The snowstorm of December 28 to 31, 2012

The Regional Snowfall Index is NOAA’s ranking of snowstorms east of the Rockies by how much snow fell, over how wide an area and on how many people, region by region: the area and the population above four snowfall thresholds set for each region, weighted against that region’s own history. A storm is scored in each region it reached, on a scale from 1, notable, to 5, extreme.

Events

486

Deaths

0

Injuries

3

Damage

$433,000

Episodes

76

Every winter weather episode the Weather Service filed east of the Rockies in these dates. A few may belong to another system on the same days. Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Vermont, December 26 to 27, 20123 eventsLow pressure organized on Christmas Day over the Deep South, producing widespread rain and severe weather across the Gulf Coast Region. As this storm lifted northward on Christmas Night, a secondary area of low pressure developed along the mid-Atlantic coastline.
• Winter Storm in Vermont, December 26 to 28, 2012$245,000 · 16 eventsStrong low pressure moved from the Tennessee River Valley on the morning of December 26th to near Long Island, New York by the morning of December 27th, then eventually moved into Nova Scotia by the early morning hours of December 28th.
• Heavy Snow in New Hampshire, December 26 to 28, 20123 eventsLow pressure moved up the coast over Southern New England from the mid-Atlantic. This brought a mixture of wintry precipitation and strong winds to the region.
• Winter Storm in New York, December 26 to 27, 2012$120,000 · 9 eventsStrong low pressure moved from the Tennessee River Valley on the morning of December 26th to near Long Island, New York by the morning of December 27th, then eventually moved into Nova Scotia by the early morning hours of December 28th.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, December 26 to 27, 20123 eventsSnow showers developed across the northern mountains during the evening of the 26th and continued off and on overnight before ending during the morning of the 27th.
• Winter Storm in New Hampshire, December 26 to 27, 201211 eventsA large area of low pressure intensified as it moved northeast from Tennessee on the morning of the 26th to just southeast of New York City by the morning of the 27th, to Nova Scotia by the morning of the 28th.
• Winter Storm in Maine, December 27 to 28, 201217 eventsA large area of low pressure intensified as it moved northeast from Tennessee on the morning of the 26th to just southeast of New York City by the morning of the 27th, to Nova Scotia by the morning of the 28th. The storm brought heavy snow to most of western Maine.
• Winter Storm in Maine, December 27 to 28, 201214 eventsIntensifying low pressure tracked northeast from the mid Atlantic region early on the 27th...crossing the Gulf of Maine that night...then exiting through the maritimes early on the 28th.
• Winter Weather in South Dakota, December 27 to 28, 201222 eventsOccasional snow over southeast South Dakota produced widespread accumulations from the morning of December 27th to the afternoon of December 28th. The accumulations ranged from 3 to 7 inches over the area south of Interstate 90, and in a few areas north of Interstate 90.
• Winter Weather in Minnesota, December 27 to 28, 20128 eventsOccasional snow over southwest Minnesota produced widespread accumulations from the morning of December 27th to the afternoon of December 28th. The accumulations ranged from 3 to 5 inches. The snowfall was accompanied by generally light winds.
• Heavy Snow in Nebraska, December 27 to 28, 20122 eventsAn upper level system that lifted across the central plains brought a 12 to 24 hour period of snow to northeast Nebraska as an area of surface low pressure tracked slowly across the area.
• Winter Weather in Iowa, December 27 to 28, 20128 eventsOccasional snow over northwest Iowa produced widespread accumulations from the morning of December 27th to the afternoon of December 28th.
• Winter Weather in Nebraska, December 27 to 28, 20122 eventsOccasional snow over extreme northeast Nebraska produced accumulations of 4 to 6 inches from the morning of December 27th to the afternoon of December 28th. The snow was accompanied by generally light winds.
