The snowstorm of January 15 to 17, 2000

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

379

Deaths

5

Injuries

0

Damage

$115,000

Episodes

51

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 Montana, January 13 to 14, 20001 event18 inches St Mary...13 inches East Glacier.
• Extreme Cold in Maine, January 13 to 15, 200017 eventsStrong winds ushered in cold air as an intense area of low pressure moved east of New England and high pressure built southeastward from southern Canada. The combination of the wind and cold air produced extreme wind chill temperatures across the state.
• Extreme Cold in New Hampshire, January 13 to 15, 200012 eventsStrong winds ushered in cold air as an intense area of low pressure moved east of New England and high pressure built southeastward from southern Canada. The combination of the wind and cold air produced extreme wind chill temperatures across the state.
• Extreme Cold in Pennsylvania, January 14, 20002 deaths · 1 eventOne of the coldest air masses of the season worked its way into the Philadelphia region during the night of the 13th and morning of the 14th. The low temperature of 17 degrees at the Philadelphia International Airport was the lowest reading so far this winter.
• Extreme Cold in Maine, January 14 to 15, 200012 eventsThe coldest air of the winter season to date overspread the region and was accompanied by sustained winds of 20 to 30 mph...with higher gusts.
• Heavy Snow in California, January 15 to 16, 20001 eventHigh country ski resorts reported as much as three feet of new snow. Highway 88 was temporarily closed from 3 1/2 miles east of Silver Lake to Kirkwood.
• Blizzard and Ice Storm in Alaska, January 15 to 19, 20009 eventsA frontal system over Kamchatka moved over the north Bering Sea on the 15th, with a low pressure center forming on the front over the Seward Peninsula early on the 16th. The complex weakened and drifted south to lie over Norton Sound on the evening of the 16th.
• Winter Storm in California, January 15 to 16, 20001 eventAfter a long break since some signficant frontal passages in mid-November, larger accumulations of snow finally again fell at the high elevations with Tuolumne Meadows reporting 14 inches of snow for much of the 15th; and tapering off during the early morning hours of the 16th.
• Winter Weather in New York, January 16, 2000$40,000 · 8 eventsA storm system moved from the Great Lakes region across northern New York Saturday night, January 15th and then across northern Vermont on Sunday, January 16th.
• Winter Storm in Vermont, January 16, 2000$30,000 · 3 eventsA storm system moved from the Great Lakes region across northern New York Saturday night, January 15th and then across northern Vermont on Sunday, January 16th. Across portions of north central and northeast Vermont, between 7 and 13 inches of snow fell.
• Winter Storm in Vermont, January 16, 2000$30,000 · 1 eventA storm system moved from the Great Lakes region across northern New York Saturday night, January 15th and then across northern Vermont on Sunday, January 16th. Across portions of north central and northeast Vermont, between 7 and 13 inches of snow fell.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, January 16, 2000$15,000 · 3 eventsA storm system moved from the Great Lakes region across northern New York Saturday night, January 15th and then across northern Vermont on Sunday, January 16th.
• Heavy Snow in Maine, January 16, 200017 eventsLow pressure moving eastward from southern Quebec moved into the Gulf of Maine and intensified rapidly bringing the first major winter storm of the season to much of northern New England.
• Heavy Snow in New Hampshire, January 16, 20008 eventsLow pressure moving eastward from southern Quebec moved into the Gulf of Maine and intensified rapidly bringing the first major winter storm of the season to much of northern New England.
• Extreme Cold in Puerto Rico, January 16 to 20, 20007 eventsA strong cold front moved across Puerto Rico on the evening of Saturday 15 January, 2000 through early Sunday morning. A very cool and dry airmass, unusual for these latitudes, established itself behind the front and persisted for about five days.
• Extreme Cold in U.S. Virgin Islands, January 16 to 20, 20003 eventsA strong cold front moved across the U.S. Virgin Islands on the evening of Saturday 15 January, 2000 through early Sunday morning. A very cool and dry airmass behind the front, unusual for these latitudes, persisted for about five days. Minimum temperatures at the St.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 16, 200013 eventsA quick burst of freezing rain and sleet caused numerous traffic accidents across the mountains. The precipitation was light - less than a tenth of an inch in most places, but as high as one third inch near Robbinsville.
• Winter Storm in Maine, January 16 to 17, 200012 eventsLow pressure tracking eastward across Quebec Province merged with a developing low along the Maine coast during the morning of the 16th...spreading heavy snow across the region.
• Extreme Cold in New Hampshire, January 16 to 18, 200012 eventsLow pressure moving eastward from southern Quebec intensified near Nova Scotia, then slowly moved northeastward as high pressure moved eastward from south-central Canada.
• Extreme Cold in New York, January 17 to 18, 20003 deaths · 15 eventsAn arctic cold front swept across the region during Sunday afternoon, January 16th.
• Extreme Cold in Maine, January 17 to 18, 200017 eventsLow pressure moving eastward from southern Quebec intensified near Nova Scotia, then slowly moved northeastward as high pressure moved eastward from south-central Canada.
• Extreme Cold in New Jersey, January 17 to 18, 20006 eventsAn arctic cold front swept across the region during Sunday afternoon, January 16th.
• Extreme Cold in Connecticut, January 17 to 18, 20008 eventsAn arctic cold front swept across the region during Sunday afternoon, January 16th.
• Extreme Cold in Vermont, January 17, 20002 eventsA very large arctic high built southward from eastern Canada early on January 17. At the same, deep low pressure settled in over the Canadian Maritimes.
• Extreme Cold in Massachusetts, January 17, 20001 eventA very large arctic high built southward from eastern Canada early on January 17. At the same, deep low pressure system settled in over the Canadian Maritimes.
