NOUS41 KLWX 181958 CCA
PNSLWX
DCZ001-MDZ002>007-009>011-013-014-016>018-VAZ021-025>031-036>042-
050>057-WVZ048>055-192300-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 
200 PM EST TUE FEB 18 2003

...MAJOR WINTER STORM PRODUCES RECORD SNOWFALL ACROSS THE WASHINGTON 
AND BALTIMORE METROPOLITAN AREAS...

A COMPLEX STORM SYSTEM PRODUCED PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE WASHINGTON 
D.C. AND BALTIMORE METROPOLITAN AREAS BETWEEN FRIDAY NIGHT AND 
TUESDAY MORNING. THE FIRST BATCH OF PRECIPITATION FELL FRIDAY NIGHT 
THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING IN THE FORM OF SNOW AND RAIN. THE SECOND 
BATCH OF PRECIPITATION FELL EARLY SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH MIDDAY 
MONDAY IN THE FORM OF SNOW AND SLEET. THE THIRD BATCH OF 
PRECIPITATION ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE STORM FELL BETWEEN MONDAY 
NIGHT AND MIDDAY TUESDAY IN THE FORM OF SNOW SHOWERS. 

SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATED ACROSS THE AREA 
THROUGH THE PERIOD. ACCUMULATIONS RANGED FROM 15 TO 30 INCHES 
REGIONWIDE...WITH THE LOWEST AMOUNTS OCCURRING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN 
WASHINGTON D.C. SUBURBS WHERE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SLEET MIXED IN 
WITH THE PRECIPITATION. THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS OCCURRED IN THE 
NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON D.C. SUBURBS WHERE THE PRECIPITATION FELL 
MAINLY AS SNOW. IN ADDITION...LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OF ACCUMULATION 
WERE REPORTED JUST SOUTH AND WEST OF BALTIMORE CITY WHERE THUNDER 
SNOW PRODUCED BRIEF SNOWFALL RATES OF 2 INCHES PER HOUR SUNDAY 
MORNING.  

AT BALTIMORE...THIS STORM HAS BECOME THE TOP SNOWSTORM ON 
RECORD...DROPPING A TOTAL OF 28.2 INCHES AT BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON 
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. AT WASHINGTON...THIS STORM RANKS AS THE 
NUMBER 5 SNOWSTORM ON RECORD. A TOTAL OF 16.7 INCHES WAS RECORDED AT 
WASHINGTON REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT. 

HERE IS A LIST OF THE TOP 10 SNOW STORM AT BOTH LOCATIONS...UPDATED 
TO INCLUDE THIS WEEKEND'S STORM.   


THE TOP 10 SNOW STORM FOR BALTIMORE ARE AS FOLLOWS...

1ST  FEBRUARY 15-18 2003......28.2 INCHES 
2ND  JANUARY  27-29 1922......26.5 INCHES
3RD  FEBRUARY 11-12 1983......22.8 INCHES
4TH  JANUARY   7-8  1996......22.5 INCHES
5TH  MARCH    29-30 1942......22.0 INCHES
6TH  FEBRUARY 11-14 1899......21.4 INCHES
7TH  FEBRUARY 18-19 1979......20.0 INCHES
8TH  MARCH    15-18 1892......16.0 INCHES
9TH  FEBRUARY 15-16 1958......15.5 INCHES
10TH JANUARY    25  2000......14.9 INCHES


THE TOP 10 SNOW STORM FOR WASHINGTON ARE AS FOLLOWS...

1ST  JANUARY  27-28 1922......28.0 INCHES
2ND  FEBRUARY 11-13 1899......20.5 INCHES
3RD  FEBRUARY 18-19 1979......18.7 INCHES
4TH  JANUARY   6-8  1996......17.1 INCHES
5TH  FEBRUARY 15-18 2003......16.7 INCHES 
6TH  FEBRUARY 11-12 1983......16.6 INCHES
7TH  FEBRUARY 15-16 1958......14.4 INCHES
8TH  FEBRUARY   7   1936......14.4 INCHES
9TH  FEBRUARY 16-18 1900......14.3 INCHES
10TH JANUARY  29-30 1966......13.8 INCHES