The surprising amount of snow that blanketed the region Monday night into Tuesday morning closed schools, kept road crews busy, created Level 1 snow emergencies and sent meteorologists searching the record books.
The Butler and Warren county region received as much as nine inches of snow, the most recorded since 10.7 inches fell on March 8, 2008, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington. Before 2008, the most snow recorded on one day was 18.3 inches on Feb. 5, 1998, said Meteorologist Allen Randall.
Over the weekend and early Monday, weather forecasters predicted no more than 4 inches for the area, but late Monday night winter weather emergencies were issued because they expected more than 4 inches, he said.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Randall said meteorologist were fooled by the “very complex system.” He said the temperatures and the moisture in the air created “fluffy snow” that produced the “maximum potential” of accumulation, he said.
When asked about predicting snow fall Randall called it the “most challenging” part of being a meteorologist because of several variables, including the amount of precipitation, how long it will snow and the temperatures in the air and on the ground.
To compare, he said if 10 economists viewed the same data from the stock market they may have 10 different opinions.
“It’s the same with weather,” he said.
Randall said the snow is expected to stay around as high temperatures are forecast to reach only the mid-20s through the weekend with lows reaching zero or below.
Road crews throughout Butler and Warren counties were cleaning streets throughout Monday night and Tuesday.
The Level 1 Snow Emergency was rescinded Tuesday afternoon, according to Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Weather forecast
Today: High temperatures in the mid-20s with lows 15 to 20 degrees. Snow will likely return after 3 p.m., with accumulation around 1 inch.
Thursday: A chance of snow or freezing rain in the morning with highs in the mid-20s with a low of around 10 degrees.
Friday: Highs in the low 20s to lows 5 to 10 degrees.
Saturday: Highs in the low 20s to lows 5 to 10 degrees.
Sunday: High temperatures 10 to 15 degrees with a low of zero to 5 below.
SOURCE: National Weather Service
Snow by municipality
Here’s how much snow your community received as of 9 a.m. Tuesday:
- Fairfield: 7 inches
- Hamilton: 6.5 inches
- Lebanon: 7 inches
- Liberty Twp.: 6 inches
- Madison Twp.: 8.1 inches
- Mason: 5.5 inches
- Middletown: 8.1 inches
- Monroe: 7.7 inches
- Oxford: 8 inches
- Springboro: 7.3 inches
- Trenton: 7 inches
- Waynesville: 9 inches
- West Chester: 7.5 inches
SOURCE: National Weather Service
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