• Winter Weather in Oklahoma, December 28, 20121 eventA period of light snow produced 2 inches of snow across Cimarron County during the early morning hours of December 28th. The snow showers were triggered by a mid-level shortwave trough moving out of New Mexico.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, December 28 to 29, 20122 eventsHeavy snow fell in parts of east-central Wisconsin as an elongated area of low pressure passed through the state.
• Winter Storm in Indiana, December 28 to 29, 20124 eventsAn area of low pressure moved across the Tennessee Valley and brought another round of snow to Central Indiana during the evening of December 28 and the early morning hours of December 29. Snowfall amounts ranged from around an inch to over 6 inches.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Illinois, December 28 to 29, 201219 eventsA winter storm dumped 4 to 7 inches of snow across much of southern Illinois. The exception was in the Ohio River Valley from Cairo to Metropolis and Golconda, where only 1 to 3 inches fell. In the area of heaviest snow, snowfall rates were from 1 to 2 inches per hour.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Missouri, December 28 to 29, 20129 eventsAccumulating snow fell across most of southeast Missouri except for the extreme southeast counties of New Madrid and Mississippi. The Perryville area received the highest amounts, from 5 to 6 inches. In the area of heaviest snow, snowfall rates were from 1 to 2 inches per hour.
• Winter Weather in Arkansas, December 28, 20121 eventA weak area of low pressure aloft moved across northern Arkansas on the afternoon and evening of the 28th. Precipitation began as a mixture of freezing rain, sleet, and snow before transitioning over to mostly snow. Small accumulations occurred.
• Heavy Snow in Illinois, December 28 to 29, 20121 eventAn area of low pressure tracking through the Tennessee River Valley spread snow as far north as southeast Illinois. Accumulations of 6 to 7 inches occurred across Lawrence County, with lighter amounts noted further north toward the I-70 corridor.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, December 28 to 29, 201210 eventsLight sleet developed across the northern mountains and foothills during the evening hours, as a weak area of low pressured moved south of the region. Although mostly rain fell in the lower elevations, a few periodic bursts of sleet resulted in spotty light accumulations.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Indiana, December 28 to 29, 20126 eventsA winter storm dumped 6 to 8 inches of snow north of Interstate 64, 4 to 6 inches along Interstate 64 and over most of Posey County, and 2 to 4 inches south of Interstate 64 to the Ohio River. In the area of heaviest snow, snowfall rates were from 1 to 2 inches per hour.
• Heavy Snow in Indiana, December 28 to 29, 20128 eventsAn upper level disturbance moved across the Lower Ohio Valley during the morning hours on December 29th. Ahead of this feature, a weak surface trough moved across Tennessee late on the 28th.
• Winter Weather in Indiana, December 28 to 29, 20127 eventsA low pressure system tracking through the Ohio Valley dropped between 2 and 6 inches of snow on portions of northeast Indiana.
• Winter Weather in Ohio, December 28 to 29, 201218 eventsA low pressure system moved across the Tennessee Valley and into the Appalachians Friday Night through Saturday, December 29th and snow overspread the Ohio Valley.
• Winter Storm in Ohio, December 28 to 29, 201214 eventsA low pressure system moved across the Tennessee Valley and into the Appalachians Friday Night through Saturday, December 29th and snow overspread the Ohio Valley.
• Winter Storm in Kentucky, December 28 to 29, 201210 eventsA low pressure system moved across the Tennessee Valley and into the Appalachians Friday Night through Saturday, December 29th and snow overspread the Ohio Valley.
• Winter Weather in Kentucky, December 28 to 29, 20128 eventsOne to two inches of snow fell across the Ohio River counties of western Kentucky, as well as across Webster County. Specifically, 2 inches fell in Henderson and one inch in Paducah. A compact and strong upper-level disturbance moved rapidly east-northeast from Oklahoma.
• Winter Weather in Indiana, December 28 to 29, 20126 eventsA low pressure system moved across the Tennessee Valley and into the Appalachians Friday Night through Saturday, December 29th and snow overspread the Ohio Valley.
