The snowstorm of February 21 to 24, 2008

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

715

Deaths

7

Injuries

43

Damage

$3.1 million

Episodes

81

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.

• Cold in Minnesota, February 19 to 20, 200842 eventsArctic air behind a cold frontal boundry, combined with northwest winds from 10 to 12 mph, and temperatures in the 8 below to 28 below range, to produce wind chills in the -25 to -45 category across much of the region.
• Cold in Wisconsin, February 19 to 20, 20089 eventsArctic air behind a cold frontal boundry, combined with northwest winds from 10 to 12 mph, and temperatures in the 8 below to 15 below range, to produce wind chills in the -25 to -40 category across much of the region.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, February 19 to 20, 20081 eventCold north winds brought heavy lake effect snow to Leelanau County on the night of the 19th. Most of the county saw seven to twelve inches of accumulation. The highest amount, fourteen inches, fell a few miles east of Empire.
• Extreme Cold in South Dakota, February 19 to 20, 200814 eventsArctic air along with blustery northwest winds brought extreme wind chills during the evening and early morning hours to northeast South Dakota. Wind chills ranged from 35 to 50 degrees below zero.
• Extreme Cold in Minnesota, February 19 to 20, 20082 eventsArctic air along with blustery northwest winds brought extreme wind chills during the evening and early morning hours to west central Minnesota. Wind chills ranged from 35 to 45 degrees below zero.
• Cold in Minnesota, February 19 to 20, 20088 eventsBitterly cold wind chills of -40 to -45 degrees Fahrenheit occurred across the area.
• Cold in Iowa, February 19 to 20, 20089 eventsVery cold air with temperatures dropping to around 15 below zero was accompanied by wind speeds of 10 to 25 mph. These cold temperatures and winds drove wind chill readings down to the 35 to 40 degree below zero range in most of northwest Iowa.
• Cold in South Dakota, February 19 to 20, 20089 eventsVery cold air with temperatures dropping to as cold as 20 below zero was accompanied by wind speeds of 10 to 20 mph.
• Cold in Minnesota, February 19 to 20, 20088 eventsVery cold air with temperatures dropping to near 20 below zero was accompanied by wind speeds of 10 to 25 mph.
• Extreme Cold and Cold in Nebraska, February 20, 200824 eventsArctic high pressure that surged south across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa Tuesday evening February 19th, brought dangerously cold wind chill values to the region Wednesday morning February 20th.
• Blizzard in Alaska, February 19 to 20, 20081 eventBlizzard conditions likely occurred for a few hours overnight on the 19th, at Wales on the Bering Strait Coast, based on winds and visibility reported at the Tin City AWOS.
• Extreme Cold and Cold in Iowa, February 20, 20088 eventsArctic high pressure that surged south across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa Tuesday evening February 19th brought dangerously cold wind chill values to the region Wednesday morning February 20th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Indiana, February 20, 20081 eventLake effect snow developed across northwest Indiana during the morning of February 20th and continued into the evening hours. Snowfall amounts ranged from a few inches to as much as one foot of snow.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Ohio, February 20 to 22, 200827 eventsA clipper system produced a narrow band of heavy snow that fell |along the I-70 corridor from the Indiana border to just southeast |of Columbus.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, February 20, 200812 eventsAn Alberta Clipper system brought snow to the Mid Atlantic on February 20th. Snow amounts ranged from 3 to 5 inches along and west of the Allegheny Front to 1 to 2 inches further east across the Baltimore Metro and south across lower southern Maryland.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in West Virginia, February 20, 200810 eventsAn Alberta Clipper system brought snow to the Mid Atlantic on February 20th. Snow amounts ranged from 4 to 7 inches in Mineral and Grant counties to 1 to 3 inches further east across the eastern pan handle of West Virginia.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, February 20, 20084 eventsAn Alberta Clipper system brought snow to the Mid Atlantic on February 20th. Snow amounts ranged from 1 to 2 inches for a few locations along and west of the Blue Ridge in the northern Shenandoah Valley and Potomac Highlands and into portions of northern Virginia.
