The snowstorm of February 21 to 25, 2019

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

858

Deaths

2

Injuries

77

Damage

$20 million

Episodes

84

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 Iowa, February 19 to 20, 20194 eventsAnother strong winter storm moved through the region on February 19-20, 2019. Snowfall amounts of 1 to 5 inches occurred. Winds remained on the lighter side at 10 to 15 mph, initially from the southeast, but eventually changing to the west.
• Winter Storm in West Virginia, February 19 to 20, 20195 eventsA strong center of high pressure over the northeastern United States wedged cold air along the east side of the Appalachian Mountains. Low pressure in the Gulf brought moisture into the region as it tracked northeast over the Carolinas and Virginia.
• Winter Storm in Iowa, February 19 to 20, 201915 eventsThe winter hits continued for the Iowa area, with yet another system moving through and dropping inches of snowfall across a wide area.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, February 19 to 20, 20194 eventsOn the evening of February 19, a winter storms brought 5 to 7 inches of snow to portions of far northwest Missouri.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, February 19 to 20, 20196 eventsMost of northeast Iowa was covered with another six inches or more of snow from a storm system that passed across the region from late on February 19th into the 20th.
• Winter Weather in Ohio, February 20, 201924 eventsLow pressure moved through the Great Lakes region, sparking a brief round of accumulating snowfall early in the morning.
• Winter Weather in Wisconsin, February 19 to 20, 20194 eventsLow pressure brought light to moderate snow and areas of freezing drizzle to southern WI. Snow covered and slippery roads were prevalent mainly from Madison and westward.
• Winter Weather in Indiana, February 20, 20194 eventsLow pressure moved through the Great Lakes region, sparking a brief round of accumulating snowfall early in the morning.
• Winter Weather in Kentucky, February 20, 20191 eventLow pressure moved through the Great Lakes region, sparking a brief round of accumulating snowfall early in the morning.
• Heavy Snow in Minnesota, February 19 to 20, 20197 eventsSoutheast Minnesota was covered with another six inches or more of snow from a storm system that passed across the region from late on February 19th into the 20th.
• Winter Storm in Minnesota, February 20, 201934 eventsThis storm system moved out of the Rockies, and into the Upper Midwest late Tuesday night, and into Wednesday, February 20th. Deep moisture was present during the onset of this storm, which allowed for much higher snowfall rates.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, February 20, 201916 eventsLow pressure tracked from the Plains to the upper Midwest on February 20th, before transitioning to a coastal system by the morning of the 21st. This low pushed a warm front northward across our region.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, February 20 to 21, 201910 eventsLow pressure tracked from the Plains to the upper Midwest on February 20th, before transitioning to a coastal system by the morning of the 21st. This low pushed a warm front northward across our region.
• Winter Weather in Ohio, February 20, 201910 eventsLow pressure tracked from the Plains to the upper Midwest on February 20th, before transitioning to a coastal system by the morning of the 21st. This low pushed a warm front northward across our region.
• Winter Storm in Maryland, February 20, 20191 eventLow pressure tracked from the Plains to the upper Midwest on February 20th, before transitioning to a coastal system by the morning of the 21st. This low pushed a warm front northward across our region.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, February 20, 201910 eventsA couple of low pressure areas tracking from the Gulf Coast States northeast and across the Mid Atlantic region produced between one half inch and three inches of snow and sleet, along with one tenth of an inch or less of ice from freezing rain across portions of central and…
• Heavy Snow in Minnesota, February 20, 20192 eventsA surface low pressure trough brought heavy snow up to 6 inches to west central Minnesota. Travel was significantly affected. Snowfall amounts included 6 inches at Browns Valley, Odessa, and Artichoke Lake.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Virginia, February 20, 201928 eventsSurface high pressure was in place over the northeastern United States during the overnight hours of February 19th. At the same time, low pressure was tracking northeastward from the south central US.
