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In the Foot's Forecast team, we believe a local weather forecast, to be truly authentic, should be both data-based and managed by qualified forecasters in your city, county or community. 

When weather becomes "the problem of the day," over 500,000 visitors choose to make our team content a valuable tool in their decision making. The passion of our forecasters has earned the loyal readership of nearly 80,000 in social media across the US and globally. Our daily reach extends from London to Baltimore, Miami to Seattle, and across the Pacific to Auckland, New Zealand. 

HOW ARE WE DIFFERENT? With teams in 30 U.S. states and in 2 continents, we can say with confidence we are local with a global perspective. 

Our readers and clients receive site- and community-specific local forecasts one cannot obtain anywhere else. The content is produced by experienced meteorologists and senior forecasters, with a built-in cadre of social-media savvy junior forecasters pursuing atmosphere science. Our experience with readers is one built on earning their trust. 

AUTHENTIC, NOT AUTOMATED. Analyses from computer models are essential tools to understanding the complexities of weather & climate. On our team, collaboration among forecasters is the crucial component that keeps content for you relevant, accurate and centered on real-time solutions. Group that rely on us include:

• Mayors from large cities, emergency managers, event coordinators and the public alike seek our advice for high impact events, and outdoor events  
• Parents, students and teachers call us their "go-to source" for local weather, and school officials in dozens of districts rely on our analyses.
• Event Coordinators: Performers such as Fiction20Down and officials working the Dew Tour have turned to us before large events, so there are no surprises. 

REAL SERVICES, LOCAL SOLUTIONS. Our hallmark approach to leveraging the forecast for our clients is when we "fuse" weather with pop culture using social media. It's called  "Fusion Forecasting." Here's an example from Summer 2012 by our Surf & Sail Team in Ocean City, MD:

"Dew Tour Finishes Strong"

Despite four days of sunshine and good conditions at the August 2012 Pantech USA Dew Tour, rain crept in on the last day. The final Skate competitions, by athletes around the world, faced cancellation due to wet conditions. But our on-site team knew this was not headline to be. Read about how our weather intelligence services helped the event achieve a photo-perfect, and safe finish: "Dew Tour Finishes Strong" 

NEED AN ON-SITE OR OFFICIAL FORECASTER?   We're availabe any time or any place you need us. Learn more about our decision services, register for our "ONE FREE STORM" 5-DAY TRIAL, or contact us: team@footsforecast.org

The Right Step For Authentic Local Weather 

Ten Years Ago...

REMEMBERING THE PRESIDENT'S DAY BLIZZARD OF 2003

FEBRUARY 17, 2013 (Baltimore, MD) If you lived in the Mid-Atlantic region, ten years ago this Sunday morning, you awoke to winter wonderland that would soon take it's toll.

The historic storm of Feb 15-18, 2003 would go on to become the snowiest 4 days in  Baltimore records, and live on the memories of many teachers, students and administrators across the state of Maryland as significant event which produced a ripple effect on the rest of the school year. 

Spring break plans were canceled or changed, graduations moved, rescheduled, finals were affected, the school year extended. Summer work crews had one LESS week to prepare buildings for the 03-04 school year, it was a very difficult time for many. 

This photo was taken Sunday evening February 16, 2003 by our founder, Rich Foot at Dundalk High School in Baltimore County, MD during the height of the 2003 Blizzard.

This storm was also one of the first times the words "Foot's Forecast" was uttered in a school classroom, and would become the catalyst that gave rise to our now international forecast team. We welcome your memories in the comments, and we will post more of ours in this story.

What DID we say about Winter 2012-13?

For a look back at original our projections from the Winter Stormcast Team, 

visit links published on November 2, 2012 and December 1-2, 2012 

Current US / Canadian snowcover. 

Source: NOAA National Ice Center

10:30 AM EST 2/12/13 From the Winter Stormcast Team: If the Mid-Atlantic is going to see a final high impact winter event, it will need to occur in the next 10-15 days. Otherwise, increasing sun angle will negate many effects of a snowstorm at the surface in that region. However, current snowcover across New England and the Great Lakes can lay the groundwork for those areas to experience additional major events. 

