The snowstorm of February 20 to 22, 2022

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

749

Deaths

4

Injuries

14

Damage

$95,000

Episodes

80

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 Weather in Wisconsin, February 18, 202218 eventsA snow squall with the passage of an arctic front brought a brief period of white-out or nearly white-out conditions during the evening. A brief period of heavy snow and wind gusts of 40-50 mph accompanied the squall.
• Winter Weather in Illinois, February 18, 202210 eventsA strong cold front moved across northern Illinois during the evening of February 18th producing snow squalls as a band of heavy snow developed along this cold front. Visibilities were one quarter mile or less with several reports of visibility of only a few hundred feet.
• Winter Weather in Iowa, February 18, 20222 eventsThe evening of February 18th, a powerful cold front quickly moved through eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois. A narrow band of intense snow squalls accompanied this front, bringing a near instantaneous onset of brief winter storm conditions.
• Winter Weather in Illinois, February 18, 20221 eventThe evening of February 18th, a powerful cold front quickly moved through eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois. A narrow band of intense snow squalls accompanied this front, bringing a near instantaneous onset of brief winter storm conditions.
• Winter Weather and Strong Wind in New York, February 19 to 20, 202258 eventsAn area of low pressure pushed across the region on Saturday, February 19, 2022. A passing warm front brought a period of light snow to the region during the morning and early afternoon hours with mainly a coating to two inches of accumulation.
• Lake-Effect Snow in New York, February 19, 20222 eventsA potent clipper passed to the north of the region, producing a period of snow squalls and gusty winds along the clipper cold front. Lake enhanced snow quickly followed the cold front to the east of Lake Ontario.
• Winter Weather and Strong Wind in Vermont, February 19 to 20, 20225 eventsAn area of low pressure pushed across southern Vermont on Saturday, February 19, 2022. A passing warm front brought a period of snow to the region during the morning and early afternoon hours.
• Winter Weather and Strong Wind in Massachusetts, February 19 to 20, 20226 eventsAn area of low pressure pushed across western Massachusetts on Saturday, February 19, 2022. A passing warm front brought a period of snow to the region during the morning and early afternoon hours.
• Winter Weather in Connecticut, February 19, 20223 eventsAn area of low pressure pushed across northwestern Connecticut on Saturday, February 19, 2022. A passing warm front brought a period of snow to the region during the late morning and afternoon hours. Snow amounts ranged from a coating to two inches.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, February 19, 20223 eventsAn arctic cold front crossed Pennsylvania during the morning and early afternoon of February 19, 2022. This front was accompanied by a fairly solid line of snow squalls as it progressed southeastward across the commonwealth.
• Heavy Snow in Montana, February 19 to 21, 20223 eventsA broad trough and an Arctic air mass became established over the region for the episode.
• Winter Weather in New Hampshire, February 19, 20225 eventsOn the 19th a low pressure north of the Great Lakes tracked through the St. Lawrence River Valley. Aloft a low amplitude shortwave trough went from positively to negatively tilted as it crossed the Northeast, helping to drive a cold front through the region.
• Winter Weather in Maine, February 19, 20221 eventOn the 19th a low pressure north of the Great Lakes tracked through the St. Lawrence River Valley. Aloft a low amplitude shortwave trough went from positively to negatively tilted as it crossed the Northeast, helping to drive a cold front through the region.
• Heavy Snow in Washington, February 19 to 20, 20221 eventA winter storm brought heavy snow to the Cascades and Olympics , particularly the Central Cascades where Stevens Pass and Snoqualmie Pass was heavily impacted.
• Blizzard in North Dakota, February 20, 20228 eventsLight snow fell across the northern Red River Valley, with strong northerly winds following the snowfall. This lofted snow southward through the valley, leading to blizzard conditions through late morning.
