The snowstorm of February 16 to 21, 2010

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

642

Deaths

5

Injuries

47

Damage

$2.0 million

Episodes

86

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.

• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Illinois, February 14 to 15, 20101 death · 1 injured · 19 eventsA strong upper level low moved southeast across Missouri, then east across Kentucky. The heaviest snowfall rates were associated with a deformation zone on the north side of the upper low.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Kentucky, February 14 to 15, 201022 eventsA strong upper level low moved southeast across Missouri, then east across Kentucky. The heaviest snowfall rates were associated with a deformation zone on the north side of the upper low.
• Winter Weather in Missouri, February 14, 20102 eventsA strong upper level low moved southeast across Missouri, then east across Kentucky. The heaviest snowfall rates, which did not occur over southeast Missouri, were associated with a deformation zone on the north side of the upper low.
• Heavy Snow in Indiana, February 14 to 15, 20101 death · 6 eventsA strong upper level low moved southeast across Missouri, then east across Kentucky. The heaviest snowfall rates were associated with a deformation zone on the north side of the upper low.
• Winter Weather in Tennessee, February 14 to 15, 20105 eventsAn upper level low pressure system moved across Upper Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley February 14th and February 15th, 2010. The upper low set off numerous snow showers across the Mid-South. Up to an inch snow accumulations fell from the snow showers.
• Winter Weather in Mississippi, February 14 to 15, 20103 eventsAn upper level low pressure system moved across Upper Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley February 14th and February 15th, 2010. The upper low set off numerous snow showers across the Mid-South. Up to an inch snow accumulations fell from the snow showers.
• Winter Storm in Indiana, February 14 to 16, 201019 eventsA strong upper low moved across the Ohio Valley on the 15th, bringing snowfall totals to nearly a foot to portions of Central Indiana. This snow fell within a 24 hour period, with some areas seeing the snow start during the late evening of February 14.
• Heavy Snow in Kentucky, February 14 to 15, 201017 eventsA strong Alberta Clipper brought heavy snow across north central Kentucky. While clipper type storms, which originate across the Canadian prairies, do not usually produce heavy snow, this storm featured a very deep and compact upper low.
• Heavy Snow in Indiana, February 14 to 15, 201010 eventsA compact upper low moving southeast from the upper Midwest brought heavy snow across all of southern Indiana. This storm traveled along a track typical of Alberta Clippers, which originate in Canada.
• Winter Weather in Alabama, February 15, 20101 death · 2 injured · 11 eventsRain changed to snow after midnight on the 15th bringing a 2 to 4 hour period of light to moderate snowfall. Snowfall amounts ranged from a few tenths of an inch up to 2 inches. Some accidents were reported due to icy conditions.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Kentucky, February 15 to 16, 20103 injured · $10,000 · 114 eventsA potent area of low pressure moved across the Bluegrass state on February 15th and 16th. The result was widespread accumulating snowfall across the whole of eastern Kentucky.
• Heavy Snow in Ohio, February 15 to 16, 201023 eventsA center of low pressure tracked south of the Ohio Valley on Monday, February 15th. As it approached the area, snow overspread the region, accumulating from 4 to 8 inches, with the heaviest amounts found along the I-71 corridor between Cincinnati and Columbus.
• Winter Weather in Ohio, February 15 to 16, 20109 eventsA center of low pressure tracked south of the Ohio Valley on Monday, February 15th. As it approached the area, snow overspread the region, accumulating from 4 to 8 inches, with the heaviest amounts found along the I-71 corridor between Cincinnati and Columbus.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Tennessee, February 15, 20103 eventsA winter storm tracking through the mid South and Tennessee Valley brought a period of moderate to heavy snowfall across southern middle Tennessee during the pre-dawn hours of the 15th.
• Winter Weather in Indiana, February 15 to 16, 20102 eventsA center of low pressure tracked south of the Ohio Valley on Monday, February 15th. As it approached the area, snow overspread the region, accumulating from 4 to 8 inches throughout southeast and east central Indiana.