• Winter Weather in Ohio, February 20, 20083 eventsOut ahead of a clipper type low pressure, a west to east band of snow accumulated 2 to 4 inches across Jackson, Meigs, and Gallia Counties.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, February 20, 200822 eventsOut ahead of a clipper type low pressure, a west to east band of snow accumulated 2 to 4 inches across central West Virginia into the mountainous counties.
• Winter Weather in Indiana, February 20, 20085 injured · 1 eventA band of lake effect snow showers set across portions of LaPorte county during the early morning hours of February 20th. While snow amounts were light, gusty winds caused brief white-out conditions along Interstate 94.
• Winter Weather in Delaware, February 20, 20082 injured · 4 eventsAn Alberta Clipper spread light snow across Delaware during the afternoon and evening of the 20th. The snow started during the early afternoon and ended by the middle of the evening. Accumulations averaged around an inch, but still caused accidents.
• Winter Weather in New Jersey, February 20, 20086 eventsAn Alberta Clipper spread light snow across extreme southern New Jersey during the afternoon and evening of the 20th. The snow started during the early afternoon and ended by the middle of the evening.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Maryland, February 20, 20085 eventsAn Alberta Clipper spread snow across the Eastern Shore during the afternoon and evening of the 20th. The snow started during the early afternoon and ended by the middle of the evening.
• Winter Weather in Oklahoma, February 20 to 21, 20087 injured · $270,000 · 7 eventsA strong cold front moved south early in the day on the 20th, with near or below freezing temperatures behind it. An upper level disturbance moved overhead on the 20th, with scattered areas of light freezing rain developing north of Interstate 40.
• Winter Weather and Sleet in Kansas, February 20 to 21, 20081 death · 2 eventsWarm and moist air in concert with an upper level disturbance, interacting with an arctic airmass over the region resulted in moderate to heavy sleet with thunder and lightning across south-central and southeast Kansas during the early morning hours of February 21st.
• Blizzard in Alaska, February 20 to 22, 20082 eventsA strong low over Kodiak Island produced snow and gusty North to Northwest wind across the Kuskokwim Delta to the Alaska Peninsula. This resulted in blizzard conditions across both areas.
• Ice Storm in Missouri, February 21, 200832 eventsAn ice storm brought significant accumulations of freezing rain and sleet to the Missouri Ozarks. Accumulations of one quarter to three quarters of an inch were common. The primary precipitation type was sleet and was accompanied by thunder and lightning.
• Sleet in Missouri, February 21 to 22, 20082 deaths · 7 injured · 18 eventsAnother winter storm dropped freezing rain, sleet and some light snow across Central, Southeast, and East Central Missouri starting during the early morning hours on the 21st and finally ending shortly after midnight on the 22nd. Enough freezing rain fell across Madison, St.
• Sleet in Illinois, February 21 to 22, 200814 eventsAnother winter storm dropped from one half to two inches of sleet across Southwest Illinois. Randolph County reported up to two inches of sleet while other areas received from one half inch to one inch. At least 100 auto accidents were reported across the area.
• Sleet and Winter Weather in Kansas, February 21, 20081 injured · 4 eventsShowers and thunderstorms developed on the nose of the low level jet during the morning hours of February 21st. The more robust cells that developed were prolific precipitation producers.
• Ice Storm in Kansas, February 21, 20083 eventsAn ice storm brought significant accumulations of freezing rain and sleet to extreme southeast Kansas. Accumulations of one quarter to three quarters of an inch were common. The primary precipitation type was sleet and was accompanied by thunder and lightning.
• Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Kentucky, February 21 to 22, 20084 injured · $40,000 · 12 eventsLow pressure organized over Louisiana, spreading precipitation northeast along a warm front that extended into the Ohio Valley. Arctic high pressure over the Great Lakes region produced a cold northeast wind flow near the surface.
• Winter Storm in Illinois, February 21 to 22, 20083 injured · 19 eventsLow pressure organized over Louisiana, spreading precipitation northeast along a warm front that extended into the Ohio Valley. Arctic high pressure over the Great Lakes region produced a cold northeast wind flow in the low levels.