• Blizzard in Minnesota, February 20, 20224 eventsLight snow fell across the northern Red River Valley, with strong northerly winds following the snowfall. This lofted snow southward through the valley, leading to blizzard conditions through late morning.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in South Dakota, February 20 to 22, 202217 eventsA large upper trough brought a couple of disturbances across the region, resulting in periods of snow across a good portion of western South Dakota.
• Winter Storm in Minnesota, February 20 to 22, 202210 eventsHeavy snow with over 1 inch per hour rates exceeded 6 to 12 inches in total over portions of southeast North Dakota into southern portions of northwest through west-central Minnesota, heaviest snow nearest the South Dakota border.
• Winter Storm in North Dakota, February 20 to 22, 20228 eventsHeavy snow with over 1 inch per hour rates exceeded 6 to 12 inches in total over portions of southeast North Dakota into portions of northwest through west-central Minnesota, heaviest snow near the South Dakota border.
• Heavy Snow in South Dakota, February 20 to 21, 20227 eventsA band of moderate to heavy snow developed within a very cold airmass, setting up across north central South Dakota on the afternoon of February 20th and followed into the far northeast of the state on the morning of February 21st.
• Blizzard and Heavy Snow in North Dakota, February 20 to 22, 202218 eventsShort-wave upper level troughs lifted into the region resulting in heavy snow developing over southern North Dakota. The snow was the heaviest during the late night hours of February 20 into the early morning hours of February 21.
• Heavy Snow in Minnesota, February 20 to 21, 20222 eventsA band of moderate to heavy snow developed within a very cold airmass, migrating into western Minnesota during the evening of February 20th and persisting into the morning of February 21st.
• Winter Storm in Minnesota, February 21 to 22, 202210 eventsThe evening of Sunday, February 20th, a large Arctic ridge of high pressure built southward across the Upper Midwest.
• Heavy Snow in Minnesota, February 21 to 23, 202210 eventsA prolonged snowfall event occurred across northeastern Minnesota beginning the morning of the 21st and lasting into the late evening hours of the 22nd and early morning hours of the 23rd.
• Blizzard in Alaska, February 21, 20224 eventsA strong area of low pressure in the Bering Sea brought blizzard conditions to parts of Western Alaska.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, February 21 to 23, 20225 eventsA prolonged snowfall event occurred across northwestern Wisconsin beginning the morning of the 21st and lasting into the late evening hours of the 22nd and early morning hours of the 23rd.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Michigan, February 21 to 23, 20229 eventsA couple of upper disturbances lifting up from the Central Plains produced periods of moderate snow over portions of Upper Michigan while sustaining a long-duration northeast flow lake enhanced snow event into north central Upper Michigan from the 21st into the 23rd.
• Blizzard in South Dakota, February 21 to 22, 20222 eventsAfter a band of moderate to heavy snow moved through on February 20th into the 21st, periodic snowfall persisted across the area for much of February 21st and 22nd. Winds increased with peak gusts of 35 mph to 45 mph across far northeast South Dakota.
• Heavy Snow in Washington, February 21, 20221 eventA convergence zone lingering over Camano Island the morning of February 21 led to significant lowland snow accumulation. The convergence zone was forecast to affect mainly the Olympic Peninsula, but shifted east and heavily affected areas on the island.
• Winter Weather in South Dakota, February 21 to 22, 20221 death · 24 eventsSouthward pushing cold air near the surface interacted with a post-frontal wave in southwest flow aloft to produce a prolonged period of light snowfall, which began as a period of light freezing rain and freezing drizzle across far southeast South Dakota during the afternoon and…
• Blizzard in Minnesota, February 21 to 22, 20222 eventsAfter a band of moderate to heavy snow moved through on February 20th into the 21st, periodic snowfall persisted across the area for much of February 21st and 22nd. Winds increased with peak gusts of 35 mph to 45 mph across western Minnesota.
• Blizzard in North Dakota, February 21, 20226 eventsWinds intensified through the late morning into the afternoon and early evening of the 21st, with frequent gusts of 35 to 35 mph, producing visibilities frequently less than 1/4 mile in falling and blowing snow.
