The snowstorm of February 27 to March 3, 2003

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

472

Deaths

3

Injuries

8

Damage

$35,000

Episodes

56

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 Arizona, February 25 to 26, 20031 eventAnother winter storm system developed over the Pacific coast and dropped down over central and southern Arizona on February 25th and 26th.
• Ice Storm in Mississippi, February 26, 2003$15,000 · 2 eventsAdditional light ice accumulation, the 2nd night, caused a few more trees and powerlines to be knocked down.
• Winter Weather in Oklahoma, February 26, 200318 eventsPatchy freezing drizzle began falling across eastern Oklahoma during the early morning hours and continued until about mid morning. Although the impact was spotty, the impact was serious in a few places. Numerous schools were closed due to icy roads. Numerous accidents occurred.
• Winter Weather in Arkansas, February 26, 20035 eventsA thin layer of ice formed on roads in Northwest Arkansas early in the morning as light freezing drizzle fell. The Arkansas State Police responded to nine accidents in Benton, Carroll, Washington and Madison counties.
• Ice Storm in Arkansas, February 26, 200328 eventsAn ice storm affected mainly the southeast half of Arkansas from the night of the 25th into the morning of the 26th. Freezing rain overspread the area from the southwest during the evening of the 25th and continued into the morning hours of the 26th.
• Winter Weather in Missouri, February 26, 20033 eventsFrom 1 to 3 inches of snow fell across the extreme southeast part of Missouri, southeast of a line from Poplar Bluff to Cape Girardeau. One fatal motor vehicle accident occurred on Interstate 55.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, February 26 to 27, 20032 eventsA weak low pressure system developed along a stationary front across the southeastern United States during the evening of the 25th. It moved off the South Carolina coast during the day on the 26th and farther offshore that evening.
• Winter Weather in Delaware, February 26 to 27, 20032 eventsA weak low pressure system developed along a stationary front across the southeastern United States during the evening of the 25th. It moved off the South Carolina coast during the day on the 26th and farther offshore that evening.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, February 26 to 28, 200323 eventsA series of low pressure systems that tracked from the Gulf Coast to Cape Hatteras dropped light snow off and on between the morning of the 26th and midday on the 28th. A total of 5 to 8 inches of snow accumulated across the northern third of Virginia during the storm.
• Winter Weather in Kentucky, February 26, 200316 eventsFrom 1 to 3 inches of snow fell across southwest Kentucky. The heaviest amounts were close to the Tennessee border. Murray, Hopkinsville, and Cadiz were among those places receiving 3 inches of snow. Further north, around an inch fell at Paducah.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, February 26 to 28, 200314 eventsA series of low pressure systems that tracked from the Gulf Coast to Cape Hatteras dropped light snow off and on between the morning of the 26th and midday on the 28th.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, February 26 to 28, 20038 eventsA series of low pressure systems that tracked from the Gulf Coast to Cape Hatteras dropped light snow off and on between the morning of the 26th and midday on the 28th. A total of 3 to 7 inches of snow accumulated across the Eastern Panhandle.
• Winter Weather in New Jersey, February 26 to 27, 20037 eventsA weak low pressure system developed along a stationary front across the southeastern United States during the evening of the 25th. It moved off the South Carolina coast during the day on the 26th and farther offshore that evening.
• Winter Weather in District of Columbia, February 26 to 28, 20031 eventA series of low pressure systems that tracked from the Gulf Coast to Cape Hatteras dropped light snow off and on between the morning of the 26th and midday on the 28th.
• Winter Storm in Virginia, February 26 to 28, 200322 eventsA winter storm produced 1 to 4 inches of snow, along with sleet and 1/8 to 1/2 inch of ice accumulation, across central and eastern Virginia.
• Winter Storm in Maryland, February 26 to 28, 20035 eventsA winter storm produced 1 to as much as 7 inches of snow, along with some sleet and freezing rain, across the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore.
• Winter Storm in North Carolina, February 26 to 27, 20035 eventsSnow and ice developed during the afternoon of the 26th and became mainly freezing rain later at night and during the 27th. Ice accretions ranged from a 1/4 to 1/2 inch in the foothills to as much as 1 1/2 inches in Caswell County.
• Winter Storm in Virginia, February 26 to 27, 200320 eventsSnow and ice developed during the late afternoon of the 26th and continued through the evening of the 27th. Ice accretion ranged from 1/4 of an inch to as much as an inch in southern Pittsylvania and Halifax counties downing numerous trees and power lines.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, February 27, 200318 eventsA light freezing rain developed during the overnight hours in areas from the blue ridge eatward to the I-77 corridor. Light ice accumulations were mainly confined trees, bushes, and automobiles.
