The snowstorm of February 21 to 24, 2023

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

610

Deaths

1

Injuries

19

Damage

$72 million

Episodes

73

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 in Minnesota, February 20 to 21, 20235 eventsA clipper system moved through the Northland the afternoon of the 20th into the morning of the 21st. While snowfall totals were generally in the 3 to 5 inch range, some enhancement did occur along the Iron Range and along the North Shore.
• Winter Weather in South Dakota, February 20, 20235 eventsA clipper low pressure system tracked across North Dakota into western Minnesota through the daytime of February 20th. It generated light snowfall of an inch or less for parts of northeast South Dakota, and then strong winds.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, February 20 to 21, 20232 eventsA clipper system moved through the Northland the afternoon of the 20th into the morning of the 21st. While snowfall totals were generally in the 3 to 5 inch range, some enhancement did occur along the Bayfield Peninsula and across northern Iron County.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Michigan, February 20 to 21, 20235 eventsA low pressure moving across the Upper Great Lakes brought moderate to heavy lake enhanced snow to west half portions of Upper Michigan from the afternoon of the 20th into the morning of the 21st.
• Winter Weather in Minnesota, February 20, 20231 eventA clipper low pressure system tracked across North Dakota into western Minnesota through the daytime of February 20th. It generated light snowfall of a half inch or less across west central Minnesota, and then strong winds.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Alaska, February 20 to 24, 2023$50,000 · 8 eventsLow pressure across the Bering Sea moves a series of fronts over the coast into the Interior causing heavy snow and gusty winds with low visibilities.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in South Dakota, February 21 to 23, 202324 eventsA strong winter storm impacted the area, bringing significant snowfall, gusty winds, and a surge of Arctic air. A series of upper-level disturbances associated with the system overrode the arctic air at the surface and produced snowfall for an extended period.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in South Dakota, February 21 to 23, 20233 injured · $500,000 · 24 eventsA long-duration winter storm developed across southeast South Dakota on February 21, with waves of heavier snowfall across the region as winds increased to a gusty 30 to 50 mph.
• Heavy Snow in Oregon, February 21 to 23, 2023$20 million · 11 eventsA significant winter weather event impacted portions of northwest Oregon and southwest Washington. Particularly hard hit was the Portland and Vancouver metro area.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in South Dakota, February 21 to 22, 20232 eventsA northwest to southeast band of snow moved east-northeast and affected mainly north central and northeast South Dakota during the mid-day hours on February 21st. Winds topped out between 25 and 35 mph, which was enough to cause some blowing and drifting snow.
• Heavy Snow in Washington, February 21 to 23, 20231 injured · $2.0 million · 5 eventsA significant winter weather event impacted portions of northwest Oregon and southwest Washington. Particularly hard hit was the Portland and Vancouver metro area.
• Winter Storm in Minnesota, February 21 to 23, 202342 eventsMultiple bands of accumulating snow. A long duration winter storm produced multiple bands of widespread significant snowfall across Minnesota, with persistent northwest winds developing as the storm exited the region.
• Blizzard in Minnesota, February 21 to 23, 20238 eventsA long-duration winter storm developed across southwest Minnesota on February 21, with waves of heavier snowfall across the region as winds increased to a gusty 30 to 50 mph.
• Winter Storm in Wyoming, February 21 to 22, 20236 eventsA strong winter storm impacted the area, bringing significant snowfall, gusty winds, and a surge of Arctic air. A series of upper-level disturbances associated with the system overrode the Arctic air at the surface and produced snowfall for an extended period.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Minnesota, February 21 to 23, 20237 eventsA slow moving storm system produced several days of snow across southeast Minnesota. The snow began during the afternoon of February 21st and continued on and off into the morning of the 23rd.
• Winter Storm in Wisconsin, February 21 to 23, 20239 eventsMultiple bands of heavy snow. A powerful winter storm produced multiple bands of widespread significant snowfall to parts of Western Wisconsin.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Wisconsin, February 21 to 23, 202311 eventsA slow moving storm system produced several days of snow across western Wisconsin. The snow began during the afternoon of February 21st and continued on and off into the morning of the 23rd. Initial light snow accumulations area wide became heavier during the night of the 22nd.
