6.5 inches in latest storm puts us within 7 inches of snowiest winter ever

With seven weeks still remaining this winter, central Indiana has moved within seven inches of seeing 2013-14 emerge as the snowiest season in history.

The Greencastle area received an additional 6.5 inches of snow Tuesday night into Wednesday, according to the records of local weather observer Diana Foust.

Shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday, the storm began putting down snow in earnest in Putnam County, making for a snowy scene along the south side of the courthouse square in Greencastle. By 7 a.m. Wednesday, the storm total had reached 6.5 inches of snow with more expected later in the week.

The Putnam County observer also reports a season-to-date total of 42.05 inches this winter.

That catapults the winter of 2013-14 past 1973-74 and into fourth place all-time for snowiest season. The Indianapolis area has logged 44.1 inches thus far as the official National Weather Service total for central Indiana.

Foust said the 42.05 inches of snow she has tallied for the winter includes a half-inch received on Nov. 12, followed by 8.55 inches for December, an incredible 25 inches in January, and eight so far for February.

Thus January 2014 total recorded for central Indiana (26.7 inches) is the second most for the first month of the year, trailing only blizzard-enhanced January 1978 at 30.6 inches on the all-time list of snowiest Januarys.

Perhaps more impressively, last month's snowfall even eclipsed the annual central Indiana winter average of 25.9 inches.

Meanwhile, that 6.5 inches of snow that fell in Greencastle Tuesday night and Wednesday morning equals the normal total for the entire month of February in central Indiana.

An average January locally sees 8.8 inches of snowfall, making it was likeliest month for frosty flakes. December regularly averages 6.9 inches, while February usually gets the aforementioned 6.5 inches and March still manages an average of 2.6 inches.

The snowiest winter ever in central Indiana was 1981-82 at 51 inches, followed by 1977-78 at 49.7. Among more recent winters, 2002-03 ranks third at 46.9 inches of snow.

For the entire winter season (December through February), the central Indiana total of 44.1 inches through 7 a.m. Feb. 5 ranks as the fourth snowiest winter season on record.

The top 10 snowiest central Indiana winters are now:

1. 51.0 inches in 1981-82

2. 49.7 inches in 1977-78

3. 46.9 inches in 2002-03

4. 44.1 inches in 2013-14 (through 7 a.m. Feb. 5)

5. 39.3 inches in 1973-74

6. 37.8 inches in 1995-96

6. 37.8 inches in 1978-79

8. 35.9 inches in 2010-11

9. 33.0 inches in 2009-10

10. 32.6 inches in 1983-84