The snowstorm of December 8 to 10, 2017
A snowstorm NOAA ranked in 4 regions on its Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Southeast.
What the offices filed during it
Winter weather episodes east of the Rockies from the day before the storm began to the day after it ended, colored by kind.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The storm by region
Each region’s thresholds are its own, so the same depth of snow counts for more in the South than in the Northeast.
| Region | Index | Category | Area with snow (sq mi) | People under snow | Above the top threshold (sq mi) | People above it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast | 3.08 | Category 2, Significant | 123,267 | 25,816,350 | 0 | 0 |
| South | 1.04 | Category 1, Notable | 170,471 | 19,233,050 | 0 | 0 |
| Northeast | 0.72 | Below category 1 | 93,313 | 49,727,108 | 0 | 0 |
| Ohio Valley | 0.28 | Below category 1 | 18,297 | 2,748,245 | 0 | 0 |
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.
The toll the offices filed
- Events
- 616
- Deaths
- 5
- Injuries
- 6
- Damage
- $1.5 million
- Episodes
- 77
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.
Episode by episode
- Lake-Effect Snow in New York, December 6 to 8, 2017In the wake of a cold frontal passage Tuesday morning, the cold air gradually deepened across the region into Wednesday, December 6.
- Heavy Snow in Texas, December 6 to 7, 2017A southern stream shortwave trough combined with a northern, and southern, stream upper jet to produce significant snowfall over much of West Texas to the west of the Pecos River.
- Heavy Snow in New Mexico, December 6 to 7, 2017A southern stream shortwave trough combined with a northern, and southern, stream upper jet to produce significant snowfall over the Guadalupe Mountains in Southeast New Mexico.
- Winter Weather in Texas, December 7, 2017A cold front brought a shallow layer of cold air into South Central Texas on December 6. This was followed by an upper level trough cooling the deeper atmosphere allowing snow to fall across the region.
- Winter Weather in Indiana, December 7, 2017Lake effect snow accumulations of 1 to 2 inches led to slick roads and numerous accidents during the morning hours of December 7th in LaPorte and Saint Joseph counties.
- Heavy Snow in Texas, December 7 to 8, 2017A wintry mix of rain and snow occurred over South Texas on December 7th and changed to all snow around midnight of December 8th 2017. Areas of light snow moved into the northern Brush Country during the morning of December 7th.
- Lake-Effect Snow in New York, December 7 to 8, 2017A lake effect snow band developed off Lake Ontario during the afternoon of December 6th and rotated northward across portions of southeast St. Lawrence county during the afternoon and night time hours of December 7th.
- Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, December 7 to 8, 2017A strong cold front moved across western Pennsylvania on December 7th. Cold westerly winds behind the front caused lake effect snow showers to begin during the late afternoon hours of the 7th. They continued into the early morning hours of the 8th before diminishing to flurries.
- Blizzard in Alaska, December 7 to 8, 2017A frontal boundary pushed through the eastern arctic slope and produced blizzard conditions on the 7th of December and lingered into the 8th of December 2017. |zone 203: Blizzard and quarter mile visibility reported at the Deadhorse ASOS.
- Cold in Texas, December 7, 2017The coldest weather since January 7-8, 2017, descended on Deep South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley December 6 through 8, 2017.
- Lake-Effect Snow in New York, December 7 to 8, 2017With a cold air mass in place, a band of lake-effect snow developed off Lake Ontario and impacted parts of the western Adirondacks beginning on the evening of Thursday, December 7th.
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Texas, December 7 to 8, 2017The forcing of an approaching upper trough and jet streak allowed precipitation falling through a deep enough sub freezing lower layer to turn to snow.
- Winter Weather in Texas, December 7, 2017A deep, cold yet modified arctic airmass was in place across the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley during the evening hours of December 7th through the mid morning hours of December 8th.
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Louisiana, December 7 to 8, 2017Low Pressure over the Gulf of Mexico drove moisture over a very cold airmass to aid in the development of a band of heavy snow across portions of southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi. Numerous reports of 2 to 5 inches of snow was reported.
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Mississippi, December 7 to 9, 2017Low Pressure over the Gulf of Mexico drove moisture over a very cold airmass to aid in the development of a band of heavy snow across portions of southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi. Numerous reports of 2 to 5 inches of snow was reported.
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Mississippi, December 7 to 8, 2017An early season winter storm brought heavy snow to much of Mississippi between the evening of the 7th and into the afternoon of the 8th. The greatest amounts fell mainly south and east of the Natchez Trace corridor. Amounts of up to 7 to 8 inches were measured in the Pine Belt.