• Blizzard in Minnesota, February 21, 20222 eventsWinds intensified through the late morning into the afternoon and early evening of the 21st, with frequent gusts of 35 to 35 mph, producing visibilities frequently less than 1/4 mile in falling and blowing snow.
• Winter Weather in Minnesota, February 21 to 22, 20228 eventsSouthward pushing cold air near the surface interacted with a post-frontal wave in southwest flow aloft to produce a prolonged period of light snowfall, which began as a period of light freezing rain and freezing drizzle across far southwest Minnesota during the afternoon and…
• Winter Weather in Iowa, February 21 to 22, 202211 eventsSouthward pushing cold air near the surface interacted with a post-frontal wave in southwest flow aloft to produce a prolonged period of light snowfall, which began as a period of light freezing rain and freezing drizzle across northwest Iowa during the afternoon and evening of…
• Winter Weather in Nebraska, February 21 to 22, 20222 eventsSouthward pushing cold air near the surface interacted with a post-frontal wave in southwest flow aloft to produce a prolonged period of light snowfall, which began as a period of light freezing rain and freezing drizzle across far northeast Nebraska during the afternoon and…
• Winter Weather in Wisconsin, February 21 to 22, 202220 eventsLow pressure slowly moved from the southern Great Plains into lower MI producing freezing rain and sleet over southern WI. Most of the ice accumulation was under 1/4 inch with sleet accumulation of 1/2 inch or less. Thunderstorms occurred at times and produced mostly sleet.
• Extreme Cold and Winter Weather in Nebraska, February 21 to 24, 202211 eventsA deep upper-level trough brought widespread snow to the western Nebraska Panhandle from the morning of February 21st through the early morning hours on February 22nd.
• Winter Weather in Minnesota, February 21 to 22, 20221 death · $10,000 · 1 eventA mixture of freezing rain, sleet and snow fell across portions of southeast Minnesota from the evening of February 21st into the evening of the 22nd. This left roads across the region snow and ice covered.
• Winter Storm in California, February 21 to 23, 20225 eventsA cold weather system brought moderate to locally heavy amounts of snow to the Sierra Nevada. Low snow levels brought a dusting of snow down to around|2500 feet. Chain controls, road closures and mountain travel delays were observed.
• Extreme Cold in Nebraska, February 21 to 22, 202217 eventsAn arctic airmass brought very cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills to north central Nebraska beginning during the evening hours on February 21st until the morning hours on February 22nd. Wind chills as low as 39 below zero were recorded across the area.
• Ice Storm in Michigan, February 21 to 22, 2022$35,000 · 6 eventsBroad troughing across the western half of the country provided upper-level support to deepen a surface cyclone over the Great Plains.
• Extreme Cold in South Dakota, February 22 to 23, 202226 eventsAn extreme cold event occurred in conjunction with a series of systems that produced heavy snow and persistent winds.
• Blizzard in North Dakota, February 22, 20223 eventsA re-intensifying surface pressure gradient produced winds gusting at 35 to 42 mph and widespread ground blizzard conditions across far southeastern ND and adjacent portions of westcentral MN, through the morning and afternoon of February 22nd.
• Blizzard in Minnesota, February 22, 20221 eventA re-intensifying surface pressure gradient produced winds gusting at 35 to 42 mph and widespread ground blizzard conditions across far southeastern ND and adjacent portions of westcentral MN, through the morning and afternoon of February 22nd.
• Winter Storm in Wisconsin, February 22, 20227 eventsA storm system began to strengthen late Monday night across the central plains in advance of a powerful southern jet stream that intensified over the center part of the country on Tuesday.
• Winter Storm in Minnesota, February 22, 20222 eventsA storm system began to strengthen late Monday night across the central plains in advance of a powerful southern jet stream that intensified over the central part of the country on Tuesday.
• Extreme Cold in Colorado, February 22, 20222 eventsOn the morning of February 22nd, an arctic airmass moved into east-central Colorado with breezy northerly winds following a cold front passage in the previous day. Wind chills values as low as -28 degrees Fahrenheit were recorded in the region.
• Extreme Cold in Nebraska, February 22, 20223 eventsOn the morning of February 22nd, an arctic airmass moved into far southwestern Nebraska with breezy northerly winds following a cold front passage in the previous day. Wind chill values as low as -27 degrees Fahrenheit were recorded in the region.