• Winter Weather in Indiana, February 20, 201918 eventsA wintry mix of snow, freezing drizzle and sleet had a significant impact on the February 20th morning commute. Light snow and ice accumulations were common across the region.
• Winter Storm in West Virginia, February 20, 201911 eventsSurface high pressure was in place over the northeastern United States during the overnight hours of February 19th. At the same time, low pressure was tracking northeastward from the south central US.
• Winter Weather in Ohio, February 20, 20198 eventsA wintry mix of snow, freezing drizzle, and sleet had a significant impact on the February 20th morning commute. Light snow and ice accumulations were common across the region.
• Winter Storm in Wisconsin, February 20, 20197 eventsThis storm system moved out of the Rockies, and into the Upper Midwest late Tuesday night, and into Wednesday, February 20th. Deep moisture was present during the onset of this storm, which allowed for much higher snowfall rates.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, February 20, 20192 eventsA small part of western Wisconsin was covered with another six inches or more of snow from a storm system that passed across the region from on February 20th.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Maryland, February 20, 201918 eventsSurface high pressure was in place over the northeastern United States during the overnight hours of February 19th. At the same time, low pressure was tracking northeastward from the south central US.
• Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, February 20 to 21, 201928 eventsLow pressure passed over the western Great Lakes, bringing a period of warm-advection snow to central Pennsylvania. 6 to 10 inches of snow fell across the southern tier of counties from Somerset eastward to Lancaster, with lesser amount farther to the north.
• Winter Weather in District of Columbia, February 20, 20191 eventSurface high pressure was in place over the northeastern United States during the overnight hours of February 19th. At the same time, low pressure was tracking northeastward from the south central US.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Maryland, February 20, 20192 eventsA complex area of low pressure brought a mix of wintry precipitation, some heavy, to the mid-Atlantic.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Michigan, February 20 to 21, 201915 eventsA deepening low pressure system tracking from the Central Plains into the Great Lakes region brought moderate to heavy snow across much of Upper Michigan from the 20th into the morning of the 21st.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, February 20 to 21, 20198 eventsA quick moving low pressure system spread snow across much of the Northland during the morning hours. Snowfall became heavy during the afternoon hours with snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour and whiteout conditions.
• Heavy Snow in Minnesota, February 20 to 21, 20194 eventsA quick moving low pressure system spread snow across much of the Northland during the morning hours. Snowfall became heavy during the afternoon hours with snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour and whiteout conditions.
• Winter Weather in Delaware, February 20, 20192 eventsA complex area of low pressure brought a mix of wintry precipitation, some heavy, to the mid-Atlantic.
• Winter Weather in New Jersey, February 20 to 27, 201919 eventsA complex area of low pressure brought a mix of wintry precipitation, some heavy, to the mid-Atlantic.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Utah, February 20 to 22, 20198 eventsA strong winter storm produced significant snow accumulations across central and southern Utah.
• Heavy Snow and High Wind in California, February 20 to 21, 201958 kt wind · 4 eventsA low pressure system dropped southward through the Great Basin on February 20. This system resulted in a brief periods of strong winds over the crest of the Southern Sierra Nevada and below the passes in Kern County.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, February 20 to 21, 201913 eventsA complex area of low pressure brought a mix of wintry precipitation, some heavy, to the mid-Atlantic.
• Winter Weather in Kansas, February 20, 20191 eventLight snow and freezing drizzle created hazardous driving conditions across the area on February 20th. The Kansas Highway Patrol says 67-year-old Kansas woman died when she lost control of her vehicle because of snow and ice.
