Winter Storm — Coastal Rockingham, New Hampshire

2024-01-06 to 2024-01-07 · Coastal Rockingham, New Hampshire

Event narrative

Some light snow began during the evening of the 6th with ocean effect showers moving westward into the Seacoast. The moderate snow began later in the evening on the 6th. Several rounds of heavy snow with snowfall rates in excess of 1 to 2 inches per hour occurred through the event, one early in the morning on the 7th with the initial mesoscale warm advection band, and a second later in the day as deformation forcing increased to the northwest of and closer to the low center. Snow ended quickly once surface winds veered to northwesterly. Snowfall totals ranged from 12 to 16 inches.

Wider weather episode

Early on the 6th low pressure began organize along the Gulf Coast as high pressure settled into southern Quebec. This high pressure brought some fresh cold air ahead of the developing East Coast storm. Early on the 7th the storm center had moved to a position near Chesapeake Bay and was beginning to occlude. By this time light snow was already breaking out across New Hampshire as warm, moist air was forced over the cold dome. Slow deepening continued as the nor'easter approached Nantucket, with the strongest forcing sent a mesoscale band of heavy snow north into the Lakes Region where it settled through the afternoon. Snowfall rates in excess of 1 to 2 inches per hour were frequently observed underneath this band. The storm began to exit east northeast and snow generally ended from west to east into the early evening hours on the 7th.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1147392. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.