• Heavy Snow in Kentucky, February 15 to 16, 201012 eventsA center of low pressure tracked south of the Ohio Valley on Monday, February 15th. As it approached the area, snow overspread the region, accumulating from 6 to 10 inches throughout northern Kentucky.
• Heavy Snow in Indiana, February 15 to 16, 20106 eventsA center of low pressure tracked south of the Ohio Valley on Monday, February 15th. As it approached the area, snow overspread the region, accumulating from 4 to 8 inches throughout southeast and east central Indiana.
• Heavy Snow in Tennessee, February 15 to 16, 20101 eventAn upper level disturbance tracked across the region bringing snow to the area. Heavy snow reports were limited. The lower elevations received 1 to 4 inches of snow, while up to 6 inches was reported in the higher elevations.
• Heavy Snow in Virginia, February 15 to 16, 20101 eventAn upper level disturbance tracked across the region bringing snow to southwest Virginia. Heavy snow reports were limited. The lower elevations received 1 to 3 inches of snow, while up to 12 inches was reported in the higher elevations.
• Winter Weather in Georgia, February 15, 20101 eventYet another deep upper low was moving across the southeastern U.S. bringing yet another widespread precipitation event to the southeast U.S.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, February 15, 201010 eventsA band of light to moderate snow moved rapidly across the North Carolina mountains during the morning. Higher elevations saw as much as 4 inches of snow, with most valley locations receiving an inch or less.
• Winter Weather in Kentucky, February 15 to 17, 20107 eventsWest and northwest flow combined with low and middle level moisture and upslope effects to bring more accumulating snow to eastern Kentucky from late evening on February 16th to overnight hours of February 17th.
• Heavy Snow in Kentucky, February 15 to 16, 20101 eventSnow totals of around 6 inches were measured across Carter County. For example, Olive Hill had 6 new inches of snow. Their total snow depth increased to 11 inches, since there was an existing snow cover prior to the storm.
• Winter Weather in Georgia, February 15, 20101 eventA band of light to moderate snow moved rapidly across the mountains of northeast Georgia during the morning. Higher elevations saw as much as 4 inches of snow, with most valley locations receiving an inch or less.
• Heavy Snow in Ohio, February 15 to 16, 20103 eventsLow presure moved east across the Ohio Valley the afternoon of the 15th spreading snow across much of eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, and Garrett county Maryland.
• Winter Storm in Ohio, February 15 to 16, 2010$1.6 million · 7 eventsAn area of low pressure moved across southern Ohio on February 15th. Snow associated with this low spread into northern Ohio during the middle and later portion of the afternoon. Periods of moderate snow then continued into the early evening hours of the 16th.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in West Virginia, February 15 to 18, 20105 eventsLow pressure passed through the Mid-Atlantic on the 15th of February triggering snow showers. The low intensified as it moved through New England on the 16th and 17th.
• Winter Weather in Arkansas, February 15, 20101 eventAn upper level low pressure system moved across Upper Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley February 14th and February 15th, 2010. The upper low set off numerous snow showers across the Mid-South. Up to an inch snow accumulations fell from the snow showers.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Virginia, February 15 to 16, 20103 eventsAn upper-level low passed through northern and central Virginia on the 15th into the early morning hours of the 16th. The system triggered snow showers across portions of the area.
• Heavy Snow in Pennsylvania, February 15 to 18, 20102 eventsLow presure moved east across the Ohio Valley the afternoon of the 15th spreading snow across much of eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, and Garrett county Maryland.
• Heavy Snow in West Virginia, February 15 to 18, 20102 eventsLow presure moved east across the Ohio Valley the afternoon of the 15th spreading snow across much of eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, and Garrett county Maryland.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, February 15 to 18, 20101 eventAn upper-level low passed through Maryland on the 15th triggering snow showers. Low pressure intensified as it slowly moved up the New England coast on the 16th and 17th before eventually moving into Canada on the 18th.
• Heavy Snow in Maryland, February 15 to 18, 20101 eventLow presure moved east across the Ohio Valley the afternoon of the 15th spreading snow across much of eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, and Garrett county Maryland.
