The snowstorm of January 12 to 14, 2012

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

352

Deaths

9

Injuries

14

Damage

$1.1 million

Episodes

57

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.

• Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, January 11, 201275 kt wind · 2 eventsA strong storm south of the Alaska Peninsula produced strong gusty northwest wind across the Alaska Peninsula resulting in blizzard conditions along with hurricane force wind gusts. The peak gust was 75 KT during this storm.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 11, 20124 eventsA warm front moved into eastern West Virginia on the 11th. There was enough cold air at the surface for pockets of freezing rain before warmer air caused all precipitation to be in the form of rain.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, January 11, 20121 eventA warm front moved into central Virginia on the 11th. There was enough cold air at the surface for pockets of freezing rain before warmer air caused all precipitation to be in the form of rain.
• Winter Weather in Iowa, January 11, 20121 death · 2 eventsLight snow accompanied an Arctic cold front that passed through extreme eastern Nebraska and west central Iowa during the afternoon of January 11th.
• Winter Weather in Nebraska, January 11, 20121 eventLight snow accompanied an Arctic cold front that passed through extreme eastern Nebraska and west central Iowa during the afternoon of January 11th.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 11 to 13, 20126 eventsA strong cold front moving across Upper Michigan produced heavy snow and blowing snow for west and north central portions of Upper Michigan along Lake Superior from the the 11th into the 13th.
• Winter Weather in Missouri, January 11 to 12, 201211 eventsAn upper level storm system moved across northern Missouri, during the evening and overnight hours, of January 11th through January 12th, 2012. Snowfall was from one to three inches, along and north of the Highway 36 corridor.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, January 11 to 13, 20123 eventsLake effect snow caused nearly three feet of snow to fall over the snow-belt region of Iron County, WI. The snow began early in the evening of January 11th and ended in the evening of January 13th.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Iowa, January 11 to 13, 20121 death · 21 eventsAfter a day of sunshine and record high temperatures in the lower to middle 50s on January 11, 2012 a strong polar cold front plowed across the region.
• Winter Weather in New York, January 11 to 12, 201216 eventsA very complex storm system brought a wintry mix of precipitation to east central New York on Thursday, January 12th. Snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain all occurred as the system impacted the region.
• Winter Weather in Missouri, January 11 to 12, 20122 eventsAfter a day of sunshine and record high temperatures in the lower to middle 50s on January 11, 2012 a strong polar cold front plowed across the region.
• Winter Weather in Massachusetts, January 12, 20122 eventsA very complex storm system brought a wintry mix of precipitation to the Berkshires on Thursday, January 12th. Snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain all occurred as the system impacted the region.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Illinois, January 12 to 13, 201213 eventsAfter a day of sunshine and record high temperatures in the lower to middle 50s on January 11, 2012 a strong polar cold front plowed across the region.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, January 12, 20123 eventsA very complex storm system brought a wintry mix of precipitation to southern Vermont on Thursday, January 12th. Snow, sleet and freezing rain occurred as the system impacted the region.
• Winter Weather in Illinois, January 12 to 13, 20123 deaths · 4 injured · 6 eventsA vigorous upper-level disturbance brought a swath of snow across mainly north-central Illinois on January 12th into the early morning of January 13th. Three to five inches of snow accumulated along and north of a Jacksonville...to Springfield...to Danville line.
• Heavy Snow in New Hampshire, January 12, 20123 eventsSeveral slow-moving areas of low pressure to the south and west of the area brought a moist southeast flow across New Hampshire as high pressure remained entrenched to the northeast. The over-running moist air brought heavy snow to portions of Carroll and southern Coos Counties.
• Winter Weather in Massachusetts, January 12, 20126 eventsLow pressure moved across Southern New England bringing a period of snow to the western parts of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Two to five inches of snow fell across this area.
• Ice Storm in New York, January 12, 2012$50,000 · 2 eventsDuring the morning and afternoon hours of January 12th, low pressure moving across the Great Lakes allowed above freezing air to override sub-freezing temperatures in the St. Lawrence River Valley due to a cold, dry northeast wind.
• Heavy Snow in Maine, January 12, 20129 eventsSeveral slow-moving areas of low pressure to the south and west of the area brought a moist southeast flow across coastal and western sections of western Maine as high pressure remained entrenched to the northeast.