We are examining the potential of the southern Plains system to set the stage for a possible final event in the East, and will report on that later this week.

DID WE REALLY PREDICT BELOW-NORMAL SNOWFALL FOR THIS WINTER? 

Visit this link for the unabridged look back about what we said for Winter 2012-13 as posted on this site for November 2, then restated on December 1-2.

Out with a "Bang" or with a "Bust" ?

EXAMINING TRENDS LEADING TO HOW WINTER 2012-13 MAY END FOR THE MID-ATLANTIC

Valentine's Week in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast will be forever remembered for the
multi-day paralyzing ice storm that gripped the region in February 2007. Will 2013 be a do-over?

7:00 AM EST 2/10/2013 UPDATED (Forecaster Mike N. and the Long Range Team)

SYNOPSIS: Until the newly arrived New England blizzard clocked that region with 18 to 40 inches, for many in the Eastern U.S., the winter of 2012-13 had been rather benign in terms of cold and snowfall. Despite some recent arctic outbreaks and frequent “dusting to an inch” type clipper storms, Powderhounds were dismayed at the lack of any major storms. Many cities do have more snow than was observed in 2011-2012 and have averaged a bit colder, especially in January. How does this stack up with recent climate records for area which have under-performed in snow? (Inset: Photos from readers in Connecticut send in pictures of snow 24-36" deep. View more at our Northeast Winter Stormcast page). 

COMPARING RECENT WINTERS: Over the last 10 years, two seasons started out similarly to the first half of winter thus far in 2012-13.

• 2006-07 started with record warmth but then a major pattern change during the end of January brought cold air in, and more arctic air, snow, and ice into February. 
• 2011-12, which is shaping up to be a close relative of this year, was nearly snowless for some locations of the Mid-Atlantic. Dulles, Reagan National and Baltimore Washington Airports all recorded less than 3" of snow, compared to a normal annual snowfalls between 17 and 20 inches, depending on the airport.

What "snowfall" has generally turned out to produce in portions of the Mid-Atlantic since 2011-12:
Sometimes it is barely enough to cover the grass, and never mind sledding or snow forts!

POPPING THE QUESTION: With the all-important Valentine's Day looming large for many with dinner plans or other significant life events around this time, the weather pattern begs the #1 question: "Will this winter go out with a bang in OTHER regions, such as the Mid-Atlantic did in February 2007, or fizzle with false promises of snow, like 2012?

34 inches, and still snowing...
- Hartford, CT Courant

STORM REPORTS: 

NOAA | PHILLY | ALBANY  | NYC | BOSTON

IN CT, MASS, RI: 

BLIZZARD WARNINGS IN EFFECT UNTIL AFTERNOON

ACROSS SOUTHERN N.E.:
WINDS OF 60 MPH +  
2+ FEET OF SNOW WIDESPREAD

8:30 AM EST 2/9/2013 (Northeast US Team) This excerpt from the Hartford Courant in Connecticut sums up the extreme crippling nature of this historic blizzard:

"Roads across the state were impassable Saturday morning, with drivers, emergency responders and even highway crews stuck in 2 to 3 feet of snow.

At 5 a.m., Gov. Dannel P. Malloy ordered all roads closed until further notice, according to spokesman Andrew Doba. 

Just before 7 a.m., more than 36,000 Connecticut Light & Power customers were without power, along with more than half a million households in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 

Snowfall totals ranged from 34 inches in New Haven, Hamden andShelton to 25 inches in New Hartford and Stafford, 18 inches inWaterbury and 16 inches in Litchfield. Snow was still falling at 7 a.m"

TOTAL STORM SNOWFALL TO EXCEED 2 FEET IN MANY LOCATIONS 

OUR WISHES FOR YOUR SAFETY The Winter Stormcast Team conveys our wishes of safety to all readers being impacted by this storm. We hope our advance forecasting has been of value to your decision-making and preparation. Our efforts will begin shifting to analysis for the next storm event now developing across the Rockies this weekend, heading to the Western Great Lakes. 

