Heavy Snow in Maryland, February 16, 1996

A strong "Alberta Clipper", diving southeast from the upper midwest into the deep south, linked up with subtropical moisture lurking along the southeast U.S. coast to develop a classic nor'easter, which moved from northeast South Carolina to off the Virginia Capes during the day on the 16th. As the area of low pressure intensified, it wrapped Atlantic moisture well to the west, where modified arctic air was pouring in from southern Canada.The result was an area of heavy snow across all of eastern Maryland during the morning and early afternoon. The heaviest snowfall was noted along the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, where between 10 and 13 inches fell. Over the immediate suburbs of Washington and Baltimore, 7 to 11 inches fell, with lesser amounts (4 to 6 inches) over areas of north central Maryland.The snowfall added to the already remarkable seasonal totals. At Baltimore/Washington International Airport (MDZ014), the additional 9.8 inches brought the 1995/96 total to 55.1 inches, breaking the all-time record of 51.8 inches, set over 30 years prior, by 3.3 inches. The record was shattered with still an entire calendar month of winter remaining. Farther south, in Hollywood (MDZ017), the all-time record, dating back nearly a century, was nearly tied as the snow total reached 53.2 inches. The standing record of 54.7 inches was set during the legendary winter of 1898/99, known for it's infamous February blizzard.