• Winter Storm in Colorado, February 20 to 23, 20198 eventsA slow moving snow storm generated widespread snow, heavy at times over many portions of southern Colorado. Some of the higher reported snow totals with this event included six inches of snow near Creede, Monument, Florissant, Palmer Lake and Rye.
• Heavy Snow in Arizona, February 21, 20191 eventA very cold low pressure system brought unusually heavy snow to low elevations in the Mojave Desert.
• Winter Storm in Alaska, February 21, 20192 eventsA low pressure system moved into the central Gulf on the evening of 2/21 with a warm front moving over the Panhandle. Some cold air was trapped over the Yakutat forelands and the northern Panhandle which caused come moderate snow that eventually had some rain mixed.
• Heavy Snow and High Wind in New Mexico, February 21 to 23, 201957 kt wind · 30 eventsA slow-moving winter storm that pummeled Arizona with record heavy snowfall on February 21, 2019 shifted east into New Mexico on the 22nd and 23rd.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Colorado, February 22 to 23, 20194 eventsBands of heavy snowfall with rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour, struck Denver during the evening commute. The heaviest snowfall occurred south of a line extending from Arvada to Denver International Airport. The heavy snow snarled traffic and left many stranded at the airport.
• Heavy Snow in North Dakota, February 22 to 23, 20193 eventsMost of eastern North Dakota and the northwest quarter of Minnesota saw 2 to 6 inches of snow from this event. However, there was a stationary surface boundary that set up from near Aberdeen, South Dakota, northeast to just south of the Fargo-Moorhead area.
• Heavy Snow in Minnesota, February 22 to 23, 20193 eventsMost of eastern North Dakota and the northwest quarter of Minnesota saw 2 to 6 inches of snow from this event. However, there was a stationary surface boundary that set up from near Aberdeen, South Dakota, northeast to just south of the Fargo-Moorhead area.
• Winter Weather in Wisconsin, February 23, 201916 eventsA surge of relatively mild and moist air aloft over a colder surface layer resulted in a mixture of sleet, freezing rain, and snow during the morning hours. Untreated roads became slippery with some vehicle slide-offs and accidents.
• Winter Weather in Michigan, February 23, 20195 eventsAn upper disturbance moving across the Upper Great Lakes brought moderate snow to east half portions of Upper Michigan on the 23rd.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Colorado, February 23, 20194 eventsAfter midnight a band of moderate to heavy snow moved east over East Central Colorado. The snow lasted until late morning before coming to and end. Snowfall totals up to eight inches were reported, with the highest amount reported south of Burlington.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, February 23, 20194 eventsSurface high pressure was located over New England through the day on February 23rd. Overrunning warm and moist air advection associated with a developing system in the southern plains led to rain overspreading portions of central and western Virginia.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, February 23, 20194 eventsSurface high pressure was located over New England through the day on February 23rd. Overrunning warm and moist air advection associated with a developing system in the southern plains led to rain overspreading portions of eastern West Virginia.
• Blizzard in Oklahoma, February 23, 20193 eventsA surface quickly moving northeast through the northwest Panhandles helped to develop snow along the north and northwest side of the upper level low pressure.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Kansas, February 23, 201916 eventsDuring the morning snow began moving up from the south into Northwest Kansas. The northward bound bands of snow eventually met the snow moving east out of Colorado. As the day progressed multiple bands of snow formed over Northwest Kansas.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, February 23, 20191 eventSurface high pressure was located over New England through the day on February 23rd. Overrunning warm and moist air advection associated with a developing system in the southern plains led to rain overspreading portions of the state of Maryland.
• Blizzard and Winter Weather in Nebraska, February 23, 20194 injured · 15 eventsA fairly quick-hitting-but-significant winter storm and blizzard struck roughly the southeastern half (and especially southeastern one-third) of South Central Nebraska on this Saturday, serving as a grand finale to a nine-day stretch of active winter weather.