Our previous reports below...

Historic Winter Storm To Rival 1978

BLIZZARD & WINTER STORM WARNINGS

FOR TENS OF MILLIONS - 12" to 24" EXPECTED

Overview of Eastern US advisories, watches and warnings

Northeast Winter Stormcast | Mid-Atlantic Winter Stormcast | Metro New York City 

HPC Heavy Snow Discussion | NWS Boston-Taunton | NWS New York 

OUR WINTER STORMCAST TEAM SNOWFALL PROJECTIONS 

8:00 PM 2/7/13 | Updated Overview of Storm Impacts & Timing for Friday-Saturday Winter Storm | Forecasters Zach F., Zach J. & the Winter Stormcast Team 

FROM OUR METRO NEW YORK TEAM

**BLIZZARD WARNING** - For All of NYC, Eastern Bergen County, Eastern Union County, Eastern Essex County, Long Island, Southern Westchester County, and all of CT *Blizzard Conditions expected here with 10-14" of snow

WINTER STORM WARNING - Northern NJ, Lower Hudson Valley
*12-16" of snow expected in Lower Hudson Valley
*10-14" of snow expected in Northern NJ
Now is the time to prepare for difficult to impossible travel Friday into Saturday, and likely school closures or early dismissals. Snow is expected to begin mid-morning and may mix from NYC on south, but everyone sees very heavy snow Friday night.

SYNOPSIS: 

A HISTORIC WINTER STORM is slated to affect much of the New England states Friday into Saturday and will provide some wintry precipitation across the mid-Atlantic. The mid-Atlantic region should see a mix of snow, freezing rain, and sleet. The precipitation will fall through the day Friday before tapering off overnight Friday night. Almost the entire mid-Atlantic will experience icy or snow covered roads at some point on Friday or Saturday. Read ahead for the amount projections, or see the map above. 

SNOW & TIMING: 

• From southern & central PA and southern & central NJ north, expect periods of freezing rain, sleet, and snow to change over to snow during the early afternoon hours. 
• Extreme northern areas of the mid-Atlantic such as northern PA, northern NJ, and NY will see mainly snow as they are expecting a major winter storm with significant accumulation of 6 or more inches are possible. 
• Expect a possible break of precipitation for a few hours around midday across central & southern PA, central and southern NJ, and central & northern DE before steadier precipitation moves in later in the afternoon from the west. Periods of snow will continue through Friday night before tapering off overnight from west to east. 

WINTRY MIX & TIMING: 

• By Thursday night, a wintry mix of precipitation is expected for much of the region, except for Northern VA, southern DE, and southern MD which should see mainly rain with some sleet pellets mixing in when precipitation begins.

• From Thursday night to Friday midday, portions of central MD and central DE will see a mix of freezing rain, sleet, and snow to start before changing to plain rain by midday. A break of around three hours in precipitation is possible across central MD and southern DE before steadier precipitation moves in later in the afternoon from the west. Expect precipitation to end from west to east in the regions Friday evening. 

RAIN & TIMING:

• Southern portions across VA, southern MD, and southern DE will see mainly rain, while further to the north a mix of precipitation is expected. The initial onset of precipitation will begin in these areas from south to north by midnight Thursday night.
• Expect precipitation to taper off west to east shortly after sundown Friday evening. 

AMOUNTS:

• Little or no accumulation: Northern VA, southern DE, and southern MD will see a few isolated icy spots, mainly in higher elevations, but otherwise roads will just be wet.
• Coating to glazing: Central MD and central DE could see up to a dusting of snowfall and a glaze of ice before changing to rain by midday Friday. Central PA and central NJ could see slick roads through the day with light to moderate snowfall possible along with some light ice accumulations in spots.
• 1 to 3 inches: Areas of southern PA, central & northern DE, and southern NJ should see a glaze of ice Friday morning followed by a few inches of snow once precipitation changes over.
• 3-6 inches: Portions of central PA and central NJ should see only patchy icy with several inches of snow expected after the changeover Friday. 
• 6-12 inches: Even further north significant snow is expected to cause major problems in northern PA, northern NJ, and NY.
• 12+ inches: New York City northward, parts of Long Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, then Northeast along Atlantic coast into Maine. 
• 18+ inches: Central CT up through Boston, parts of southern Upstate NY, northern RI. 