• Winter Storm and Extreme Cold in Nebraska, February 21 to 23, 20237 eventsWinter storm across the area brought heavy snowfall and blowing snow to portions of the Nebraska Panhandle, especially along the Pine Ridge near Chadron and Harrison. Numerous road closures were reported in the area.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Iowa, February 21 to 23, 20238 eventsA long-duration winter storm developed across northwest Iowa on February 21, with waves of heavier snowfall across the region as winds increased to a gusty 30 to 50 mph.
• Winter Storm in Nebraska, February 21 to 23, 20236 eventsA winter storm moved into western and north central Nebraska during the overnight hours on February 22nd and continued into the morning hours on February 23rd.
• Heavy Snow and High Wind in Arizona, February 21 to 22, 202315 injured · 57 kt wind · 2 eventsA strong, cold low pressure system digging from Canada into the western U.S. brought high southwest winds ahead of it and heavy mountain snow behind it.
• Blizzard and Cold in North Dakota, February 21 to 23, 202315 eventsBlizzard conditions in the southern Red River Valley in North Dakota.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, February 21 to 22, 20233 eventsA band of snowfall set up across parts of the Northland during the overnight hours of the 21st into the morning of the 22nd. Dry air near the surface initially limited snowfall but snow became heavier later in the night and began accumulating.
• Extreme Cold in Nebraska, February 22 to 24, 202323 eventsAn arctic airmass brought very cold temperatures as cold as 10 below to 20 below zero and dangerous wind chills as low as 30 below to 45 below zero to much of western and north central Nebraska. Strong northerly winds of 20 to 35 mph occurred during the first half of the event.
• Winter Storm and Extreme Cold in Colorado, February 22 to 23, 202328 eventsBands of moderate to heavy snow showers coupled with strong winds produced poor visibilities and hazardous driving conditions in the mountains. Snow squalls impacts parts of the Interstate 70 corridor west of the Eisenhower Tunnel, as well as State Highway 40 west of Kremmeling.
• Heavy Snow and Cold in Minnesota, February 22 to 24, 20236 eventsBlizzard conditions in the southern Red River Valley in Minnesota, with winter storm conditions in MN lakes country.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, February 22, 20232 eventsA wave of wintry precipitation developed over the region with temperatures at or just below freezing. This resulted in a period of freezing rain. Ice accumulations totaled a few hundredths to one tenth of an inch.
• Ice Storm and Flooding in Illinois, February 22 to 23, 202316 eventsFreezing rain developed across portions of northern Illinois during the morning of February 22nd and continued into the early morning of February 23rd with the bulk of the freezing rain falling from mid afternoon through mid evening.
• Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Michigan, February 22 to 23, 20233 eventsPeriods of freezing rain brought heavy ice accretions across portions of south central and southwest Lower Michigan. Some icy road conditions were reported but the greatest impacts were from downed trees and power lines due to ice accretion on elevated surfaces and gusty winds.
• Winter Weather in Ohio, February 22, 20233 eventsPeriods of freezing rain brought light to moderate ice accretions across portions of far northwest Ohio. Some icy road conditions were reported but the greatest impacts were from scattered downed trees and power lines due to ice accretion on elevated surfaces and gusty winds.
• Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Indiana, February 22, 20232 eventsPeriods of freezing rain brought heavy ice accretions across portions of far northeast Indiana. Some icy road conditions were reported but the greatest impacts were from downed trees and power lines due to ice accretion on elevated surfaces.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, February 22 to 23, 20232 eventsSnow and rain moved across northeast Iowa from the afternoon of February 21st into the morning of the 23rd. Light snow accumulations eventually changed over to rain and then freezing rain for Fayette and Clayton Counties.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Wisconsin, February 22 to 23, 202320 eventsA large and slow moving low pressure area that tracked along the WI and IL border brought heavy snow to central Wisconsin, moderate to heavy freezing rain and ice accumulations over far southern WI, and 1-2 inches of sleet and some snow accumulation in between.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Iowa, February 22 to 23, 202317 eventsDeep moisture transport phased with an elongated trough across the central United States. The surface low quickly deepened across the central plains, bringing a variety of precipitation impacts to Iowa.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, February 22, 20237 eventsWith clear conditions during the early morning hours of February 22nd prompting radiational cooling, dry air at the surface (dew points in the 20s), and a passing warm front, freezing rain was observed for a few hours at isolated areas as surface temperatures were near or just…