• Ice Storm in Missouri, February 21 to 22, 20082 injured · 10 eventsLow pressure organized over Louisiana, spreading precipitation northeast along a warm front that extended into the Ohio Valley. Arctic high pressure over the Great Lakes region produced a cold northeast wind flow near the surface.
• Winter Storm in Indiana, February 21 to 22, 20081 injured · 6 eventsLow pressure organized over Louisiana, spreading precipitation northeast along a warm front that extended into the Ohio Valley. Arctic high pressure over the Great Lakes region produced a cold northeast wind flow in the low levels.
• Ice Storm in Kentucky, February 21 to 22, 2008$15,000 · 31 eventsSouthwest flow brought moisture which overran arctic air just above the surface. Sleet developed during the late morning hours and quickly turned to freezing rain. Initial freezing rain accumulations developed across central Kentucky.
• Ice Storm in Indiana, February 21 to 22, 200810 eventsSouthwest flow and moisture overran arctic air near the surface. Sleet developed by late morning and quickly changed to freezing rain while temperatures held steady in the mid 20s. All of southern Indiana experienced icing amounts between 1/4 to just over 1/2 inch.
• Ice Storm in Illinois, February 21 to 22, 20081 eventA winter storm brought a mixture of freezing rain, sleet and snow to much of east central and southeast Illinois on the 21st. Most of the accumulations were minor, but four tenths of an inch of ice accumulated from the freezing rain over Clay county.
• Winter Storm in Indiana, February 21 to 22, 200815 eventsA winter storm moved across central Indiana on February 21st and 22nd. Snow, sleet, and freezing rain accompanied this system as it moved through the state.
• Ice Storm in Kentucky, February 21 to 22, 20084 eventsA developing low pressure system over the Texas Gulf Coast moved northeast towards Eastern Kentucky. This brought a mix of sleet and freezing rain, with a little snow as well, to Eastern Kentucky on February 21st into the 22nd.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Ohio, February 21 to 22, 200820 eventsLow pressure tracked to the Ohio Valley as cold air at the surface was already entrenched. This resulted in snow and significant ice accumulations over much of the region.
• Winter Storm in Kentucky, February 21 to 22, 200812 eventsLow pressure tracked to the Ohio Valley as cold air at the surface was already entrenched. This resulted in snow and significant ice accumulations over much of the region.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Indiana, February 21 to 22, 20088 eventsLow pressure tracked to the Ohio Valley as cold air at the surface was already entrenched. This resulted in snow and significant ice accumulations over much of the region.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, February 21 to 22, 20085 injured · 10 eventsA wintry mix of precipitation including some heavy snow fell across Eastern Pennsylvania on the 22nd. The heaviest snow occurred near the New Jersey border. Precipitation started as snow throughout the area around or just after Midnight EST on the 22nd.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in New Jersey, February 22, 200821 eventsA wintry mix of precipitation including some heavy snow fell across New Jersey on the 22nd. The heaviest snow occurred near the Pennsylvania border. Precipitation started as snow throughout the area around or just after Midnight EST on the 22nd.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Maryland, February 22, 20089 eventsLow pressure across the Gulf of Mexico spread snow across the region during the overnight hours February 21st and continued through the morning of February 22nd. Warm air moved in aloft, causing snow to mix with and change over to sleet and freezing rain.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, February 22, 20088 eventsLow pressure across the Gulf of Mexico spread snow across the region during the overnight hours February 21st and continued through the morning of February 22nd. Warm air moved in aloft, causing snow to mix with and change over to sleet and freezing rain.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, February 22, 20085 eventsA wintry mix of precipitation fell across the Eastern Shore on the 22nd. Precipitation started as snow throughout the Eastern Shore around or just after Midnight EST on the 22nd.