• Heavy Snow in Kentucky, December 28 to 29, 20125 eventsAn upper level disturbance moved across the Lower Ohio Valley during the morning hours on December 29th. Ahead of this feature, a weak surface trough moved across Tennessee late on the 28th.
• Winter Storm in Indiana, December 28 to 29, 20122 eventsA low pressure system moved across the Tennessee Valley and into the Appalachians Friday Night through Saturday, December 29th and snow overspread the Ohio Valley.
• Winter Weather in Kentucky, December 28 to 29, 20121 eventA low pressure system moved across the Tennessee Valley and into the Appalachians Friday Night through Saturday, December 29th and snow overspread the Ohio Valley.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Kentucky, December 28 to 29, 201211 eventsA mix of rain and snow fell across eastern Kentucky on December 29, 2012 as a storm system tracked across the Tennessee Valley. Over northern Kentucky, the precipitation fell as snow for the most part with several inches accumulating north of I-64.
• Winter Weather in Kentucky, December 28 to 29, 20122 eventsA low pressure system lifted northeast, out of the Tennessee Valley late on the 28th. The low center passed through West Virginia during the early morning of the 29th. Wet snow developed over northeast Kentucky just before midnight. The snow diminished by late morning.
• Winter Weather in Ohio, December 28 to 29, 20126 eventsA low pressure system tracking through the Ohio Valley dropped between 3 and 6 inches of snow on portions of northwest Ohio.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Ohio, December 29, 20129 eventsA low pressure system lifted northeast, out of the Tennessee Valley late on the 28th. Wet snow developed over southeast Ohio just after midnight. The low center passed through West Virginia during the morning. The snow diminished across southeast Ohio by late morning.
• Heavy Snow in West Virginia, December 29 to 30, 20122 eventsA fast moving surface low moving from the lower Mississippi Valley to the Ohio Valley brought a quick burst of snow and lingering up-slope snows, with the lagging upper level trough, to the northern West Virginia mountains and Garrett county Maryland.
• Heavy Snow in Maryland, December 29 to 30, 20121 eventA fast moving surface low moving from the lower Mississippi Valley to the Ohio Valley brought a quick burst of snow and lingering up-slope snows, with the lagging upper level trough, to the northern West Virginia mountains and Garrett county Maryland.
• Winter Weather in Indiana, December 29, 20123 injured · 1 eventLight snow fell during during the early morning hours causing slick road conditions on I-65 near Merrillville. At least 6 cars were involved in an accident with three people transported to area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, December 29 to 30, 20126 eventsLow pressure developed near Mississippi and moved northeast and across the Mid Atlantic. A secondary low formed off the Carolina coast and moved northeast. A wintery mix of rain and snow moved across the Mid Atlantic.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, December 29 to 30, 20125 eventsLow pressure developed near Mississippi and moved northeast and across the Mid Atlantic. A secondary low formed off the Carolina coast and moved northeast. A wintery mix of rain and snow moved across the Mid Atlantic.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, December 29 to 30, 20122 eventsLow pressure developed near Mississippi and moved northeast and across the Mid Atlantic. A secondary low formed off the Carolina coast and moved northeast. A wintery mix of rain and snow moved across the Mid Atlantic.
• Winter Weather in New York, December 29 to 30, 201227 eventsOn the heels of a bigger snowstorm, a light to moderate snowfall occurred across the region on Saturday, December 29th, 2012. An area of low pressure developed along the coast of North Carolina and moved northeastward off the Eastern Seaboard.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, December 29 to 30, 20123 eventsOn the heels of a bigger snowstorm, a light to moderate snowfall occurred across the region on Saturday, December 29th, 2012. An area of low pressure developed along the coast of North Carolina and moved northeastward off the Eastern Seaboard.