- Winter Weather in Texas, December 7 to 8, 2017Colder air plunged to the gulf coast while an upper level disturbance provided support for precipitation. Precipitation began to change to snow across the region during the evening of the 7th and accumulate. Snow lingered through much of the morning of the 8th.
- Winter Weather in Louisiana, December 8, 2017Colder air plunged to the gulf coast while an upper level disturbance provided support for precipitation. Precipitation began to change to snow across the region past midnight and accumulate. Snow lingered through much of the morning.
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Alabama, December 8 to 9, 2017An extremely rare early season snow event occurred across the central Gulf coast late in the day on the 8th into the morning of the 9th.
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Texas, December 8, 2017Overnight on December 7th and continuing into the 8th, an embedded upper level disturbance descended the back side of a growing upper level trough that would soon stretch across the entire eastern two thirds of the nation.
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Mississippi, December 8, 2017An extremely rare early season snow event occurred across the central Gulf coast late in the day on the 8th into the morning of the 9th.
- Heavy Snow in North Carolina, December 8 to 9, 2017A low pressure system moved northeast from the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico along the Western Atlantic coastal waters generating heavy snowfall across the Carolinas extending west into the terrain along the Tennessee and North Carolina border.
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Louisiana, December 8, 2017An early season winter storm brought heavy snow to portions of Central and Northeast Louisiana during the morning of December 8th. The greatest totals of 4 to 5 inches were measured in Catahoula and Concordia Parishes, with totals tapering off to 1 inch around Interstate 20.
- Winter Storm in North Carolina, December 8 to 9, 2017As moisture associated with developing and strengthening low pressure over the northeast Gulf of Mexico overspread the western Carolinas, snow developed over the mountains of southwest North Carolina around daybreak on the 8th and quickly accumulated.
- Winter Storm in Georgia, December 8 to 9, 2017As moisture associated with developing and strengthening low pressure over the northeast Gulf of Mexico overspread northeast Georgia, snow developed over the mountains around daybreak on the 8th and quickly accumulated.
- Winter Weather in Louisiana, December 8, 2017A deep, cold yet modified arctic airmass was in place across the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley during evening hours of December 7th through the mid morning hours of December 8th.
- Winter Storm in North Carolina, December 8 to 9, 2017As moisture associated with developing and strengthening low pressure over the northeast Gulf of Mexico overspread western North Carolina, snow developed across the central and northern mountains around sunrise on the 8th and quickly accumulated.
- Winter Storm in South Carolina, December 8 to 9, 2017As moisture associated with developing and strengthening low pressure over the northeast Gulf of Mexico overspread Upstate South Carolina, snow developed across the mountains around sunrise on the 8th and quickly accumulated.
- Heavy Snow in North Carolina, December 8 to 9, 2017A cold front stalled over the region the afternoon of December 8th, 2017. A set of upper level disturbances moved along this boundary. One had crossed the region by Thursday evening, with a second by Friday morning, December 9th, 2017.
- Winter Storm in Alabama, December 8 to 9, 2017A significant snowstorm impacted central Alabama on December 8-9. The snow began during the early morning hours on December 8th and continued for nearly 24 hours.|Within the main corridor of snow, totals of 4 to 8 inches were common, with a few swaths of 8 to 12 inches.
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Alabama, December 8, 2017The northern fringe of a large band of snow across central into northeast Alabama brought a period of snow during the morning and afternoon hours over portions of Cullman, Marshall and DeKalb Counties. Amounts ranged from 1 to 3 inches.
- Winter Storm in Virginia, December 8 to 9, 2017A cold front stalled over the region the afternoon of December 8th, 2017. A set of upper level disturbances moved along this boundary. One had crossed the region by Thursday evening, with a second by Friday morning, December 9th, 2017.
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Georgia, December 8 to 9, 2017With cold air in place across the southeastern U.S., a deep upper-level trough and associated surface low brought an extended period of moderate to heavy snow across parts of north Georgia beginning the morning of December 8th and continuing through the early morning of December…
- Heavy Snow in Tennessee, December 8 to 9, 2017A low pressure system moved northeast from the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico along the Western Atlantic coastal waters generating heavy snowfall across the Carolinas extending west into the terrain along the Tennessee and North Carolina border.
- Winter Storm in North Carolina, December 8, 2017As moisture associated with developing and strengthening low pressure over the northeast Gulf of Mexico overspread the western Carolinas, rain and snow developed over the northern North Carolina foothills through the morning, becoming all snow by late morning.