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Nebraska, February 22 to 23, 20235 eventsSnow fell across northeast Nebraska over 20 to 30 hours. Snowfall amounts weren't particularly heavy with only Knox County reporting Winter Storm criteria snowfall totals.
• Winter Weather in Ohio, February 22, 20231 eventWith clear conditions during the early morning hours of February 22nd prompting radiational cooling, dry air at the surface (dew points in the 20s), and a passing warm front, freezing rain was observed for a few hours at isolated areas as surface temperatures were near or just…
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, February 22, 20231 eventWith clear conditions during the early morning hours of February 22nd prompting radiational cooling, dry air at the surface (dew points in the 20s), and a passing warm front, freezing rain was observed for a few hours at isolated areas as surface temperatures were near or just…
• Ice Storm and Heavy Snow in Michigan, February 22 to 23, 2023$46 million · 12 eventsA major winter storm impacted Southeast Michigan during the daytime and evening hours of February 22, 2023.
• Blizzard and Heavy Snow in South Dakota, February 22 to 23, 202323 eventsHeavy snow and strong winds developed across the region associated with a classic Colorado Low type storm system around mid-day Wednesday, February 22, with strong winds lingering into the early morning hours of Thursday, February 23rd.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, February 22, 20237 eventsA well advertised storm system brough a mix of precipitation across all of eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois and northeast Missouri on February 22nd.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Michigan, February 22 to 23, 20231 death · $3.1 million · 18 eventsA major ice storm impacted much of southern Lower Michigan while areas of moderate to heavy snow impacted central Lower Michigan on February 22, 2023.
• Winter Weather in Nebraska, February 22 to 23, 20232 eventsLong-duration winter weather conditions spread through northeast Nebraska on February 22, with a few periods of moderate snowfall across the region as winds increased to a gusty 30 to 45 mph.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, February 22, 20232 eventsA wintry system brought widespread light precipitation to the region. A light coating of snow and glaze of ice from freezing rain and freezing fog occurred across the southern Poconos.
• Winter Storm in Wisconsin, February 22 to 23, 202323 eventsA long duration winter storm brought two rounds of snowfall to northeast Wisconsin from Tuesday evening (2/21) through Thursday morning (2/23).
• Ice Storm in Illinois, February 22, 20233 eventsA well advertised storm system brough a mix of precipitation across all of eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois and northeast Missouri on February 22nd.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, February 22, 20231 eventOverrunning ahead of low pressure moving up the Ohio Valley produced a swath of light snow, sleet and freezing rain across much of central Pennsylvania during the morning and early afternoon of February 22, 2023.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Michigan, February 22 to 24, 202315 eventsA deepening Plains low pressure system moving through Lower Michigan generated widespread moderate to heavy lake enhanced snow across much of west and central Upper Michigan from the afternoon of the 22nd into the 24nd.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, February 22 to 23, 20233 eventsA compact shortwave embedded in southwesterly upper-level flow provided sufficient forcing aloft to develop a cyclone along a stalled front stretching from the central Great Plains to the Mid-Atlantic.
• Blizzard and Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, February 22 to 24, 20238 eventsA strong area of low pressure brought accumulating snow and blizzard conditions to much of northwest Wisconsin starting the evening of the 22nd and continuing into the 23rd.
• Ice Storm in New York, February 22 to 23, 2023$1,000 · 6 eventsA pair of low pressure systems tracked along the New York/Pennsylvania state line bringing widespread sleet and freezing rain across much of western New York.
• Winter Weather in Colorado, February 22, 20233 eventsA north-south oriented snow squall developed off the Palmer divide to extend across portions of East-Central Colorado moving east-northeast to the Kansas border of Yuma, Kit Carson, and Cheyenne counties over a span of up to two hours.
• Heavy Snow in Minnesota, February 22 to 23, 20235 eventsA band of snowfall set up across parts of the Northland during the overnight hours of the 21st into the morning of the 22nd. Dry air near the surface initially limited snowfall but snow became heavier later in the night and began accumulating.
• Winter Weather in Kansas, February 22, 20233 eventsA north-south oriented snow squall developed off the Palmer Divide to extend across portions of East-Central Colorado moving east-northeast into Sherman, Wallace, and Greeley counties in Northwest Kansas.