Stay safe out there and use extra caution! 

A Collaboration Ten Years In The Making...

OUR STORY | OUR MISSION | AUTHENTIC WEATHER CAMPAIGN | SHORTY AWARDS | FOR INVESTORS

Pennsylvania Team Leader Andrew Barney, a Meteorology major at Penn State University, presented on behalf of our team at the January 2013 conference of the American Meteorological Society in Austin, Texas. What the power of collaboration can do for you.

On January 26, 2004, during a multi-day ice storm in Baltimore, Maryland, a high school Earth Science teacher heeded suggestions of his students, and began posting their  weather forecasts online for his colleagues. That decision became a vision for authentic local weather. Today, that vision has grown to an international team of dedicated local forecasters across 30 U.S. states to global destinations ranging from Auckland, New Zealand to London, England. Their secret sauce? Collaboration. Passion. Innovation. 

Your Support Matters. For any readers who wish to support expanding our vision of "authentic, local weather from a trusted team", please visit this link to make a donation, or click the button featured in the right column.


We Thank You. This website and our team would not have happened without the loyalty and support of our readers. We dedicate this 10th year commemoration to you, for believing in our vision all these years. New to Foot's Forecast? We welcome you just like everyone else! Get a glimpse of how it all started at this link to the original post from 1/26/2004, and how the team developed from there in Our Story section.

L to R:  Mr . Foot with original 2007 Dundalk High graduate Diandre Williams
with Director of Outreach Nikki Byers, Forecasters Aaron Salter and Jason Mitchell
at the 2011 Maryland Emergency Association conference in Ocean City, MD

The Brief Back Story In the early 2000's, Mr. Foot, a 1996 Penn State graduate in Earth Science, had been occasionally teaching his 10th grade students at Dundalk High School lesser-known techniques of short and long range weather prediction. Their experiments, as rigorous explorations within the Baltimore County Public Schools Science curriculum, had begun to yield surprisingly accurate results. A summary: 

Snow For The Groundhogs? 

8:00 AM EST 2/2/2013 (

Winter Stormcast Director Zachary Fasnacht) February was welcomed in classic snowy fashion across much of the Eastern U.S., as Lake Effect snows fell across the Midwest and moved into the Ohio Valley and northwestern Pennsylvania. A weak system moving toward the Mid-Atlantic has already produced 4-6" in some locations, with a coating to two inches haven fallen across central Pennsylvania. 

For this reason, Punxsutawney Phil and his buddies in Pennsylvania saw patches of snow Saturday morning, while his cousins in many other states under the "Big Chill" are seeing frozen green grass. Despite the bright sunshine which may have scared Phil off this morning, we are predicting another 6 weeks of Winter, and the next round for some arrives today.

A TALE OF TWO CLIPPERS: 

A series of clipper systems will slide through the mid-Atlantic over the next few days. The current Eastern US advisories from the NWS are shown below:

• CLIPPER # 1. The first will arrive during the evening hours Saturday. It will bring periods of light snow to Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey, Delaware, and Eastern Maryland Saturday night into Sunday. Accumulations will be light with a general 1-3" expected. The highest accumulations will occur in the mountains of Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The lower accumulations will occur across eastern Pennsylvania and eastern Maryland. 

• CLIPPER # 2. A second clipper should arrive during the day Sunday, but it will be much weaker bringing snow showers to Pennsylvania, northern Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. Most areas will only see an inch or two from this system as it will be weak and move quick. So some snow showers are possible as Baltimore Fans sit in their homes watching the big game Sunday evening. 

A few more minor systems will come through the mid-Atlantic next week, bringing some more light snow to the region. We'll be sure to keep all our readers up to date on this next round of systems.. but until then, ENJOY THE BIG GAME!