• Blizzard in Kansas, February 23, 20196 eventsAn intense surface cyclone that erupted over New Mexico on the 22nd likewise surged northeast across Kansas on the 23rd. reaching the Iowa/Missouri border early that evening.
• Blizzard in Kansas, February 23, 20198 eventsRain changed to snow and northwest winds increased to between 40 and 50 mph during the day on Saturday February 23rd. Blizzard conditions developed across much of central and north central Kansas during the day into the early evening on February 23.
• Blizzard and Winter Weather in Nebraska, February 23 to 24, 201921 eventsA strong storm moved through the region, bringing mixed wintry precipitation, heavy snow, and very strong winds. The storm created widespread blizzard conditions and 6 to 12 inches of snow.
• Blizzard and Winter Weather in Iowa, February 23 to 24, 20198 eventsA strong storm moved through the region, bringing mixed wintry precipitation, heavy snow, and very strong winds. The storm created widespread blizzard conditions and 6 to 12 inches of snow.
• Blizzard in Kansas, February 23, 20196 eventsFor most of this six-county North Central Kansas area, the quick-hitting-but-significant winter storm and blizzard that struck on this Saturday was likely the overall most-impactful storm of the 2018-19 winter season.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Minnesota, February 23 to 24, 2019$548,000 · 7 eventsA strong winter storm dumped 4 to 14 inches of snow across southeast Minnesota from February 23rd into the 24th. As the snow was winding down, the winds increased with sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph common along with gusts of 45 to 55 mph.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Wisconsin, February 23 to 24, 20191 death · 71 injured · 52 kt wind · 28 eventsA fierce, late-winter storm produced heavy snow, freezing rain, and high winds across much of central and northern Wisconsin on February 23-24 as an area of low pressure rapidly deepened across the Great Lakes.
• Heavy Snow in Oregon, February 23 to 25, 2019$17 million · 10 eventsIt started as a low pressure system moving south into eastern Washington, bringing a cold front southeastward across western Oregon. The front then stalled across the southern Willamette Valley and Lane County Cascades as colder and colder air moved in aloft.
• Blizzard in Iowa, February 23 to 24, 201930 eventsAnother week, another winter storm system slated to affect the region. In this instance, a maturing 500 mb trough was pivoting through the region, planting Iowa firmly within its cross hairs and in subsequent strong northwest flow in its wake.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Wisconsin, February 23 to 24, 2019$360,000 · 7 eventsA strong winter storm dumped as much as 14 inches of snow across parts of western Wisconsin from February 23rd into the 24th. As the snow was winding down, the winds increased with sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph and gusts of 45 to 55 mph.
• Blizzard in Iowa, February 23 to 24, 20196 eventsA strong winter storm dumped 8 to 12 inches of snow across most of northeast Iowa from February 23rd into the 24th. As the snow was winding down, the winds increased with sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph common along with gusts of 45 to 55 mph.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, February 23 to 24, 20196 eventsA deep low pressure system moved across southern Wisconsin spreading snow across the Northland. The heaviest snow fell across northwestern Wisconsin beginning late in the afternoon of the 23rd and continuing overnight.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Michigan, February 23 to 25, 2019$1.2 million · 26 eventsA powerful bomb cyclone developing over the Central Plains and moving into the Great Lakes region produced heavy snow and blizzard conditions across much of the Upper Michigan from the 24th into early on the 25th.
• Blizzard in Minnesota, February 24, 201926 eventsA powerful storm system that brought blizzard conditions to a wide area of southern and central Minnesota, as well as adjacent west central Wisconsin, developed early Saturday morning in the southern Rockies.
• Blizzard in Minnesota, February 24, 201922 eventsA strong Colorado Low lifted into the Great Lakes on Sunday, February 24th. Not much snow fell over eastern North Dakota or the northwest quarter of Minnesota, but strong northwest winds lasted for much of the day, which produced ground blizzard conditions in open country.