• Cold in Montana, February 22 to 23, 202213 eventsArtic air plunged southward behind a Canadian cold front, bringing dangerously cold wind chills to most of North-central and Southwest Montana.
• Extreme Cold in Kansas, February 22, 20225 eventsOn the morning of February 22nd, an arctic airmass moved into northwestern Kansas with breezy northerly winds following a cold front passage in the previous day. Wind chill values as low as -27 degrees Fahrenheit were recorded in the region.
• Winter Storm in Alaska, February 22 to 23, 20222 eventsA short wave moving over the top of ridge across the gulf of Alaska will spread overrunning snow to the northeast gulf coast and towards the Cross Sound area Tuesday. Eventually shifting south for the Petersburg/Wrangl area Tuesday night.
• Winter Storm in Wisconsin, February 22 to 23, 20222 eventsA low pressure system tracking across northern Illinois brought a swath of heavy snow and gusty northerly winds of 15 to 25 mph during the afternoon hours of Tuesday (2/22). Snowfall amounts were generally 6 to 8 inches across portions of north-central Wisconsin.
• Extreme Cold and Cold in South Dakota, February 22 to 23, 202224 eventsA strong arctic surface ridge moved southward behind the light snowfall and freezing rain on February 21-22. Northerly winds which gusted at times to 35 to 50 mph gradually diminished as temperatures dropped to zero to 10 below zero.
• Cold in Iowa, February 22 to 23, 202211 eventsA strong arctic surface ridge moved southward behind the light snowfall and freezing rain on February 21-22. Northerly winds which gusted at times to 35 to 50 mph gradually diminished as temperatures dropped to zero to 10 below zero.
• Extreme Cold and Cold in Minnesota, February 22 to 23, 20228 eventsA strong arctic surface ridge moved southward behind the light snowfall and freezing rain on February 21-22. Northerly winds which gusted at times to 35 to 50 mph gradually diminished as temperatures dropped to zero to 10 below zero.
• Cold in Nebraska, February 22 to 23, 20222 eventsA strong arctic surface ridge moved southward behind the light snowfall and freezing rain on February 21-22. Northerly winds which gusted at times to 35 to 50 mph gradually diminished as temperatures dropped to zero to 10 below zero.
• Extreme Cold in North Dakota, February 22 to 24, 202218 eventsCold Arctic Air overspread the Northern Plains Area, accompanied by periods of moderate to strong northerly winds. Wind chill temperatures ranged from minus 30F to minus 50F from late on the 22nd into the morning of the 24th.
• Extreme Cold in Minnesota, February 22 to 24, 20228 eventsCold Arctic Air overspread the Northern Plains Area, accompanied by periods of moderate to strong northerly winds. Wind chill temperatures ranged from minus 30F to minus 50F from late on the 22nd into the morning of the 24th.
• Winter Storm in Texas, February 23 to 24, 20228 eventsAnother arctic cold front was followed by an upper level disturbance, leading to more wintry precipitation across parts of North and Central Texas on Thursday, February 24. Freezing rain was the main precipitation type with this event.
• Winter Weather in Texas, February 23, 20224 eventsA weak short wave approached the region early in the morning of the 23rd above a shallow but very cold near surface layer. A non-zero amount of instability was present in the atmosphere with an elevated mixed layer above the cold air dome.
• Winter Weather in Texas, February 23 to 24, 20225 eventsA strong but shallow cold front drifted south through Southeast Oklahoma, Southwest Arkansas, and Northeast Texas during the afternoon and evening hours of February 22nd, with temperatures plummeting to near and below freezing by the early morning hours of the 23rd.
• Winter Weather in Arkansas, February 23 to 24, 20224 eventsA strong but shallow cold front drifted south through Southeast Oklahoma, Southwest Arkansas, and Northeast Texas during the afternoon and evening hours of February 22nd, with temperatures plummeting to near and below freezing by the early morning hours of the 23rd.
• Winter Weather in Oklahoma, February 23 to 24, 20221 eventA strong but shallow cold front drifted south through Southeast Oklahoma, Southwest Arkansas, and Northeast Texas during the afternoon and evening hours of February 22nd, with temperatures plummeting to near and below freezing by the early morning hours of the 23rd.
• Extreme Cold in Minnesota, February 23, 20222 eventsAn extreme cold event occurred in conjunction with a series of system that produced heavy snow and persistent winds.