- Winter Storm in Georgia, December 8, 2017As moisture associated with developing and strengthening low pressure over the northeast Gulf of Mexico overspread northeast Georgia, rain and snow developed over the Blue Ridge through the morning, becoming all snow by late morning.
- Winter Storm in North Carolina, December 8, 2017As moisture associated with developing and strengthening low pressure over the northeast Gulf of Mexico overspread the western Carolinas, rain and snow developed over the southern foothills and northwest Piedmont of North Carolina, becoming all snow by early afternoon.
- Winter Storm in South Carolina, December 8, 2017As moisture associated with developing and strengthening low pressure over the northeast Gulf of Mexico overspread the western Carolinas, rain developed during the morning along and north of the I-85 corridor in Upstate South Carolina.
- Winter Storm in Georgia, December 8, 2017As moisture associated with developing and strengthening low pressure over the northeast Gulf of Mexico overspread northeast Georgia, rain developed during the morning north of the I-85 corridor.
- Winter Weather in Virginia, December 8 to 9, 2017Low pressure tracking northward just off the East coast produced between one half inch and three inches of snow across eastern, southeast, and south central Virginia.
- Winter Storm in Virginia, December 8 to 9, 2017Low pressure tracking northward just off the East coast produced between three inches and six inches of snow across the Virginia Northern Neck and Piedmont of Central and South Central Virginia.
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in North Carolina, December 8 to 9, 2017Light rain quickly changed over to wet snow across northern and central portions of the NC Piedmont during the morning and afternoon hours on the 8th, as a well-defined positively tilted southern stream trough and associated vigorous 150 knot jet streak |spread east into the…
- Winter Storm in Maryland, December 8 to 9, 2017Low pressure tracking northward just off the East coast produced between three inches and seven inches of snow across portions of the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore.
- Winter Weather in Maryland, December 8 to 9, 2017Low pressure tracking northward just off the East coast produced between one inch and four inches of snow across portions of the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore.
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Maryland, December 8 to 9, 2017Low pressure passed by to the south and this caused a period of snow across southern Maryland on the 9th. For other locations, a potent upper-level trough and disturbance associated with the trough passed through the area on the 9th.
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Delaware, December 8 to 9, 2017An area of low pressure tracked up the east coast and brought several rounds of snow. The first only impacted Sussex county Friday night the 9th but left several inches of snow.
- Winter Weather and Astronomical Low Tide in New Jersey, December 8 to 9, 2017An area of low pressure moving up the east coast brought periods of snow to the state on the afternoon and evening hours of December 10th. Locations along the coast were warm enough to mix with sleet and rain.
- Winter Weather in Florida, December 8 to 9, 2017An extremely rare early season snow event occurred across the central Gulf coast late in the day on the 8th into the morning of the 9th.
- Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Indiana, December 9, 2017An Alberta Clipper produced periods of snow and difficult travel on December 9th. Total snow accumulations ranged between 4 and 10 inches across portions of northwest and north-central Indiana.
- Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, December 9, 2017An Alberta Clipper produced periods of snow and difficult travel on December 9th. Total snow accumulations ranged between 4 and 10 inches across far southwest Lower Michigan.
- Winter Weather in Virginia, December 9, 2017A potent upper-level trough and disturbance associated with the trough passed through the area on the 9th. The forcing from the disturbance caused a period of snow to develop.
- Winter Weather in District of Columbia, December 9, 2017A potent upper-level trough and disturbance associated with the trough passed through the area on the 9th. The forcing from the disturbance caused a period of snow to develop.
- Winter Storm in Connecticut, December 9 to 10, 2017Low pressure from the Gulf of Mexico moved up the USA East Coast spreading snow and rain across Southern New England during the 9th. The storm moved off through the Maritimes during the night of the 9th.
- Winter Weather in Connecticut, December 9, 2017A low pressure area moved up the eastern seaboard on Saturday, December 9th. Although northwestern Connecticut was on the western edge of this storm system, steady snowfall moved into the area during the morning hours and continued through the remainder of the day.
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Massachusetts, December 9 to 10, 2017Low pressure from the Gulf of Mexico moved up the USA East Coast spreading snow and rain across Southern New England during the 9th. The storm moved off through the Maritimes during the night of the 9th.
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Rhode Island, December 9 to 10, 2017Low pressure from the Gulf of Mexico moved up the USA East Coast spreading snow and rain across Southern New England during the 9th. The storm moved off through the Maritimes during the night of the 9th.
- Winter Weather in New Jersey, December 9, 2017Low pressure along a slow moving cold front off the eastern seaboard brought locally heavy snow to portions of northeast New Jersey. A strong upper jet stream enhanced the snow across the Tri-State as the low pressure passed well offshore.
