SXUS99 KALB 261155 RERALB RECORD EVENT REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 655 AM EST THU DEC 26 2002 ...NEW ALL-TIME RECORD CHRISTMAS SNOWFALL AND PRECIPITATION... AT 1159 PM CHRISTMAS DAY 2002...THE OFFICIAL TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE DAY AT ALBANY WAS 19.2 INCHES. THIS ECLIPSED THE PREVIOUS CHRISTMAS RECORD OF 11.8 INCHES SET BACK IN 1978. THE PRECIPITATION AT ALBANY FOR CHRISTMAS DAY 2002 ALSO SET A NEW RECORD FOR THE DAY...WITH A TOTAL OF 1.79 INCHES. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 1.12 INCHES...ALSO SET IN 1978. ALL OF THE PRECIPITATION FELL IN THE FORM OF SNOW... JUST AS WITH THE PREVIOUS RECORD BACK IN 1978. AFTER MIDNIGHT AN ADDITIONAL 1.8 INCHES OF SNOW FELL. AS OF 645 AM EST THURSDAY THE STORM TOTAL WAS 21.0 INCHES. THIS EVENT GOES DOWN AS BEING ALBANY'S 4TH GREATEST DECEMBER SNOWSTORM SINCE THE BEGINNING OF RECORDS IN 1885...AND IT IS THE 9TH GREATEST SNOWSTORM OVERALL. TOTAL WATER EQUIVALENT FOR THE STORM STOOD AT 1.91 INCHES. $$ ELH/GG