• Winter Weather in Delaware, February 22, 20084 eventsA wintry mix of precipitation fell across Delaware on the 22nd. Precipitation started as snow throughout the state around or just after Midnight EST on the 22nd. As warmer air moved in aloft, the precipitation changed to sleet around 4 a.m.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, February 22, 20082 eventsLow pressure across the Gulf of Mexico spread snow across the region during the overnight hours February 21st and continued through the morning of February 22nd. Warm air moved in aloft, causing snow to mix with and change over to sleet and freezing rain.
• Winter Weather in District of Columbia, February 22, 20081 eventLow pressure across the Gulf of Mexico spread snow across the region during the overnight hours February 21st and continued through the morning of February 22nd. Warm air moved in aloft, causing snow to mix with and change over to sleet and freezing rain.
• Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, February 22, 20082 eventsA complex low pressure system moved across the Ohio Valley and Mid Atlantic region, spreading snow and mixed precipitation across the Poconos. Up to 10 inches of snow fell before changing over to mixed precipitation.
• Winter Storm in New York, February 22, 20081 eventA complex low pressure system moved across the Ohio Valley and Mid Atlantic region, spreading snow and mixed precipitation across the Southern Catskills. Around 10 inches of snow fell before changing over to mixed precipitation.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in New York, February 22, 20082 deaths · 25 eventsA low pressure system tracked from the lower Ohio Valley east toward the Mid Atlantic coast during Friday, February 22nd, to a position off the New England coast by Saturday morning on February 23rd.
• Heavy Snow in Connecticut, February 22, 20082 eventsA low pressure system tracked from the lower Ohio Valley east toward the Mid Atlantic coast during Friday, February 22nd, to a position off the New England coast by Saturday morning on February 23rd.
• Winter Weather in Massachusetts, February 22, 20082 eventsA low pressure system tracked from the lower Ohio Valley east toward the Mid Atlantic coast during Friday, February 22nd, to a position off the New England coast by Saturday morning on February 23rd.
• Heavy Snow in New York, February 22, 200813 eventsPolar high pressure over the northeast and low pressure developing on a coastal front along the southeast coast provided the ideal scenario for widespread heavy snowfall. This was the biggest event for the tri-state area during the 2007-2008 winter season.
• Heavy Snow in New Jersey, February 22, 20086 eventsPolar high pressure over the northeast and low pressure developing on a coastal front along the southeast coast provided the ideal scenario for widespread heavy snowfall. This was the biggest event for the tri-state area during the 2007-2008 winter season.
• Heavy Snow in Connecticut, February 22, 20084 eventsPolar high pressure over the northeast and low pressure developing on a coastal front along the southeast coast provided the ideal scenario for widespread heavy snowfall. This was the biggest event for the tri-state area during the 2007-2008 winter season.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, February 22, 20083 eventsA low pressure system tracked from the lower Ohio Valley east toward the Mid Atlantic coast during Friday, February 22nd, to a position off the New England coast by Saturday morning on February 23rd.
• Heavy Snow in Massachusetts, February 22 to 23, 200816 eventsA noreaster moved up the coast southeast of Cape Cod and spread snow across much of Massachusetts, northern Connecticut, Rhode Island, and southern New Hampshire. This occurred towards the end of February school vacation week in Massachusetts.
• Heavy Snow in Connecticut, February 22 to 23, 20082 eventsA noreaster moved up the coast southeast of Cape Cod and spread snow across much of Massachusetts, northern Connecticut, Rhode Island, and southern New Hampshire.
• Heavy Snow in New Hampshire, February 22, 20081 eventA noreaster moved up the coast southeast of Cape Cod and spread snow across much of Massachusetts, northern Connecticut, Rhode Island, and southern New Hampshire.
• Heavy Snow in Maine, February 22 to 23, 20081 eventLow pressure tracking south of the Gulf of Maine brought heavy snow to coastal Washington county from the afternoon of the 22nd through the early morning hours of the 23rd. Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 8 inches.
• Blizzard in Alaska, February 22, 20081 eventStrong west winds likely produced blizzard conditions at Kaktovik on the 23rd, as reported by the Barter Island AWOS. Wind gusts reached 45 knots (51 mph).