- Winter Weather in New York, December 9, 2017Low pressure along a slow moving cold front off the eastern seaboard brought locally heavy snow to portions of southeast New York. A strong upper jet stream enhanced the snow across the Tri-State as the low pressure passed well offshore.
- Winter Weather in Connecticut, December 9, 2017Low pressure along a slow moving cold front off the eastern seaboard brought locally heavy snow to portions of southern Connecticut. A strong upper jet stream enhanced the snow across the Tri-State as the low pressure passed well offshore.
- Winter Weather in Indiana, December 9, 2017Snow showers and squalls expanded across central Indiana ahead of a cold front during the morning of December the 9th. A truck slid off of Interstate 70 near Plainfield and one of the occupants was killed after being ejected from the truck.
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, December 9, 2017An area of low pressure moving up the east coast brought periods of snow to the eastern part of the state on the afternoon and evening of the 10th.
- Winter Weather in Massachusetts, December 9, 2017A low pressure area moved up the eastern seaboard on Saturday, December 9th. Although western Massachusetts was on the western edge of this storm system, steady snowfall moved into the area during the morning hours and continued through the remainder of the day.
- Winter Weather in New York, December 9, 2017A low pressure area moved up the eastern seaboard on Saturday, December 9th. Although eastern New York was on the western edge of this storm system, steady snowfall moved into the area during the late morning hours and continued through the remainder of the day.
- Winter Weather in Vermont, December 9, 2017A low pressure area moved up the eastern seaboard on Saturday, December 9th. Although southern Vermont was on the western edge of this storm system, steady snowfall moved into the area during the late morning hours and continued through the remainder of the day.
- Winter Weather in Maryland, December 9, 2017An area of low pressure moving up the east coast brought snow to the region on the afternoon and evening of the 10th. Accumulations generally averaged a few inches across the Eastern Shore.
- Heavy Snow in Maine, December 9 to 10, 2017Intensifying low pressure tracking east of the Gulf of Maine brought heavy snow to portions of the region. Snow expanded across the region through the afternoon of the 9th then persisted into the morning of the 10th.
- Winter Weather in Indiana, December 9 to 10, 2017A cold front combined with an upper level disturbance over the region to produce a shot of light snow over the region.
- Winter Weather in Ohio, December 9 to 10, 2017A cold front combined with an upper level disturbance over the region to produce a shot of light snow over the region.
- Winter Weather in Kentucky, December 9 to 10, 2017A cold front combined with an upper level disturbance over the region to produce a shot of light snow over the region.
- Cold in Minnesota, December 10, 2017Two people were treated at their duplex by EMS personnel for carbon monoxide exposure caused by a faulty furnace and poor venting.
- Lake-Effect Snow in New York, December 10 to 11, 2017Cold air deepened over the eastern Great Lakes with heavy lake snows developing east of Lakes Erie and Ontario.
- Blizzard in Alaska, December 10 to 11, 2017Tight pressure gradient produced local blizzard conditions along the Bering strait on December 10th 2017. Zone 213: Blizzard conditions were observed at the Brevig Mission AWOS. The visibility was reduced to one quarter mile or less in snow and blowing snow.
- Lake-Effect Snow in New York, December 10 to 11, 2017Behind a departing coastal storm, a band of lake-effect snow developed off Lake Ontario and impacted parts of the western Adirondacks beginning during the late morning on Sunday, December 10th.
- Winter Storm in Alaska, December 10 to 11, 2017Warm overrunning heavy rain, but heavy snow at higher elevations Klondike Highway.
- Blizzard in Alaska, December 11 to 12, 2017Tight pressure gradient between a strong 1050 mb high over Russia and low pressure over the west coast of Alaska produced blowing snow and strong winds to the western north slope on December 11th 2017 Zone 201: Blizzard conditions were observed at the Point Lay AWOS.
- Winter Weather in Illinois, December 11, 2017A storm system moved eastward from Minnesota into Michigan during the day bringing snow to eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois.
- Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Michigan, December 11 to 12, 2017A very moist and unstable environment along with a strongly convergent northerly wind flow setting up across Lake Superior generated moderate to heavy lake effect snow bands downwind of Lake Superior into portions of central Upper Michigan from the evening of the 11th into the…
More
The snowstorm of March 12 to 15, 2017The snowstorm of January 3 to 5, 2018Snow nowEvery winter storm filed
Sources
NOAA NCEI Regional Snowfall Index, and the Storm Events Database for the episodes.