• Blizzard in North Dakota, February 24, 201918 eventsA strong Colorado Low lifted into the Great Lakes on Sunday, February 24th. Not much snow fell over eastern North Dakota or the northwest quarter of Minnesota, but strong northwest winds lasted for much of the day, which produced ground blizzard conditions in open country.
• Blizzard in South Dakota, February 24, 20197 eventsA strong clipper system dropped southeast across the region and was followed by an arctic front. Strong north winds gusting to 40 to 50 mph combined with new snowfall brought ground blizzard conditions to much of northeast South Dakota.
• Blizzard in Minnesota, February 24, 20192 eventsA strong clipper system dropped southeast across the region and was followed by an arctic front. Strong north winds gusting to 40 to 50 mph combined with new snowfall brought ground blizzard conditions to west central Minnesota. Travel was significantly disrupted or halted.
• Blizzard in Michigan, February 24 to 25, 20197 eventsBlizzard conditions developd on Sunday February 24th with moderate to heavy snow and blowing snow due to wind gusts of 45 to 50 mph that resulted in near zero visibilities at times.
• Blizzard and High Wind in Iowa, February 24, 201956 kt wind · 11 eventsA strong storm system brought heavy rain and strong winds to all of eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois and northeast Missouri.
• Blizzard in Wisconsin, February 24, 20195 eventsA powerful storm system that brought blizzard conditions to a wide area of southern and central Minnesota, as well as adjacent west central Wisconsin, developed early Saturday morning in the southern Rockies.
• Heavy Snow in Maine, February 24 to 25, 20196 eventsIntensifying low pressure tracked across Downeast areas late on the 24th...exiting across the Maritimes during the 25th. Snow expanded north across the region through the late morning and early afternoon of the 24th.
• Blizzard and High Wind in Michigan, February 24 to 25, 2019$14,000 · 50 kt wind · 19 eventsA high-impact winter storm blasted northern Michigan with ice, snow, and wind. Intense low pressure would move almost due north up the long axis of Lake Michigan on the 24th.
• Winter Storm in Montana, February 24 to 27, 20198 eventsMultiple shortwave troughs from the Pacific traversed north-central and southwest Montana during February 24th through 26th. Isentropic lift ahead of each shortwave resulted in periods of snow.
• Blizzard and High Wind in New York, February 24 to 25, 2019$100,000 · 60 kt wind · 31 eventsStrong to damaging westerly winds developed over eastern New York and western New England on Monday, February 25th, in association with a deep low pressure system over the Canadian Maritimes.
• Extreme Cold in North Dakota, February 24 to 25, 201913 eventsNorthwest winds at 5 to 15 mph combined with temperatures as cold as 20 below to 30 below zero to cause wind chills of 40 below to 45 below zero.
• Extreme Cold in Minnesota, February 24 to 25, 201911 eventsNorthwest winds at 5 to 15 mph combined with temperatures as cold as 20 below to 30 below zero to cause wind chills of 40 below to 45 below zero.
• Heavy Snow in Washington, February 25, 20191 eventIt started as a low pressure system moving south into eastern Washington, bringing a cold front southeastward across western Oregon and southwest Washington.
• Blizzard and Heavy Snow in New York, February 25, 20193 eventsA very strong low pressure system tracked from the Great Lakes into Canada the 24th into the 25th. An associated strong cold front moved through Central New York during the early morning hours of the 25th.
• Cold in New York, February 26, 20192 eventsIn the wake of a strong low pressure system, cold air quickly filtered into the western Adirondacks. This resulted in wind chill values as low as 20 below zero across Northern Herkimer and Hamilton counties.
• Winter Weather in Maine, February 26, 20194 eventsThe low which brought heavy snow to northern Maine during the 24th and 25th continued to intensify while tracking toward Labrador and slowing during the 26th. The pressure gradient between the intense low and high pressure to the west produced strong gusty winds during the 26th.
• Winter Weather in Wisconsin, February 26 to 27, 20191 death · 2 injured · 20 eventsA surge of relatively mild and moist air aloft led to snow and freezing drizzle across southern WI. Some vehicle slide-offs and accidents occurred. One death and two injuries resulted from a 3 vehicle accident on an icy road in the Town of Westport in Dane County.

The snowstorm of February 18 to 21, 2019The snowstorm of March 12 to 14, 2019Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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