• Heavy Snow in Utah, February 22 to 23, 20082 eventsAreas of rain and snow moved across much of Utah beginning early on the 22nd of February, and continued through the afternoon of the 23rd. The storm was a relatively low impact across most of the state, but some areas received locally heavy snow.
• Winter Weather in Kansas, February 23, 20081 death · 6 injured · 4 eventsA wintry mix of light freezing rain, sleet and light snow affected central, south-central and southeast Kansas on February 23rd, as an upper level disturbance moved over the area.
• Winter Weather in Kansas, February 23 to 24, 20084 eventsAn upper level storm system ejected from the Rockies through the Plains and then into Missouri Saturday, February 23rd. As the system ejected northeast, precipitation began falling as sleet over a small portion of Dodge City’s CWA Saturday afternoon.
• Heavy Snow and High Wind in New Mexico, February 23, 20082 eventsAn upper level disturbance crossed New Mexico on the 23rd, producing a significant round of snow over the West Central mountains and |Sandia/Manzano mountains from the 22nd into the 23rd. Strong winds from this system were recorded over the far east central plains.
• Winter Storm in California, February 23 to 24, 20085 eventsA strong winter storm brought one to five feet of snow to the highest mountain elevations. Wind gusts reached 70 mph.
• Cold in Illinois, February 23 to 25, 20081 death · 1 eventLow temperatures dropped into the teens on February 24th, with a low temperature of 17 recorded at Chicago O'Hare Airport. One person died in Chicago due to cold exposure.
• Winter Weather in Missouri, February 23 to 24, 200815 eventsFrom two to four inches of snow fell across Central and Southeast Missouri from the evening of the 23rd into the early morning of the 24th.
• Winter Weather in Illinois, February 23 to 24, 20083 eventsAbout twin inches of snow fell across parts of Monroe, St. Clair, Randolph, and Marion counties in Illinois. There were some auto accidents reported across the area.
• Heavy Snow in Idaho, February 24, 20081 eventNine inches of snow fell at Dollarhide and 11 inches fell at Swede Peak in the Big and Little Wood River area.
• Winter Storm and High Wind in Utah, February 24 to 25, 200866 kt wind · 9 eventsA Pacific storm system moved inland and impacted much of Utah throughout the day of February 25th. Strong south winds developed ahead of the system late on the 24th and into the morning hours of the 25th.
• Winter Storm in Ohio, February 25 to 27, 2008$2.8 million · 23 eventsLow pressure moved northeast from the Tennessee Valley over the Ohio River by the morning hours of the 26th. Snow spread across the region during the late evening hours of the 25th and through the overnight hours into the 26th.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, February 25 to 26, 20082 eventsA low pressure system tracked right along the Ohio River resulting in snow across southeast Michigan. Total snowfall amounts varied from south to north, with the highest amounts, up to 6 inches, occurring near the Ohio Border.
• Winter Weather in Iowa, February 25 to 26, 200821 eventsIntensifying low pressure tracked from southern Nebraska to northern Missouri to central Illinois on February 25-26, 2008. This storm system brought widespread snow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches. However, portions of northwest Illinois received 6 to 8 inches of snow.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Illinois, February 25 to 26, 200813 eventsIntensifying low pressure tracked from southern Nebraska to northern Missouri to central Illinois on February 25-26, 2008. This storm system brought widespread snow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches. However, portions of northwest Illinois received 6 to 8 inches of snow.
• Winter Storm in Illinois, February 25 to 26, 20089 eventsHeavy snow began during the afternoon of February 25th and continued into the early afternoon on February 26th.
• Winter Weather in Missouri, February 25 to 26, 20082 eventsIntensifying low pressure tracked from southern Nebraska to northern Missouri to central Illinois on February 25-26, 2008. This storm system brought widespread snow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches. However, portions of northwest Missouri received 1 to 3 inches of snow.

The snowstorm of February 5 to 8, 2008The snowstorm of April 10 to 13, 2008Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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