• Winter Storm in North Carolina, February 27, 200312 eventsFreezing rain began in the early morning hours of the 27th, and continued into the afternoon. Ice accumulated to nearly one inch just north of the Triad area. Much of the Piedmont from Raleigh north and west received a quarter to a half inch of ice.
• Ice Storm in North Carolina, February 27, 20031 eventFreezing rain developed during the early morning hours across Davie County, and by sunrise, ice accumulations began to result in damage to trees and power lines. Total ice accumulations of one quarter to one half inch were observed by afternoon.
• Ice Storm in North Carolina, February 27, 20032 eventsA light freezing rain developed during the early morning hours across Alexander County, and by early afternoon, ice accumulation of around one quarter inch resulted in some fallen utility poles near Taylorsville.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Maryland, February 27 to 28, 20035 eventsAnother winter storm affected the Maryland Eastern Shore and dropped heavy snow across southern parts of the Eastern Shore. Snow began during the afternoon of the 27th and continued into the early afternoon of the 28th. The heaviest snow fell during the night of the 27th.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Delaware, February 27 to 28, 20034 eventsAnother winter storm affected Delaware and dropped heavy snow across Kent County. Less snow fell elsewhere in the state. Snow began during the afternoon of the 27th and continued until around noon EST on the 28th. The heaviest snow fell during the night of the 27th.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in New Jersey, February 27 to 28, 200312 eventsAnother low pressure system brought snow into the southern half of New Jersey. A stripe of heavy snow fell across Atlantic and Cumberland Counties. Snow began during the evening of the 27th and ended during the morning of the 28th. The heaviest snow fell overnight on the 27th.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, February 27 to 28, 20034 eventsAnother low pressure system brought snow into Southeast Pennsylvania. Snow began during the evening of the 27th and ended during the morning of the 28th. Accumulations ranged from around half an inch to around three and a half inches with the highest amounts in Delaware County.
• Winter Storm in New Mexico, February 27 to 28, 20032 eventsHeavy snow fell over night into the next day along the northern New Mexico border between Chama and Red River which both reported 10-13 inches. Snow tapered off quickly towards the south with less than 6 inches at Brazos Lodge and ski areas south of Red River in Taos County.
• Winter Storm in Kansas, February 28, 200322 eventsA potent winter storm moving out of New Mexico first spread freezing drizzle across the area east of Dodge City and then turned to snow, becoming heaving in many areas.
• Winter Storm in Utah, March 1 to 2, 200321 eventsA powerful winter storm roared across pretty much the whole state. Even Utah's Dixie received measurable snow. Slick roads contributed to hundreds of minor traffic accidents.
• Heavy Snow in Alaska, March 1 to 3, 20033 eventsHeavy snow developed along a slow moving warm front as it moved across the Lower, Middle, and Upper Koyukuk Valleys to the Southern Slopes of the Eastern Brooks Range.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, March 1 to 2, 20032 eventsA weak low pressure system that developed in the Gulf of Mexico and a high pressure system over nearby New England and Canada combined to produce a wintry mix of precipitation across the Poconos.
• Winter Weather in New Jersey, March 1 to 2, 20031 eventA weak low pressure system that developed in the Gulf of Mexico and a high pressure system over nearby New England and Canada combined to produce a wintry mix of precipitation across Sussex County.
• Heavy Snow in Colorado, March 1 to 2, 20037 eventsAn upper level disturbance produced some heavy snow accumulations across the region. Some of the higher snow totals include...6 to 8 inches in and around Coaldale in Fremont county...Colorado Springs in El Paso county...Divide in Teller county...
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Maine, March 2, 20036 eventsAn area of low pressure moving northeastward along the coast brought a moderate to heavy snowfall to the mountains and foothills with lesser amounts toward the coast. Snowfall amounts ranged from 3 to 6 inches in the mountains to 4 to 8 inches in the foothills.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in New Hampshire, March 2, 20033 eventsAn area of low pressure moving northeastward along the coast brought a moderate to heavy snowfall to portions of central New Hampshire. Snowfall amounts ranged from 3 to 7 inches in Carroll and southern Grafton Counties with lesser amounts to the north and south.
• Cold in New York, March 3, 20037 eventsA cold front went through the region the evening of March 2nd. Winds out of the west to northwest were steady between 10 and 20 miles an hour into the 3rd. Temperatures fell below zero during the early morning hours of the 3rd.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, March 3, 20031 eventA lake effect snow band moved from Lake Michigan over parts of northern Door county.