• Heavy Snow in West Virginia, February 15 to 18, 20106 eventsThe first of 2 prolonged snow events during the latter half of February, began on the 15th. It started as a quick shot of snow preceding a low pressure system moving northeast, along the Ohio River. Accumulations were mostly 2 inches or less.
• Winter Weather in Alabama, February 15 to 16, 20104 eventsSnow showers developed during the afternoon hours beneath a strong upper level system. The showers deposited total snow amounts of a quarter to one half inch in some areas.
• Winter Weather in Kansas, February 15, 201031 injured · 1 eventAn upper level disturbance produced scattered show showers across the area, during the afternoon of February 14th.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, February 15 to 16, 201012 eventsA double shot of wintry precipitation affected Eastern Pennsylvania mainly during the evening of the 15th and again during the daytime hours of the 16th. Total snowfall from both events averaged one to three inches.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, February 15, 20102 eventsA shot of wintry precipitation affected the northern Eastern Shore during the evening of the 15th. Total snowfall was an inch or less with a light glazing of ice.
• Winter Weather in New Jersey, February 15 to 16, 201027 eventsA double shot of wintry precipitation affected New Jersey mainly during the evening of the 15th and again during the daytime hours of the 16th.
• Winter Weather in Delaware, February 15 to 16, 20102 eventsA double shot of wintry precipitation affected northern Delaware mainly during the evening of the 15th and again during the daytime hours of the 16th. Total snowfall from both events averaged around one inch.
• Winter Weather in Tennessee, February 15, 20101 eventSnow showers developed during the afternoon hours beneath a strong upper level system. The showers deposited total snow amounts of a quarter to one half inch. Flurries and light snow showers continued during the overnight hours on the 15th into the morning hours of the 16th.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, February 15 to 18, 20109 eventsScattered to numerous northwest flow snow showers developed on the evening of the 15th, and continued on and off for more than two days. Three-day totals varied widely across the area, depending upon terrain.
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, February 15 to 18, 20104 eventsNorthwest flow snow showers developed over the northern mountains during the evening and persisted over the next 24 hours.
• Heavy Snow in New Jersey, February 15 to 16, 20101 eventLow pressure developing along the Delmarva coast tracked northeast Monday Night, passing just south of Long Island on Tuesday.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, February 15 to 16, 20101 eventA weak trough of low pressure crossed the region from west to east between Monday evening, February 15th and Tuesday morning, February 16th. The trough brought generally very light snowshowers to most of southwest lower Michigan over a twenty-four hour period.
• Heavy Snow in New York, February 15 to 16, 20101 eventLow pressure developing along the Delmarva coast tracked northeast Monday Night, passing just south of Long Island on Tuesday.
• Heavy Snow in Connecticut, February 15 to 16, 20101 eventLow pressure developing along the Delmarva coast tracked northeast Monday Night, passing just south of Long Island on Tuesday.
• Winter Storm in North Carolina, February 15 to 18, 20102 eventsA deep upper level trough centered overhead brought cold northwest winds into the area, bringing significant upslope snows to the normally prone western slopes.
• Winter Storm in West Virginia, February 15 to 18, 20102 eventsA deep upper level trough centered overhead brought cold northwest winds into the area, bringing significant upslope snows to the normally prone western slopes.
• Heavy Snow in Massachusetts, February 16 to 17, 2010$30,000 · 8 eventsLow pressure moved northeastward from the New Jersey coast, southeast of Nantucket, and into the Gulf of Maine. This spread three to six inches of snow across much of Southern New England.
• Winter Weather in New York, February 16, 201015 eventsA low developed off the mid Atlantic coast Monday evening, February 15th. This low strengthened as it moved rapidly northeast reaching southern New England by Tuesday evening.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Connecticut, February 16, 20102 eventsLow pressure developed off the mid Atlantic coast Monday evening, February 15th. This low strengthened as it moved rapidly northeast reaching southern New England by Tuesday evening.