• Winter Weather in Connecticut, December 29 to 30, 20122 eventsOn the heels of a bigger snowstorm, a light to moderate snowfall occurred across the region on Saturday, December 29th, 2012. An area of low pressure developed along the coast of North Carolina and moved northeastward off the Eastern Seaboard.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, December 29, 201213 eventsA low pressure system that moved off the North Carolina coast dropped 2 to 4 inches of snow across southeast Pennsylvania (except for parts of Philadelphia) and 3 to 6 inches across Berks County, the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos on the 29th.
• Winter Weather in Massachusetts, December 29 to 30, 20122 eventsOn the heels of a bigger snowstorm, a light to moderate snowfall occurred across the region on Saturday, December 29th, 2012. An area of low pressure developed along the coast of North Carolina and moved northeastward off the Eastern Seaboard.
• Winter Weather in New Jersey, December 29, 20127 eventsA low pressure system that moved off the North Carolina coast dropped 2 to 5 inches of snow across the Raritan Basin and Northwest New Jersey, around one inch in Mercer County and little if any elsewhere in New Jersey.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, December 29, 20121 eventA low pressure system that moved off the North Carolina coast dropped 1 to 2 inches of snow in Cecil County before the precipitation changed to rain during the early afternoon on the 29th.
• Winter Storm in Vermont, December 29 to 30, 2012$60,000 · 6 eventsA vigorous mid-atmospheric disturbance and weak surface wave moved across the Ohio Valley on December 29th and rapidly intensified into a major Nor'easter across Nova Scotia by the morning of the 30th.
• Winter Weather in Delaware, December 29, 20121 eventA low pressure system that moved off the North Carolina coast dropped 1 to 2 inches of snow in northern New Castle County before the precipitation changed to rain during the early afternoon on the 29th.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Connecticut, December 29, 20128 eventsA complex low pressure system entering the Ohio Valley on December 28th transferred its energy to a secondary low along the North Carolina coast on the 29th.
• Heavy Snow in New Hampshire, December 29 to 30, 20121 eventAn area of low pressure off the Carolina coast on the morning of the 29th moved rapidly northeastward to just south of Nova Scotia by the morning of the 30th as it intensified. The storm brought 4 to 8 inches of snow to interior Rockingham County.
• Winter Weather in New Jersey, December 29, 20121 eventA complex low pressure system entering the Ohio Valley on December 28th transferred its energy to a secondary low along the North Carolina coast on the 29th.
• Winter Weather in Tennessee, December 29 to 30, 20128 eventsLight snow showers fell across much of Middle Tennessee on December 29 as a fast moving upper level disturbance moved across the region.
• Winter Storm in New York, December 29 to 30, 20127 eventsA low pressure system tracked from the midwest on Friday to the mid-Atlantic states on Saturday. Moisture and cold air associated with this system spread snow into portions of central New York on Saturday.
• Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, December 29 to 30, 20121 eventA low pressure system tracked from the midwest on Friday to the mid-Atlantic states on Saturday. Moisture and cold air associated with this system spread snow into the northern tier of Pennsylvania on Saturday.
• Heavy Snow in Massachusetts, December 29 to 30, 2012$8,000 · 11 eventsA rapidly intensifying low moved out of the mid-Atlantic, passing southeast of Southern New England. This spread heavy snow across much of Southern New England, resulting in six to ten inches of snow across the area.
• Heavy Snow in Maine, December 29 to 30, 20128 eventsAn area of low pressure off the Carolina coast on the morning of the 29th moved rapidly northeastward to just south of Nova Scotia by the morning of the 30th as it intensified. The storm brought 4 to 8 inches of snow to coastal sections of the state and the Capitol region.
• Heavy Snow in Connecticut, December 29 to 30, 20123 eventsA rapidly intensifying low moved out of the mid-Atlantic, passing southeast of Southern New England. This spread heavy snow across much of Southern New England, resulting in six to twelve inches of snow across the area.