• Winter Storm in Oklahoma, February 23, 202234 eventsA broad western trough brought lift and moisture into the region over top a frigid arctic airmass near the surface. This led to a prolonged period of mainly sleet on the 23rd and 24th, with thunder and lighting also observed at times.
• Winter Storm in Oklahoma, February 23 to 24, 202222 eventsArctic air spread into the Southern Plains on the 22nd, ahead of a strong storm system translating into the southwestern United States.
• Winter Storm in Texas, February 23, 20228 eventsA broad western trough brought lift and moisture into the region over top a frigid arctic airmass near the surface. This led to a prolonged period of mainly sleet on the 23rd and 24th, with thunder and lighting also observed at times.
• Extreme Cold in Colorado, February 23, 20221 eventOn the morning of February 23rd, an arctic airmass continued to reside over east-central Colorado with east-northeasterly winds for the second day. Wind chills values as low as -25 degrees Fahrenheit were recorded in the region.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Arkansas, February 23 to 24, 202246 eventsAn arctic airmass was in place across Arkansas ahead of a storm system that brought several waves of wintry weather to the state.
• Winter Weather in Texas, February 23 to 24, 20227 eventsA cold front brought freezing temperatures to South Central Texas. Overrunning conditions generated light precipitation into the cold air. Most of the precipitation fell as sleet with a few spots seeing snow. Minor impacts were reported.
• Winter Storm in Arkansas, February 23 to 24, 20227 eventsArctic air spread into the Southern Plains on the 22nd, ahead of a strong storm system translating into the southwestern United States.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Missouri, February 23 to 24, 20229 injured · 34 eventsWintry precipitation overspread southwestern Missouri during the morning hours of February 23, then the remainder of southern and central Missouri into the afternoon.
• Winter Weather in Kansas, February 23 to 24, 20223 eventsWintry precipitation overspread southeast Kansas during the morning hours of February 23. Much of the precipitation fell as sleet and snow, but some heavier pockets of intense snowfall fell in some areas.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Arkansas, February 23 to 24, 20229 eventsA cold front sagged southward through the Mid-South on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, eventually stalling across central Mississippi by Wednesday, February 23, 2022. Cold air gradually deepened across northern sections of the Mid-South.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Tennessee, February 23 to 24, 20221 death · 15 eventsA cold front sagged southward through the Mid-South on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, eventually stalling across central Mississippi by Wednesday, February 23, 2022. Cold air gradually deepened across northern sections of the Mid-South.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Missouri, February 23 to 24, 2022$25,000 · 11 eventsMost of southeast Missouri received a winter storm, consisting of two periods of sleet and freezing rain. The winter storm area included all but the two Mississippi River counties bordering Kentucky.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, February 23 to 24, 20222 eventsA cold front sagged southward through the Mid-South on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, eventually stalling across central Mississippi by Wednesday, February 23, 2022. Cold air gradually deepened across northern sections of the Mid-South.
• Winter Weather in Kentucky, February 23 to 24, 20221 death · 5 injured · 22 eventsWidespread sleet and freezing rain occurred during the evening of the 23rd, followed by some patchy freezing drizzle or light rain overnight. A heavier round of precipitation on the 24th had little if any impact due to temperatures inching just above freezing.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Illinois, February 23 to 24, 2022$25,000 · 19 eventsParts of southern Illinois received a winter storm, consisting of two periods of sleet and freezing rain. The winter storm area was generally along and west of a line from Mount Vernon to Marion to Anna-Jonesboro, including Carbondale.

The snowstorm of February 1 to 5, 2022The snowstorm of December 13 to 20, 2022Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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