Philly’s Snowiest Half-Decade, Ever

Think we got a lot of snow this year? It's just adding to a large pile.

FiveThirtyEight writer Matt Lanza says this was one of the most miserable winters on record—and that Philly, in particular, has experienced a rather extraordinary half-decade of snow:

He writes:

The snow in Philadelphia this winter, and over the last half-decade, deserves a chart of its own.

After two relatively snow-free winter seasons, this winter picked right up where 2009-10 and 2010-11 left off. The city has never had a 5-year period this snowy (averaging almost 40 inches per season).

In nearby New Jersey, my mom spent the winter shivering and digging out. “Is this the last of it?” she’s asked me almost every time we’ve spoken. Hard to say, Mom. But I can tell you for sure that Arizona is nice in January.

Get that, folks? You’re the brave pioneers of Philadelphia’s New Polar Age. The upside to this? Polar bears are delicious.