         5 out of 8 were normal for precipitation
March         =   7 out of 8 were normal to below normal (0 to 5°) ; 6 out of 8 were normal to
                         above normal on precipitation (0 to 1") ; 5 out of 8 had below normal (2 to 3")
                         snowfall but 3 years had 5" above.


Conclusion:
La Nina winters in the Baltimore Region tend to have less snow than a typical winter and the snow tends to come in smaller doses. February tends to be warmer than normal.