A snowball's chance in ... May. (
)
Wait, wait, wait ... what was that we saw on the ground this past Saturday morning?
Snow?
No.
Yes!
A rare polar vortex visited the area in the early morning hours of May 9, confusing some when they opened their window shades while amazing with the with the rare sight of snow on lawns ... and lawn chairs ... in May.
The polar vortex is a massive whirlwind of frigid air that typically circulates around the Arctic Circle. It tends to sink down into the U.S. a few times each winter. But this past winter it didn’t – and instead the vortex was unusually strong and stationary, keeping cold air locked far north.
First Due Weather from the Compound, the hyperlocal Facebook page which provides forecasts, alerted followers of the rare weather event coming this way earlier that week.
And, as is known to happen on Facebook, photos flooded pages for people to document to others were “there” for the Mother’s Day Weekend snowfall, which included a 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning wind chill temperature of 19 degrees plus four major snow squalls throughout the day.
Impressive to all, except those in Colorado.
It was only an inch, but it was an inch worth talking about.
“Yesterday was like an episode of Twilight Zone,” wrote on FDW follower.
“Did it even snow this many times the whole winter?” asked another.
It did: 24 times this past snow season, FDW was quick to answer.
Some felt the very rare May snow was what some call a “25-year event,” that some may never see again.
Wrong. It was actually a 43-year event.
And that happened on . wait for it . May 9,1977.
Yes, really.
The 2020 snow ties the record for the latest snow of both years.
And here’s a fun fact: The snow on May 9, 1977 was the latest recorded in any spring since record‐keeping began in 1869. The previous record for the latest spring snow was May 4, set in 1946, according to The New York Times.
The rarity even afforded FDW followers an equally unique sight of its chief prognosticator sharing live videos and commentary during selected snow squalls.
Of course, his video ending with his signature phrase: “Keep watching.”
- Nancy Kriz