• Winter Storm in Alaska, January 17, 20002 eventsFreezing rain was reported in several areas of both zones Monday, including Dillingham and King Salmon, along the BristolBay coast, and Bethel (inland from the Kuskokwim Delta coast).
• Extreme Cold in New York, January 17, 200015 eventsA large arctic high built southward from eastern Canada early on January 17. At the same time, deep low pressure settled in over the Canadian Maritimes.
• Heavy Snow in Minnesota, January 17, 20003 eventsHeavy lake effect snow, enhanced by the higher terrain along the north shore of Lake Superior, fell between Two Harbors and Grand Portage. The greatest amount was 10 inches at Bearskin Lodge on the Gunflint Trail.
• Winter Storm in Iowa, January 17, 200022 eventsA winter storm moving along the Canadian border brought warm air northward over a shallow layer of cold air over the Middle Mississippi Valley.
• Winter Storm in Illinois, January 17, 200013 eventsA winter storm moving along the Canadian border brought warm air northward over a shallow layer of cold air over the Middle Mississippi Valley.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, January 17, 20002 eventsA winter storm moving along the Canadian border brought warm air northward over a shallow layer of cold air over the Middle Mississippi Valley.
• Winter Storm in Illinois, January 17, 20003 eventsLight freezing rain that started to fall about Noon put a thing layer of ice on area roads causeing hazardous driving conditions. There were numerous accidents reported and quite a few cars in area ditches by Tuesday morning. There were no other major problems reported.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, January 17, 20003 eventsLight freezing rain that started to fall about Noon put a thin layer of ice on area roadways causing numerous traffic accidents across the area through the evening commute home. Otherwise there were no major problems caused by the ice.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 17, 20001 eventA narrow band of moderate to heavy snow set up across south central lower Michigan north of a warm front. The heaviest snow fell across Montcalm county, where 5 to as much as 7 inches of snow fell.
• Winter Weather in Indiana, January 17, 20006 eventsA period of freezing rain during the evening hours produced a light glaze less than one quarter inch thick. Some icing was observed on roads, primarily bridges and overpasses. Ice may have contributed to an accident on the Ohio River bridge linking Evansville with Henderson.
• Winter Weather in Illinois, January 17, 20005 eventsA period of freezing rain during the evening hours produced a light glaze, less than one quarter inch thick. Some icing occurred on roads, mainly on bridges and overpasses.
• Winter Weather in Kentucky, January 17, 20002 eventsA period of freezing rain during the evening hours produced a light glaze, measuring less than a quarter inch thick. There was some icing of roads, mainly on bridges and overpasses. Ice may have contributed to an accident on the U.S. 41 bridge over the Ohio River.
• Winter Storm in Kentucky, January 17 to 18, 200023 eventsHeavy snow fell across a large portion of Eastern Kentucky. Totals ranged from 2 to 5 inches. In addition to these snowfall amounts...freezing rain and sleet were also reported which produced a crust of ice on top of the snow.
• Winter Storm in Virginia, January 17 to 18, 20003 eventsGenerally 3-5 inches fell across parts of southwest Virginia.
• Winter Storm in Tennessee, January 17 to 18, 20003 eventsGenerally 3-5 inches of snow fell across parts of extreme northeast Tennessee.
• Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 17 to 18, 20003 eventsSnow developed during the evening of the 17th and accumulated 6 to 10 inches before ending around daybreak on the 18th.
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 17 to 18, 20006 eventsA wintery mix of light freezing rain and snow fell across southeast North Carolina during the night and into the next day. Snow accumulations were 1 to 3 inches across the area, with freezing rain making the roads even more slick.
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 17 to 18, 20003 eventsSnow developed late in the evening of the 17th and accumulated 6 inches before ending mid morning on the 18th.
• Heavy Snow in West Virginia, January 18, 20005 eventsSnow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches were common. For example, Williamson had 3 inches of snow..
• Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 18, 20002 eventsAccumulations of 3 to 5 inches were common. Grundy and Hurley had 3 inches, while Clintwood and the Breaks Interstate Park measured 4 inches.
• Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 18, 20001 eventSnow developed around midnight on the 18th and accumulated around 6 inches before ending by mid morning.
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 18, 20005 eventsSnow developed during the early morning of the 18th and accumulated 5 to 10 inches, with isolated 12 inch amounts reported, before ending around mid morning.
• Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 18, 200031 eventsLight snow moved over the Triad area in the early morning hours of the 18th and sperad slowly east-southeast, reaching the Sandhills and Coastal Plain before daybreak. The snow intensified in the morning in the Triad area where 4 to 6 inches of snow fell.
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 18, 200018 eventsLow pressure moved east across Tennessee and weakened as it ran into a surface high pressure ridge along the East Coast. Nevertheless, enough moisture was available to cause heavy snow to fall from Avery county, east across the northern foothills and northwest piedmont.
• Winter Weather in South Carolina, January 18, 20007 eventsAlthough liquid accumulations were only around 0.10 inch...freezing rain and a bit of snow fell across the area during the early morning hours...accumulating mostly on trees and grassy surfaces. Bridges and overpasses were slick and hazardous during the morning commute.
• Heavy Snow in California, January 18, 20002 eventsApproximately 11 inches of snow fell beginning just before dawn on the 18th, and continued through the morning hours.

The snowstorm of January 10 to 14, 2000The snowstorm of January 17 to 18, 2000Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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