• Blizzard in North Dakota, February 22 to 23, 20234 eventsSnow developed during the afternoon hours of February 22 while northerly winds increased in the wake of a surface low moving through. The strongest winds occurred over far south central North Dakota and into the southern James River Valley where a heavier band of snow developed.
• Heavy Snow in Minnesota, February 22 to 23, 20232 eventsHeavy snow and strong winds developed across western Minnesota in association with a classic Colorado Low type storm system around mid-day Wednesday, February 22, and snow and gusty winds lingered into the early morning hours of Thursday, February 23rd.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in New York, February 22 to 23, 20239 eventsA weak area of low pressure tracked west to east along a stationary boundary, south of New England during the overnight of February 22nd into February 23rd.
• Winter Storm in New Hampshire, February 22 to 23, 20231 eventA warm front lifted out of the Ohio Valley on the 22nd. To the north of the front a band of light snowfall developed. The warm front stalled south of New England by the 23rd, but light snow with periods of moderate snow continued to the north of the boundary.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Vermont, February 22 to 23, 202317 eventsA weak area of low pressure tracked west to east along a stationary boundary, south of New England during the overnight of February 22nd into February 23rd.
• Winter Storm in Maine, February 22 to 23, 20231 eventA warm front lifted out of the Ohio Valley on the 22nd. To the north of the front a band of light snowfall developed. The warm front stalled south of New England by the 23rd, but light snow with periods of moderate snow continued to the north of the boundary.
• Heavy Snow in Massachusetts, February 23, 20231 eventA warm front moved north across much of southern New England after midnight on the 23rd. It caused a transition from sleet to freezing rain to rain across most of the area.
• Winter Weather in Alaska, February 23, 20231 eventA front brought a deep fetch of moisture and warm air aloft over Southcentral Alaska on February 23, leading to a mixture of mostly snow, with some rain.
• Extreme Cold and Cold in South Dakota, February 23 to 24, 202324 eventsNorthwest winds from 10 to 20 mph with temperatures falling to the teens below zero produced wind chills from 30 below to 40 below zero.
• Cold in Iowa, February 23 to 24, 20236 eventsNorthwest winds from 10 to 20 mph with temperatures falling to the teens below zero produced wind chills from 25 below to 35 below zero.
• Extreme Cold and Cold in Minnesota, February 23 to 24, 20238 eventsNorthwest winds from 10 to 20 mph with temperatures falling to the teens below zero produced wind chills from 30 below to 40 below zero.
• Winter Weather in Maine, February 23 to 24, 202312 eventsA slowly intensifying low tracked along the Downeast coast through the night of the 23rd...exiting across the Maritimes during the 24th. Snow developed across the region through the night of the 23rd and persisted into the morning of the 24th.
• Extreme Cold in South Dakota, February 24, 202324 eventsBreezy and very cold conditions moved in with Arctic high pressure after the departure of the previous day's winter storm. Temperatures fell to around 20 degrees below zero, and wind chills of ranged anywhere from 35 to 45 degrees below zero.
• Extreme Cold in Minnesota, February 24, 20232 eventsBreezy and very cold conditions moved in with Arctic high pressure after the departure of the previous day's winter storm. Temperatures fell to around 20 degrees below zero, with wind chills ranging anywhere from 35 to 40 degrees below zero.
• Blizzard in Alaska, February 24, 20232 eventsA strong front wrapping around a deep low in the Bering Sea moves northward bringing blizzard conditions to the North Slope.
• Winter Weather in Kansas, February 24, 20231 eventFreezing drizzle impacted south central Kansas specifically the Wichita Metro during the afternoon and evening commute. There were several accidents along highways especially elevated bridge surfaces. Possible and suspected minor injuries were reported from these accidents.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, February 25, 20236 eventsA wave of wintry precipitation developed to the north of a frontal boundary with temperatures near or just below freezing. This resulted in a period of freezing rain, sleet, and snow.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, February 25, 20232 eventsA wave of wintry precipitation developed to the north of a frontal boundary with temperatures near or just below freezing. This resulted in a period of freezing rain, sleet, and snow.
• Winter Weather in South Dakota, February 25, 20231 eventA favorable setup for isolated strong winds on the eastern side of the Prairie Coteau developed during the morning hours of February 25th, including a wind gust of 47 mph at Peever.

The snowstorm of January 18 to 21, 2023The snowstorm of March 12 to 16, 2023Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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