SXUS71 KPHI 172305
RERPHL

RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
605 PM EST MON FEB 17 2003

...PRESIDENTS DAY WEEKEND STORM 2003 IN PHILADELPHIA...

THROUGH 400 PM...18.7 INCHES OF SNOW HAD FALLEN AT PHILADELPHIA 
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SINCE SNOW BEGAN ON SUNDAY MORNING FEBRUARY 
16TH.  THIS IS THE THIRD HIGHEST TOTAL FOR A FEBRUARY STORM EVENT.  
THE HIGHEST AMOUNT IS 21.3 INCHES ON FEBRUARY 11TH AND 12TH IN 1983 
AND THE SECOND HIGHEST IS 18.9 INCHES ON FEBRUARY 12TH THROUGH 14TH 
IN 1899. 

LOOKING AT ALL-TIME WINTER STORMS IN PHILADELPHIA...THIS STORM NOW 
RANKS NUMBER 6 ON THE LIST WITH 18.7 INCHES.

THE TOP FIVE STORMS ARE

30.7 INCHES ON JANUARY 7TH AND 8TH IN 1996.
21.3 INCHES ON FEBRUARY 11TH AND 12TH IN 1983.
21.0 INCHES ON DECEMBER 25TH AND 26TH IN 1909.
19.4 INCHES ON APRIL 3RD AND 4TH IN 1915.
18.9 INCHES ON FEBRUARY 12TH THROUGH 14TH IN 1899.

BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH THIS 
STORM...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL BE CONDUCTING ADDITIONAL 
QUALITY CONTROL AND THE FINAL AMOUNTS FOR THIS WEEKENDS STORM MAY BE 
ADJUSTED IN THE COMING DAYS. 

IN ADDITION...EARLIER THIS WEEKEND...1.1 INCHES OF SNOW FELL ON 
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15TH.  IN PHILADELPHIA HISTORY...THERE ARE SEVERAL 
MAJOR SNOW STORMS WHICH ARE THREE DAY EVENTS. THE NATIONAL WEATHER 
SERVICE WILL BE REVIEWING THESE PREVIOUS EVENTS TO SEE IF SATURDAYS 
SNOWFALL SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE STORM TOTAL. HOWEVER...TWENTY-ONE 
HOURS OF TIME SEPARATED THE END OF SATURDAYS SNOW AND THE START OF 
SUNDAYS SNOWFALL...AND AT THIS TIME THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS 
TREATING THEM AS SEPARATE EVENTS.   

REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU COUNT THIS AS ONE STORM OR TWO... 
PHILADELPHIA AND ALL THE SURROUNDING REGION SAW THE EQUIVALENT OF A 
WINTERS WORTH OF SNOWFALL THIS WEEKEND...WHICH IS A LOT OF SNOW IN  
ANYONES BOOK.

$$

SZATKOWSKI