• Winter Weather in New Hampshire, January 12, 20121 eventLow pressure moved across Southern New England bringing a period of snow to the western parts of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Two to five inches of snow fell across this area.
• Winter Weather in Wisconsin, January 12 to 13, 20126 injured · 20 eventsA long-duration light snow event affected South-central and Southeast Wisconsin from Jan 12 into early Jan 13th. It began in the late morning west of Madison, and in the mid to late afternoon toward Lake Michigan.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 12 to 14, 20129 eventsAn area of low pressure moved across the Great Lakes region on January 12, bringing both rain and snow to lower Michigan. Wet snow began accumulating on the northwest portion of the system.
• Winter Storm in Illinois, January 12 to 13, 20125 eventsA winter storm moved across northeast Illinois on January 12th and 13th. Snow began falling during the mid morning hours on the 12th and continued into the early morning hours of the 13th.
• Ice Storm in New York, January 12, 2012$15,000 · 1 eventA complex low pressure system brought a mix of rain, freezing rain and sleet to the north country. Over northern Jefferson county and the St. Lawrence Valley, a stalled frontal boundary resulted in an extended period of freezing rain.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Indiana, January 12 to 13, 20123 deaths · 15 eventsSnow and blowing snow impacted much of northern Indiana late January 12th into January 13th as a low pressure system deepened northward towards Lake Huron.
• Extreme Cold in Alaska, January 12 to 13, 20122 eventsA cold air mass combined with a southwest wind of 15 to 25 mph to produce wind chills of 60 below zero or lower along parts of the Central Beaufort Sea Coast and in parts of the Northwest Brooks Range.
• Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 12 to 13, 2012$25,000 · 29 eventsAs a broad upper level trough with an associated embedded upper level low moved across Middle Tennessee during the afternoon hours on Thursday, January 12 to the early morning hours on Friday, January 13th, a significant snowfall event occurred across multiple counties in the…
• Winter Weather in Illinois, January 12, 20121 death · 5 eventsA strong upper-level low brought about an inch of snow to parts of southern Illinois. The 500 mb low moved southeast from the central Plains across the Lower Ohio Valley.
• Winter Weather in Kentucky, January 12, 20124 injured · 10 eventsA strong upper-level low brought about an inch of snow to parts of western Kentucky. The 500 mb low moved southeast from the central Plains across the Lower Ohio Valley.
• Winter Weather in Alabama, January 12, 20128 eventsA strong Arctic cold front pushed through the region Friday morning and afternoon bringing gusty westerly winds of 20 to 30 mph gusting at times near 40 mph and dropping temperatures from the 40s and lower 50s into the upper 20s and lower 30s in a matter of one to three hours.
• Winter Weather in Indiana, January 12, 20126 eventsA strong upper-level low brought about an inch of snow to parts of southwest Indiana. The 500 mb low moved southeast from the central Plains across the Lower Ohio Valley.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 12 to 13, 20125 eventsSnow and blowing snow impacted much of southern Michigan late January 12th into January 13th as a low pressure system deepened northward towards Lake Huron.
• Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 12, 20122 eventsA strong Arctic cold front pushed through the region Friday morning and afternoon bringing gusty westerly winds of 20 to 30 mph gusting at times near 40 mph and dropping temperatures from the 40s and lower 50s into the upper 20s and lower 30s in a matter of one to three hours.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 12 to 13, 20122 eventsLow pressure crossed Southern and Central Lower Michigan on the 12th, on its way to eastern Lake Huron and points beyond on the 13th.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 12 to 13, 20124 eventsSnow showers developed across the mountains during the evening, and continued off and on through the overnight hours.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 12 to 13, 20126 eventsAn arctic cold front blew through during the evening of the 12th. Rain showers changed to snow showers. The snow showers continued until after dark on the 13th. Accumulations were mostly 1 to 3 inches in the lowlands, with 2 to 5 inches in the central mountains.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, January 12 to 14, 2012$350,000 · 3 eventsAn area of strong low pressure passed to the north of Lake Erie during the evening hours of January 12th. Cold northwest winds behind the low caused lake effect snow showers to develop just before midnight on the 13th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, January 12 to 14, 2012$450,000 · 3 eventsAn area of strong low pressure passed to the north of Lake Erie during the evening hours of January 12th. Cold northwest winds behind the low caused lake effect snow showers to develop just before midnight on the 13th.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 12 to 14, 20122 eventsLow pressure remained over the eastern Great Lakes during the 13th. A northwest flow around the low caused cold and moist air from the Great Lakes to be forced up the mountains, resulting in snow across locations along and west of the Allegheny front.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, January 12 to 14, 20121 eventLow pressure remained over the eastern Great Lakes during the 13th. A northwest flow around the low caused cold and moist air from the Great Lakes to be forced up the mountains, resulting in snow across locations along and west of the Allegheny front.