• Heavy Snow in Rhode Island, December 29 to 30, 20126 eventsA rapidly intensifying low moved out of the mid-Atlantic, passing southeast of Southern New England. This spread heavy snow across much of Southern New England, resulting in six to twelve inches of snow across the area.
• Heavy Snow in New Hampshire, December 29 to 30, 20121 eventA rapidly intensifying low moved out of the mid-Atlantic, passing southeast of Southern New England. This spread heavy snow across much of Southern New England, resulting in four to eight inches of snow across the area.
• Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, December 29 to 31, 201256 kt wind · 2 eventsA storm moving from the western Gulf of Alaska to Bristol Bay while high pressure remained stationary over Russia caused increased winds and blizzard conditions over far western Alaska at the end of December.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, December 29 to 30, 20128 eventsSnow showers developed behind a cold front by the evening of the 29th, and continued off and on through the night before ending early on the 30th.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, December 29 to 30, 20127 eventsA mixture of rain and snow fell early on the 29th in the mountainous counties, as a low pressure center lifted northeast into West Virginia. In its wake, favorable temperatures aloft for crystal growth allowed for an increase in snow showers by late afternoon.
• Winter Storm in Maine, December 29 to 30, 20125 eventsRapidly intensifying low pressure tracked across the Gulf of Maine to southeast Nova Scotia during the evening of the 29th...then moved along the eastern coast of Nova Scotia during the 30th. Snow developed across Downeast areas during the evening of the 29th.
• Heavy Snow in New Mexico, December 30 to 31, 20128 eventsA deep upper level low pressure system pushed south along the California coastline on the 29th then weakened while turning slowly eastward across much of New Mexico on the 30th and 31st.
• Heavy Snow in Arizona, December 31, 20121 eventA passing Pacific low pressure system led to locally heavy snowfall across portions of southern Gila county beginning around midnight and continuing through the late morning hours on Monday, December 31st.
• Winter Weather in Texas, December 31, 20125 eventsOver the course of the late night hours on the 30th an upper level trough of low pressure situated over the Arizona and California state line moved eastward towards the Texas Panhandle.
• Winter Weather in Oklahoma, December 31, 20123 eventsOver the course of the late night hours on the 30th an upper level trough of low pressure situated over the Arizona and California state line moved eastward towards the Oklahoma Panhandle.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Kansas, December 31, 20126 eventsNew Year's Eve 2012, a Monday, featured a widespread 4 to 7 inch snowfall across the six-county area, with some locally higher amounts.
• Winter Storm in Kansas, December 31, 201212 eventsAn upper level storm system moved east across the plains on Sunday night, December 30th, and crossed Western Kansas during the day Monday, December 31st. This was the largest snow producing system of the season, thus far.
• Heavy Snow in Kansas, December 31, 20122 eventsA winter weather advisory was issued for much of the area effective from 6am Monday December 31st through 6am Jan 1st. Snow began to fall around 6am on December 1st and accumulated to between 5 and 7 inches across Cloud and Republic Counties.
• Heavy Snow in Kansas, December 31, 20121 eventSnowfall developed from south to north across parts of Northwest Kansas during the morning behind a cold front that was ahead of an upper level trough over southwest Kansas. Snowfall amounts of 4 to 7 inches were reported across Gove county.
• Winter Weather in Nebraska, December 31, 20128 eventsNew Year's Eve 2012, a Monday, featured a widespread 2 to 5 inch snowfall across southern portions of South Central Nebraska, mainly south of the Highway 6 corridor.
• Heavy Snow in New Mexico, January 1, 20136 eventsA deep upper level low pressure system pushed south along the California coastline on the 29th then weakened while turning slowly eastward across much of New Mexico on the 30th and 31st.

The snowstorm of December 24 to 28, 2012The snowstorm of January 10 to 13, 2013Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

NOAA NCEI Regional Snowfall Index, and the Storm Events Database for the episodes.