• Winter Storm in Montana, March 3, 20038 eventsAreas of heavy snow fell in the mountain areas across much of Central and Southwest Montana on the 3rd. The heaviest snow occurred over locations above 5000 feet.
• Blizzard in Maine, March 3, 20031 eventSustained winds of 30 to 40 mph...with gusts to around 50 mph...combined with recent snows to produce widespread blowing and drifting snow across the region.
• Cold in Michigan, March 3, 20031 death · 1 eventAn 86-year old woman died from Hypothermia after wandering away from a nursing home in Livonia.
• Cold in Maine, March 3 to 4, 20037 eventsBlustery winds combined with sub-zero temperatures to produce wind chills of 35 to 40 below zero.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, March 3 to 4, 20032 eventsA deepening area of low pressure crossed Minnesota and northern Wisconsin during the afternoon of March 3rd and entered Upper Michigan that evening. Light snow spread from west to east across the Upper Peninsula.
• Winter Weather in South Dakota, March 3 to 4, 200310 eventsSnowfall of 3 to 6 inches slowed travel and indirectly resulted in several minor accidents. The snow had a very low moisture content.
• Winter Weather in Iowa, March 4, 20038 eventsSnowfall of 3 to 6 inches caused slow travel and slick roads, indirectly resulting in several minor accidents. The snow had a very low moisture content.
• Winter Weather in Nebraska, March 4, 20031 eventSnowfall of 3 to 6 inches caused slick travel conditions, indirectly resulting in several minor accidents. The snow had a very low moisture content..
• Winter Storm in Iowa, March 4, 20036 eventsAn early spring snowstorm hit northeast Iowa, producing a swath of 6 to 12 inches of snow. The highest snow accumulations were confined to a relatively narrow band, with 14 inches reported by weather observers at Clermont (Fayette County) and McGregor (Clayton County).
• Winter Storm in Wisconsin, March 4, 20033 eventsSouthwest Wisconsin was impacted by an early spring snowstorm, which produced a swath of 6 to 12 inches of snow. The highest accumulations were confined to a relatively narrow band, with 10 to 12 inches reported by a weather observer in Prairie du Chien (Crawford County).
• Winter Storm in Kansas, March 4, 20032 deaths · 8 injured · 23 eventsA winter storm spread freezing drizzle and snow across the area beginning around mid morning of the 4th and ending around late afternoon. Roads became very slick and hazardous and resulted in numerous accidents. At least 8 people were treated for injuries from the accidents.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, March 4 to 5, 2003$20,000 · 20 eventsA cold front dropped southeast across the state during the evening of the 3rd and early morning of the 4th. The front stalled to the south of Iowa across central Missouri.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, March 4, 20033 eventsA late winter storm moved through extreme northern Missouri on March 4th. Areas from Milan to Livonia received from 5 to 6 inches of snow. A quarter of an inch of ice accumulation was reported around Bethany.
• Winter Storm in Iowa, March 4 to 5, 200320 eventsA late season winter storm developed over the Southern Plains and lifted across the Lower Mississippi Valley spreading significant snowfall over much of Eastern Iowa. Snowfall amounts generally ranged from 3 to 7 inches.
• Winter Storm in Illinois, March 4 to 5, 200311 eventsA late season winter storm developed over the Southern Plains and lifted across the Lower Mississippi Valley spreading significant snowfall over much of Northwest and West Central Illinois. Snowfall amounts generally ranged from 3 to 7 inches.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, March 4, 20034 eventsA Heavy Snow event affected parts of south-central Wisconsin on March 4th. This was only the 2nd significant winter event of the 2002-03 winter season for this part of the state.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, March 4 to 5, 200310 eventsA low pressure system moved into Ohio late on the 4th through early in the 5th. A tremendous amount of moisture on the back side of this low combined with a cold airmass over the Great Lakes to produce some heavy snowfall across eastern Michigan.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, March 4 to 5, 20032 eventsA Heavy Snow event affected parts of southeast Wisconsin on March 4th and 5th. This was only the 2nd significant winter event of the 2002-03 winter season for this part of the state.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, March 4 to 5, 200317 eventsLow pressure moved from the panhandle of Texas northeast to Nebraska and eventually to near Toledo Ohio, producing heavy snow across central and southern lower Michigan. The heaviest snow fell in Mason (Ingham county), where ten inches of snow was reported.

The President's Day Blizzard of 2003 (II)The snowstorm of March 16 to 23, 2003Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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