A storm system is arriving to the Boston area Thursday that will bring some rain to the area after months without it. But we’re tracking the possibility of a more powerful system bringing more rain, or even snow, to Massachusetts Thanksgiving weekend.
Snow has been on the minds of many folks recently as we approach the holidays. And while winter does not officially begin until Dec. 21, New England is no stranger to seeing snowstorms much earlier than that!
So let's take a walk down memory lane of some of the early season snowstorms that have impacted Boston and New England.
This is by no means a comprehensive list of every winter storm that developed in October and November over the years. Instead, it's just a sample — hopefully to get you excited about the potential for snow this season.
One of the earliest winter storms on record was the 1798 New England Blizzard.
From Nov. 17-21, records show parts of New England dealt with high winds and feet of heavy snow that buried homes. In fact, more than a foot of snow fell in New York City and New Haven, Connecticut, while parts of Maine and New Hampshire saw about three feet of snow! The winds were so strong at times that several vessels on the Cape Cod shore were wrecked.
The Great Snow Hurricane of 1804 also produced snow. Wait! A hurricane that produced snow? Yes, you read that right. As cold air entrained into the hurricane's circulation, the storm began to lose its tropical characteristics. So, around Oct. 9-10, 1804, the storm was able to produce quite a bit of snow through the Berkshires, Connecticut and New Hampshire. Eastern Massachusetts mainly saw rain. In fact, Salem received about seven inches of rain, not snow, from this event.
On Nov. 5, 1894, the Election Day Snowstorm caused quite a mess. Formed off the coast of New Jersey, it dumped between 10 and 12 inches of snow on Connecticut and tracked through southeast Massachusetts. Winds got as high as 60 mph on Block Island, off the coast of Rhode Island. And according to the National Weather Service office in Boston, hundreds of trees and telegraph poles were downed, which delayed train service in the region and crippled telephone communications.
More than a century later, on Oct. 10, 1979, an early season winter storm unexpectedly brought some of the earliest measurable snowfall for parts of the Northeast, including Boston. The storm tracked from Virginia to southern New England, producing several inches of snow in its path. Boston got a trace of snow while Worcester received a record 7.5 inches of snow.
October 1987 brought another memorable snowstorm for many in the Northeast, and heavy snow fell over portions of Upstate New York and New England.
While there are several other early season snowstorms we could list, you might remember the Thanksgiving snow in 1989 that brought several inches to the Northeast, including blizzard conditions in Maine. It also brought significant wind damage throughout Massachusetts.
A more recent snowstorm happened 13 years ago on Oct. 29 got a lot of attention. Known as "Snowtober" and "The Halloween Nor'easter," it produced widespread power outages and downed trees in New England. And the snow kept coming, too! Parts of Massachusetts, like Plainfield, saw a little more than 30 inches, while the highest snow total in Connecticut was 18.6 inches, in Bakersville.
Could we see snow early this season? It's possible — we're tracking a system looming this Thanksgiving weekend — but you'll have to stay tuned to your First Alert Weather Team for weather updates to find out.
