By Rick Garuckas and Andrew Calvi Northeast Snowstorms By Rick Garuckas and Andrew Calvi

Climatology November through March. Can even happen out of season in October and April. February and March have seen some of the most intense Northeast Snowstorms in the past 10 years. Weak to moderate El Ninos are favorable due to active southern branch of jet stream.

Ingredients for Formation Jet streak at 300 mb Cold high pressure to the north. Negatively tilted trough at 500 mb with vorticity max curving NE. Digging trough as it approaches coast. Want baroclinic zone near coast since low pressure tends to form along baroclinic zones. +PNA, -AO, and -NAO.

Miller A vs. Miller B Named after James Miller in 1946. Miller A: low pressure develops in the Gulf of Mexico and rides up the East Coast. Miller B: Low pressure comes from Canada, weakens, and redevelops in the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic. Not all snowstorms that affect the Northeast are Miller A or Miller B.

Nesis Scale Snowfall impact scale developed by Paul Kocin and Louis Uccellini. Based on severity of event, plus population it affects. Categories go from 1 through 5. Only two storms were a category 5. Superstorm of ‘93 and Blizzard of ‘96 were the two category 5’s.

Upper Features Prior to Development

Common Air Streams and Source Regions

Jet Stream Circulations

Common Satellite Image