• Winter Weather in Ohio, January 13, 20128 eventsA deep upper level low pressure center crossed over northern Ohio early on Friday, January 13th. Widespread light snow fell in much of Ohio, with some heavier bands over an inch occurring along portions of the I-70 corridor.
• Winter Weather in Indiana, January 13, 20121 eventA deep upper level low pressure center crossed over northern Ohio early on Friday, January 13th. Widespread light snow with some narrow bands of moderate snow fell in the Whitewater valley.
• Heavy Snow in New York, January 13 to 14, 20127 eventsOn January 13, low pressure tracked across northern Lake Ontario, dragging a strong cold front across the area.
• Winter Storm in New York, January 13 to 14, 2012$15,000 · 3 eventsAn elongated surface low moved across New York and New England during the day of January 13th. Snow and mixed precipitation overspread northern New York during the morning hours and ended around midnight.
• Winter Storm in Vermont, January 13 to 14, 2012$25,000 · 5 eventsAn elongated surface low moved across New York and New England during the day of January 13th. Snow and mixed precipitation overspread Vermont around midday and ended shortly after midnight.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Massachusetts, January 13, 20122 eventsUpslope snow occurred across the Berkshires in the wake of an arctic frontal boundary Friday, January 13th. Seven to 12 inches of snow was reported across the northern Berkshires with 5 to 7 inches across the southern Berkshires.
• Winter Storm in Vermont, January 13, 20121 eventUpslope snow occurred across the higher terrain of Bennington County in the wake of an arctic frontal boundary on Friday, January 13th. Snowfall accumulations of up to 9 inches of snow were reported. Brisk and gusty westerly winds resulted in blowing and drifting of the snow.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, January 13 to 14, 20121 eventCold west-northwest flow across the Great Lakes in the wake of an arctic front produced locally heavy lake-effect snows over the Northwest Mountains. The heaviest snow totals were found in the favored snowbelt region of northwest Warren County given proximity to Lake Erie.
• Winter Storm in Alaska, January 13, 20121 eventOn the night of January 13, very strong arctic high pressure was building over the interior of AK. This change caused the arctic front to move from Lynn Canal all the way to Dixon Entrance by the morning of the 14th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 13 to 14, 2012$140,000 · 6 eventsCold air crossing the relatively warmer waters of Lakes Erie and Ontario produced bands of lake effect snow. By Friday evening the 13th, a band of lake effect snow off Lake Erie developed along and south of Route 20 dropping snow at rates up to 2 inches per hour.
• Blizzard in Alaska, January 13 to 14, 20121 eventA strong low in the Gulf of Alaska coupled with strong high pressure over interior Alaska produced strong gusty wind through the Chugach Mountains. Heavy snow preceding this wind was re suspended and this resulted in blizzard conditions through Thompson Pass.
• Heavy Snow in Washington, January 14 to 15, 20122 eventsA vigorous Pacific front brought heavy snow to the Cascades, with enhancement of snowfall at Stevens Pass from a Puget Sound Convergence Zone.
• Winter Storm and High Wind in Alaska, January 14, 201252 kt wind · 2 eventsArctic high pressure up to 1057 MB built rapidly over the Yukon on January 14th causing extreme wind chill, strong winds, and blowing snow over the Klondike Highway.
• Blizzard in Alaska, January 14, 20121 eventBlizzard conditions were observed at Barter Island from approximately 0200AKST through 1500AKST on the 14th. According to public reports, the visibility was reduced to near zero at times in snow and blowing snow.
• Heavy Snow in Washington, January 14, 20122 eventsAn upper low near the north Washington coast spread snow showers over most of the western Washington lowlands, with heavy snow occurring mainly across the north coast, Clallam County east into Skagit County, and over the Southwest Interior.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Kentucky, January 14 to 15, 201255 eventsAn area of low pressure that moved out of the southern Tennessee valley brought a prolonged period of light snow to most of eastern Kentucky on January 14th and 15th.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, January 14 to 15, 20122 eventsA clipper system deposited 2 to 3 inches of snow during the overnight period.

The snowstorm of October 25 to 31, 2011The snowstorm of February 2 to 5, 2012Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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