For all still hoping: Snow has defied meteorological winter in Charlotte before
Charlotte weather broke records — and some hearts — as Tuesday marked the end of its first meteorological winter without snow.
Never before has the city seen a completely snowless winter, National Weather Service records show, at least not since the government started keeping track in 1879. But, history heeds, some of the Queen City’s worst weather events came after meteorological winter, which begins Dec. 1 and ends Feb. 28.
In 1960, the area saw just three inches of snow until a March storm piled 20 inches of snow on top of the city, according to NWS records. In 1983, more than 10 inches fell in March after the meteorological winter brought just over two inches. Most recently, the white powder briefly dusted buildings with less than an inch of March snow in 2017.
As far as the stars are concerned, winter began Dec. 21 and will continue until March 20. The astronomical winter, which has been used for thousands of years, allows scientists to better understand and standardize temperature and snowfall comparisons, said William Martin, the science and operations officer at NWS’ Greenville-Spartanburg offices.
Regardless, seeing snowfall in March requires strong upper storm systems, which happen about once every seven years when extremely cold systems meet warm systems, Martin said.
The changing of seasons — whether that be the cusp of fall or spring — typically brings those types of storms, he said. Charlotte last saw one 15 years ago when four inches of snow fell in March 2004, records show.
Snow showers were briefly in NWS’ Charlotte forecast this January when 23 inches of snow dumped on the North Carolina mountains and again last month when 11 inches coated the slopes. None of it reached the city, and Charlotte and Raleigh nearly tied their high temperature records the next week when a heat wave blanketed the area.
Last year, Charlotte’s only snow came with a four-inch flurry in January, records show. It topped the 0.3 inch dustings of 2020 and 2021 that came throughout January and February. In 2006 and 2012, the area saw only a trace of snow.
While the area has witnessed global warming trends in the last 100 years, Martin said, yearly snowfall variability is normal.
It’s possible Charlotte could see snow this month, Martin said, but the NWS can’t predict weather more than seven days out.
Forecasts show a high of 75 degrees and a low of 43 degrees this week, according to NWS.
For now, Queen City dwellers will have to keep up with weekly weather-app checks and decide for themselves if it’s time to stow the shovel.
