January 1961 nor'easter
The January 1961 nor'easter was a significant winter storm that impacted the
Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale.[2]
Synoptic history
The storm was preceded by a
millibars to 972 mb.[5] The storm's intensification was accompanied by an increase in the precipitation.[3] It ultimately moved northeastward along the coast and reached its lowest barometric pressure of 964 mb late on January 20, while situated east of New England.[3][5]
Widespread heavy snow fell from West Virginia and Virginia through Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, with lighter amounts spreading into Maine. Totals of over 20 in (51 cm) were recorded from eastern Pennsylvania through central New England.[6] Snowfall amounts were similar to that of a winter storm in February 1958.[4] Following the storm, an anticyclone in the central United States maintained the cold air.[3]
Impact
The nor'easter is sometimes referred to as the Kennedy Inaugural Snowstorm, since it struck on the eve of the
Washington National Airport and attending Kennedy's swearing-in ceremony.[9]
Additionally, the storm dealt the final blow to the Texas Tower #4, a USAF radar installation in the Atlantic Ocean, causing her to sink with the loss of all 28 crew aboard.[10]
See also
- Climate of the United States
- List of NESIS storms
References
- ^ "Historic Blizzards". Farmers' Almanac. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
- ^ "January 18–21, 1961". National Climatic Data Center. Retrieved February 10, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c d e Kocin and Uccellini, p. 400
- ^ a b National Weather Service Charleston, WV. "January 18–20, 1961". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
- ^ a b Kocin and Uccellini, p. 402
- ^ Kocin and Uccellini, p. 401
- ^ Andrea Stone (February 10, 2010). "Record Falls With Snow in Washington, DC". AOL News. Archived from the original on February 12, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
- ^ Jason Samenow (January 9, 2009). "Inauguration Weather: The Case of Kennedy". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
- ^ National Weather Service Sterling, VA. "Presidential Inaugural Weather". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
- ^ "Death at sea: the tragedy of Texas Tower 4 | ScienceBlogs". scienceblogs.com.
- Paul J. Kocin and Louis W. Uccellini (2004). Northeast Snowstorms. ISBN 1-878220-64-0.