Winter 1997-98 Review

Snowfall during the 1997-1998 season was below normal and temperatures were well above normal which is typical for a strong El Nino winter.

Snow totals in northern Ohio ranged from only the teens across northwest Ohio to less than 30 inches at the lakeshore around Cleveland to just over 70 inches in northern Geauga County in the snowbelt of northeast Ohio where over 100 inches is seasonable. Totals in northwest Pennsylvania were from 60 to 80 inches near the Lake Erie lakeshore to near 150 inches inland in the heart of the Pennsylvania snowbelt which is slightly below normal. Every month during the winter of 1997-98 was above normal in temperature and February 1998 ranked as one of the warmest ever with the least or nearly the least amount of snow ever. Some locations reported no snow in February 1998.

1997-'98	Oct 97	Nov 97	Dec 97	Jan 98	Feb 98	Mar 98	Apr 98	May 98	Total 1997-98
Toledo	Trace	5.2	5.2	2.6	0.9	2.1	0	0	16.0
Mansfield	Trace	1.2	6.7	2.1	0.2	5.7	0	0	15.9
Cleveland	Trace	8.6	10.7	5.0	0.2	9.5	Trace	0	34.0
Akron-Canton	Trace	2.4	6.5	4.4	Trace	8.9	0	0	22.2
Youngstown	0.8	8.2	13.5	6.3	Trace	14.3	0	0	43.1
Erie PA	0.2	27.1	25.3	9.8	0.7	16.6	0	0	79.7