Remembering The Halloween Snowstorm Of 1993
Halloween is not exactly known for memorable weather in our part of the country. Sometimes it is nice...sometimes it is dam, often it's pretty chilly. But 25 years ago trick-or-treaters across The Valley were bundled up and trudging through several inches of snow! The picture about is from Cincinnati during the same storm...but there were of course scenes just like that here.
The Setup
After a mild stretch of late-October weather, a strong cold front crossed the area on the area early on October 30th. The front slowed as a wave of low pressure formed along it and rode northward. Moisture from the Gulf and the Atlantic was pulled northward and into the cold air mass. Wet snow began to fall and the snow continued into Halloween, the 31st. Air temperatures remained slightly above freezing so roads were generally ok but non-paved surfaces were covered by several inches of goopy wet snow. Amounts were impressive!
Late October is early for accumulating snow but it's not unheard of. We have had 1" or more of snow as early as mid-October before.
But this storm does take the cake for the largest October snow event on record in Youngstown. List of biggest 2-day snows in October:
Snow on Halloween is pretty uncommon. Measurable snow has only occurred a few times since 1930 and has not happened since that memorable 1993 storm:
No snow this year but it'll be a damp one.
