A look back at the winter of 2002-2003 [04/05/2003]

By Caleb Boulter

The winter of 2002-2003 is now officially over, and it was a memorable season of plentiful snowfall and prolonged outbreaks of record-breaking cold. Many residents were caught off guard, since the previous winter season had produced the warmest temperatures on record. Meteorologists were predicting similar conditions for the 2002-2003 winter?Why the drastic turnaround? We can partly thank the combination of the Polar Vortex, a weak El Nino, and the North Atlantic Oscillation. No one could have imagined that October 2002 would begin a six-month period of below-normal temperatures. By the time January arrived, one would think that North Conway was situated in Alaska rather than New England. Continuous blasts of arctic chill reigned upon the region for nearly three months. Morning low temperatures of minus 15 to minus 25 degrees seemed to become a normal part of our daily life toward the end of the season.North Conway recorded an average temperature of 27 degrees during October through March, which was 7 degrees colder than the previous winter. In all, North Conway received 71 days with a maximum temperature below 32 degrees, 162 days with a minimum temperature below 32 degrees, and, most astonishing, 37 days with a minimum temperature below 0 degrees.What about snow? As you probably have seen, the white stuff was plentiful throughout the entire season. The first measurable snowfall occurred on Oct. 26, but during November, a whopping 19 inches of snow accumulated. Off to a great start for the season, snow continued in spurts until Christmas Day when a significant Nor'easter produced around 15 inches of snow. This storm's twin brother occurred on Jan. 5, which ushered in one of the first blasts of arctic chill. Many storms then merely clipped North Conway through the beginning of March. Fortunately, the cold air helped to maintain a snow pack of 15 to 20 inches for upwards of two to three months. By the end of March, 84 inches of snow had accumulated, which was far greater then the previous winter season. There was more than one contributor to North Conway's harsh winter weather. El Nino was rather weak and failed to produce a warm and wet climate. Instead, the region was under the main influence of the Polar Vortex. This massive low-pressure system remained stationary in southeastern Canada and continuously spun arctic weather outbreaks toward the Mount Washington Valley. Another dominant weather factor was the presence of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), which is a large-scale seesaw in the atmosphere that is located between the subtropical high and the polar low. Its index, being positive or negative, varies in seasonal intervals and can last many years. This year a negative NAO index was prominent, which produced a weaker subtropical high and Icelandic low in the Atlantic Ocean. Due to this reduced pressure gradient, the eastern United States received the arctic outbreaks and snow. Week in review The final four days of March featured spring-like conditions, but in the end, Old Man Winter won the battle. Friday, March 28, was a delightful day as temperatures soared to 58 degrees with partly cloudy skies. By Saturday morning, a flood watch and winter storm watch were issued for the threat of flooding and a significant snowfall through late Sunday. Precipitation began as rain on Saturday afternoon until it changed to snow by midday Sunday. Around 2 inches of the white stuff accumulated in North Conway, while in higher elevation, upwards of 7 inches piled up. About one inch of rain and melted snow had accumulated during the event. By Monday, March 31, a surge of arctic air seeped into North Conway as the daytime high reached a mere 33 degrees. April Fools Day was somewhat raw with overcast skies and a cool afternoon temperature of 38 degrees. Occasional showers developed during the afternoon, but they were more of a nuisance then a blessing. Wednesday, April 2, continued to produce overcast skies with occasional showers. The daytime reading reached a comfortable 47 degrees, but this was far colder than what was being experienced in portions of the Mid-Atlantic region. By Thursday, overcast skies with showers continued, but this time in the form of snow. Caleb Boulter, 17, is web master of North Conway Weather (http://www.northconwayweather.com) a Web site featuring current conditions from his weather station and sky cam. The site also highlights hours of information with over 200 photographs. Caleb Boulter currently interns at the Mount Washington Observatory and reports daily as a cooperative weather observer to media and governmental outlets. For comments and questions on this article, contact nhweatherman@adelphia.net.