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Blog
Since 2021, I've been posting online about the weather both locally and around the country on various platforms. What started out as updating weather articles on Wikipedia grew into a genuine passion for learning, to the point where I'm now making my own observations and forecasts. This blog is a record of that journey. If a blog post was originally made on a different platform, as most of them were, the original post is linked.
Original: en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2020%E2%80%9321_North_American_winter&oldid=1026325459
I wrote most of this Wikipedia article about winter 2020–21 with MarioProtIV. Please see the link above for the full article. Only the article's lead is pasted below.
The 2020–21 North American winter was the most significant winter season to affect North America in several years, and the costliest on record, with a damage total of at least $197 billion (2021 USD). The season featured 6 storms ranking on the Regional Snowfall Index scale, with 4 storms ranking as at least a Category 3. Most of the winter's damage and fatalities occurred due to a historic and major cold wave in mid-February. Several other significant events occurred, including a crippling early-season ice storm in the Southern Plains, a powerful nor'easter in mid-December, another major nor'easter in early February, two major and widespread winter storms in mid-February, and a major blizzard in the Rocky Mountains in mid-March. The winter-related events were responsible for at least 235 fatalities, making it the deadliest winter in several years. A La Niña pattern influenced much of the winter in North America.
Based on the astronomical definition, winter began at the winter solstice on December 21, 2020 and ended at the spring equinox on March 20, 2021. Based on the meteorological definition, the first day of winter was on December 1 and the last day was February 28. However, as illustrated by the Late October ice storm and the Mid-April nor'easter, winter storms occasionally occur outside of these limits. Since both definitions of winter span the start of the calendar year, it is possible to have a winter storm in two different years, as shown by the New Year's winter storm this season. In mid-December, a powerful Category 2 nor'easter affected much of the Northeastern United States with heavy snow and ice. Over 3 ft (0.91 m) of snow was reported across a swath in the interior Northeast, and the system caused 7 fatalities. In early February, a major Category 3 nor'easter, which started out as a winter storm on the West Coast, impacted an even larger area with heavy snow, also causing 7 fatalities. In mid-February, a series of two major Category 3 winter storms brought a swath of widespread snow and ice from the Pacific Northwest, through the Deep South, and to the Northeast. In total, the two winter storms resulted in at least $195.5 billion in damage, nearly 14 million power outages, and a total of 205 fatalities. In mid-March, a historic Category 3 blizzard unfolded in the Rocky Mountains, with Denver and Cheyenne seeing one of their largest March snowstorms on record.
I wrote most of this Wikipedia article about Winter Storm Viola with LightandDark2000. Please see the link above for the full article. Only the article's lead is pasted below.
The February 15–20, 2021 North American winter storm, also unofficially referred to as Winter Storm Viola, was a significant and widespread snow and ice storm across much of the United States, Northern Mexico, and Southern Canada. The system started out as a winter storm on the West Coast of the United States on February 15, later moving southeast into the Southern Plains and Deep South from February 16–17. It then moved into the Appalachian Mountains and Northeastern United States, before finally moving out to sea on February 20. The storm subsequently became a powerful bomb cyclone over the North Atlantic, before eventually dissipating on February 26.
The system resulted in over 170 million people being placed under winter weather alerts, stretching from the West Coast to the East Coast. Over 4 million people lost power due to the storm, particularly in areas of the Deep South and interior Southeast. The system worsened the 2021 Texas power crisis, causing additional major damage to the Texas power grid just days after another destructive winter storm came through the area and hampering recovery efforts. It also contributed to a a historic cold wave that affected most of the Central United States. In total, the winter storm resulted in at least 29 fatalities, with 23 in the United States and six in Mexico. The system is estimated to have caused at least $500 million (2021 USD) in damages, mainly due to blackouts and structure damage. Excluding the winter storm a few days previous to this storm, the system was the costliest winter storm in the United States since the March 1–3, 2018 nor'easter, and the deadliest since the Blizzard of 2016.
Original: en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=April_2021_nor%27easter&oldid=1023151471
I wrote most of this Wikipedia article about the 2021 Spring nor'easter. Please see the link above for the full article. Only the article's lead is pasted below.
The April 2021 nor'easter, also referred to as the 2021 Spring nor'easter, was a significant late-season nor'easter that impacted much of New England with heavy snowfall, gusty winds, thundersnow, and near-whiteout conditions from April 15–17, 2021. The system originated from a weak frontal system late on April 14 over North Carolina, which moved into the ocean the next day and began to strengthen. The low-pressure steadily deepened as it moved up the East Coast, and developed an eye-like feature just prior to peak intensity. It prompted a fairly large area of Winter Storm Warnings across interior sections of New England, with Winter Weather Advisories being issued closer to the coast. Over 20,000 customers lost power at the height of the storm on April 16 due to heavy wet snow, and near-whiteout conditions were reported in many areas. Several injuries, some serious, occurred as well, mostly due to traffic incidents on poorly-treated roadways during the storm. Damage estimates from the system are currently not calculated.
Original: en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:HikingHurricane/Snow_hurricanes&oldid=1022651117
After the remnants of Hurricane Zeta brought six inches of snow to my hometown in October 2020, I had a bit of a fascination with snow-producing tropical cyclones ("snow hurricanes") for a while, and I ended up drafting a Wikipedia article about them. Please see the link above for the full article. Only the article's lead is pasted below.
In some rare occurrences, tropical cyclones have produced accumulating snow, usually after becoming extratropical. The first time this was ever recorded was in 1804, with the 1804 Snow hurricane, which impacted New England with heavy snow. This has since happened three more times, with Hurricane Ginny in 1963, Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and Hurricane Zeta in 2020. This sometimes occurs with late-season tropical cyclones, which interact with cold air after moving into areas with cooler climates. A cold front moving through at the same time can enhance this event. This is an extremely rare occurrence however, and has only happened four times in recorded history.
Original: en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=December_5%E2%80%936,_2020_nor%27easter&oldid=1020394606
I wrote most of this Wikipedia article about the early December 2020 nor'easter. Please see the link above for the full article. Only the article's lead is pasted below.
The December 5–6, 2020 nor'easter was a strong nor'easter and bomb cyclone that impacted most of New England from December 4–6, 2020 with heavy snow, hurricane-force wind gusts, blizzard conditions, and coastal flooding. The system originated on the Mid-Atlantic coast late on December 4. It then moved up the East Coast of the United States from December 5–6, bombing out and bringing heavy wet snow to the New England states. It brought up to 18 inches (46 cm) of snow in northern New England, with widespread totals of 6–12 inches (15–30 cm) farther south. The nor'easter caused over 280,000 power outages, mostly in Maine, in addition to causing several injuries. The system is estimated to have caused at least $25 million (2021 USD) in damage. It was unofficially named Winter Storm Eartha by The Weather Channel.
I co-authored the second issue of the Wikipedia WikiProject Non-tropical storms newsletter, The Frozen Times, with MarioJump83, Shift674, and LightandDark2000, published on March 15, 2021. The full newsletter is embedded below, but feel free to view the original at the link above.