• Winter Weather in Massachusetts, February 16, 20102 eventsLow pressure developed off the mid Atlantic coast Monday evening, February 15th. This low strengthened as it moved rapidly northeast, reaching southern New England by Tuesday evening. Four to 8 inches of snow accumulated across the Berkshires.
• Heavy Snow in New York, February 16, 20102 eventsA low developed off the mid Atlantic coast Monday evening, February 15th. This low strengthened as it moved rapidly northeast reaching southern New England by Tuesday evening. Seven to 12 inches of snow accumulated across the central and southeastern Catskills.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, February 16, 20103 eventsLow pressure developed off the mid Atlantic coast Monday evening, February 15th. This low strengthened as it moved rapidly northeast reaching southern New England by Tuesday evening. Four to 8 inches of snow accumulated across southern Vermont.
• Heavy Snow in New Hampshire, February 16 to 17, 20103 eventsLow pressure moved northeastward from the New Jersey coast, southeast of Nantucket, and into the Gulf of Maine. This spread three to six inches of snow across much of Southern New England.
• Heavy Snow in New Hampshire, February 16, 20104 eventsAn area of low pressure in the Ohio Valley on the morning of the 15th moved east to near Long Island by the morning of the 16th and then northeast to Nova Scotia by the morning of the 17th.
• Heavy Snow in Connecticut, February 16, 20101 eventLow pressure moved northeastward from the New Jersey coast, southeast of Nantucket, and into the Gulf of Maine. This spread three to six inches of snow across much of Southern New England.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, February 16 to 17, 20101 eventLow level moisture in cold northwest flow produced a mix of light snow and freezing drizzle across much of western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio from the afternoon of the 16th to the late night of the 17th. This produced some icing on roadways and numerous accidents.
• Heavy Snow in Nebraska, February 17 to 19, 20103 eventsAn approaching upper level disturbance in combination with rather moist conditions at the surface produced snowfall amounts from 1 to 6.5 inches. Blowing and drifting snow were not an issue because the winds were relatively light during the episode.
• Blizzard in Alaska, February 19 to 21, 20103 eventsA stationary 1056 mb high 600 miles north of Wrangel Island combined with several weak waves of low pressure that tracked north along the west coast of Alaska to produce a strong pressure gradient along the Arctic coast.
• Winter Storm in Utah, February 19 to 22, 20106 eventsTwo winter storms moved through Utah in quick succession, impacting primarily the central and southern parts of the state.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Kansas, February 20 to 21, 20106 injured · $22,000 · 6 eventsPeriodic bouts of light wintry precipitation, including freezing drizzle, sleet, freezing rain and snow affected locations generally along and northwest of the Kansas Turnpike from the predawn hours on the 20th through the evening hours on the 21st.
• Heavy Snow in Wyoming, February 20 to 21, 20104 eventsA slow moving storm system moved across the Central Rockies. At the same time the influence of the mountainous terrain on the easterly surface winds provided additional support for snow to form.
• Heavy Snow in Nebraska, February 20 to 21, 20102 eventsA slow moving storm system moved across the Central Rockies. At the same time the influence of the mountainous terrain on the easterly surface winds provided additional support for snow to form.
• Winter Storm in Kansas, February 20 to 21, 20101 death · 1 injured · 9 eventsA storm system moved out of the Rockies and across the state of Kansas on Sunday, February 21. As this storm system approached from the southwest, a cold airmass with sub freezing temperatures had already moved south across much of the area.
• Heavy Snow in New Mexico, February 20 to 23, 201033 eventsA series of storm systems brought heavy snow to much of the state between the 20th and the 22nd of February. Light to moderate snows began across northwest New Mexico on the evening of the 20th.
• Winter Weather in Oklahoma, February 21, 20101 eventA cold front that had settled across the southeast half of Oklahoma slowly lifted north into northern Oklahoma during the day on the 20th. Temperatures during the evening and overnight hours of the 20th/21st were in the lower to middle 30s.
• Heavy Snow in Missouri, February 21 to 22, 20105 eventsSnowfall of 6 to 7 inches, mixed with some sleet, fell across Northeast Missouri.
