Now you know about Philadelphia’s biggest snowstorms

Social media LOVES a good snowstorm. Sickeningly so, according to some. But, if you’re going to talk weather, why not be informed?

Philadelphia will likely miss the brunt of this storm, which many media outfits are (breathlessly) calling “Nemo.”

New Jersey will probably get slammed. Indeed, the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning (pink) for much of the area.

 

But even today’s worst snow forecasts pale in comparison to the Philadelphia storms of the not-too-distant past.

Maybe you remember 1996, when a blizzard dumped a record-breaking 30 inches.

 

Or 2010, almost exactly three years ago, when 28.5 inches took second place.

 

Earlier that winter, in December 2009, Philadelphia saw it’s 3rd largest snowfall in history: 23.3 inches.

Anyway, now you know. (And if you’re really curious, here’s a book.)

Here are the other top snowfalls in Philadelphia history, according to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center.

21.3 inches on February 11-12, 1983
21.0 inches on December 25-26, 1909*
19.4 inches on April 3-4, 1915
18.9 inches on February 12-14, 1899

*That 1909 blizzard? Here’s a New York Times article on Philly’s snow-related havoc: