More than 17 inches of snow blanketed Swampscott on Monday, February 23, forcing the Swampscott Public Schools and numerous local businesses to close their doors on Monday and Tuesday.

At its peak, the storm was as intense as a Category 2 hurricane, making the latest blast in an especially cold, wet and snowy season. It was the third time over the last month that Swampscott has recorded more than a foot of snow.

Justin Perry, of North Shore Weather Service, said he anticipated a colder, snowier-than-average season but not to this extent.

Most of Massachusetts has been hit hard this winter, though coastal communities, along the North Shore have often borne the brunt of the heaviest bands. On February 7, for example, Boston saw only a few inches of accumulation while more than 10 inches fell in Swampscott.

There is always some luck involved, Perry said, noting that Swampscott and neighboring towns narrowly avoided totals exceeding 30 inches, like some communities in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island received Monday.

Perry explained that coastal fronts, where warm ocean air collides with colder inland air, can enhance snowfall rates in seaside towns.

“(Coastal fronts) can act as a focal point for heavier snow,” Perry said.

According to Perry, global precipitation patterns have helped drive the persistent winter weather. When Swampscott sees above-average precipitation, he noted, it often reflects wetter conditions across other parts of the country and Canada as well.

“It’s definitely been a colder winter,” said Perry. “Every winter, there is a window of opportunity (for a lot of snow). There are winters where it doesn’t set up the right way.”

As for Monday, Perry said the storm strengthened at an unusually rapid pace, ranking among the more powerful winter storms in recent Massachusetts history. A “last second” shift in its track spared greater Boston from even higher snowfall totals.

Swampscott now is expecting an additional .77 inches of snow on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to Windy, which uses global, high-resolution regional, and European weather models.