• Heavy Snow in Illinois, February 21 to 22, 20101 eventSnowfall around 8 inches fell across Adams County, IL.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, February 21, 201026 eventsYet another winter storm, in an already active winter season, impacted much of Kansas and Missouri, during the weekend of February 20-21, 2010.
• Winter Storm in Kansas, February 21, 20106 eventsYet another winter storm, in an already active winter season, impacted much of Kansas and Missouri, during the weekend of February 20-21, 2010.
• Ice Storm in Kansas, February 21, 20102 eventsA strong arctic cold front advanced southeast through southwest and south central Kansas during the day Sunday, February 21st. This front ran into moisture flowing north from Oklahoma, resulting in snow, and a narrow band of ice, across much of south central Kansas.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Illinois, February 21 to 22, 20106 eventsLow pressure tracking from Missouri into northern Ohio brought a mix of rain and snow to parts of central Illinois. The heaviest snow with this system fell along and west of the Illinois River, where widespread amounts of 5 to 8 inches were observed.
• Winter Storm in Nebraska, February 21, 20102 eventsA relatively weak upper level disturbance moved across the southern plains from late on the 20th into the 21st and brought snow to southeast Nebraska. Although only 3 to 5 inches of snow fell across the southeast corner, it was accompanied by north winds of 20 to 30 mph.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, February 21 to 22, 20102 eventsA strong winter storm moved from northeast Texas to southern Indiana to Lake Erie February 21-22, 2010. This system produced light to moderate snow across the region mainly along and south of Highway 30.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Illinois, February 21 to 22, 201012 eventsA strong winter storm moved from northeast Texas to southern Indiana to Lake Erie February 21-22, 2010. This system produced light to moderate snow across the region mainly along and south of Highway 30.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Iowa, February 21 to 22, 201013 eventsA strong winter storm moved from northeast Texas to southern Indiana to Lake Erie February 21-22, 2010. This system produced light to moderate snow across the region mainly along and south of Highway 30.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, February 21, 20101 eventA storm system moved out of the southern Rockies and across far southeast Missouri during the day on the 21st into the early morning of the 22nd. Iowa was on the northwest edge of the system with snow falling over the southern third of the state.
• Winter Storm and Strong Wind in California, February 21 to 22, 2010$1,000 · 5 eventsThe next Pacific storm reached the California coast on February 19th. This storm moved south, parallel to the coast, on the 19th and 20th, before moving inland over far southern California.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, February 21 to 22, 20109 eventsFour to eight inches of snow fell south of a Muskegon to St. John's line over southwest lower Michigan during the morning hours of Monday, February 22nd. The highest amounts fell over Eaton, Ingham, Calhoun, and Jackson counties.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, February 21 to 22, 20103 eventsA strengthening area of low pressure tracked through central Indiana and northern Ohio, bringing a period of wet heavy snow to much of southern Lower Michigan late on February 21st into early February 22nd. Snowfall amounts of 5-8 were common across the region.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, February 22, 20109 eventsLow pressure moved out of the Central Plains and tracked northeast through the Ohio River Valley, moving through northwest Ohio. Snowfall totals were generally in the 2 to 8 inch range, with the higher totals occuring along and south of I-69.
• Heavy Snow in Arizona, February 22, 20102 eventsAn upper level low moved across Southeast Arizona resulting in some mountain snow above 5000 feet.
• Heavy Snow in New Mexico, February 22 to 23, 20101 eventA cold upper low moving out of the Pacific Northwest combined with a back door cold front to bring heavy snow to the Southern Sacramento Mountains.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Texas, February 22 to 23, 20101 death · 3 injured · $350,000 · 23 eventsA winter storm brought heavy snow and deadly travel conditions to the South Plains of west Texas during the 22nd and 23rd.

The snowstorm of February 12 to 19, 2010The snowstorm of February 19 to 24, 2010Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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