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Snowstorm expected to set record
Snowstorm expected to set record
This is the biggest snowstorm of this winter.
YOUNGSTOWN —¬†In all likelihood, the Mahoning Valley will exceed its snowiest winter on record today.
The National Weather Service expected 9 to 15 inches of snow between Friday afternoon and tonight.
“Those are scary numbers,” said Jim Kosarik, a weather service meteorologist in Cleveland. “This is going to be the biggest snowstorm of the winter.”
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Before the snow started Friday, the Valley had 82.7 inches of snow fall this winter. By Friday night, 6.1 inches had fallen — and showed no signs of stopping.
The 88.8 inches was good enough for the second-snowiest winter in the area’s weather history. Records have been kept since 1943.
This winter jumped over 1950-51, which had been the second-snowiest Valley winter, with 85.3 inches recorded.
“This is a fairly impressive winter as far as the amount of snow,” Kosarik said.
The most snow to fall on the Valley was just a winter ago, 2006-07, when 90.2 inches were recorded.
Four to 6 inches of snow are predicted for today, Kosarik said. Most of it will fall during the day and taper off when the sun goes down, he said.
In addition to the snow, the area will have wind gusting to 20 mph today, Kosarik said.
Today is one of those days to just stay home and enjoy “some hot chocolate or a cold one,” quipped Kosarik, who used to live in Austintown.
By Sunday, the snow should stop, he said.
The forecast calls for Sunday to be partly sunny with highs in the mid-20s.
“It will be cold, but it will be a nice day,” Kosarik said.
It may be a short-lived break.
There’s a 30 percent chance of snow showers Sunday night, according to the weather service’s forecast.
Last month was by far the snowiest February for the Valley.
The weather service reports 31.7 inches of snow last month. The old February snow record was 26.4 inches in 2003.
December 2007 was also one for the record books.
The 23.3 inches of snow that fell was the second-most for a December. It trails only 1987, when 29.5 inches was recorded.
skolnick@vindy.com