The snowstorm of January 15 to 16, 2013

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

536

Deaths

2

Injuries

1

Damage

$1.6 million

Episodes

69

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 New Mexico, January 13 to 14, 20132 eventsA deep pool of arctic air combined with a weak upper level low pressure system allowed widespread light to moderate snowfall to develop over northern and eastern New Mexico.
• Extreme Cold in Idaho, January 14, 20133 eventsDue to temperatures below 20 degrees below zero schools closed in Marsh Valley, Bear Lake, Idaho Falls, Bonneville, and West Jefferson on the 14th.
• Winter Weather in Louisiana, January 14, 20138 eventsA strong cold front moved through Northwest Louisiana during the evening hours of January 13th and the predawn hours of January 14th. Rain and a few storms accompanied the passage of this cold front.
• Winter Weather in Texas, January 14, 20137 eventsA strong cold front moved through Northeast Texas during the evening hours of January 13th and the predawn hours of January 14th. Rain and a few storms accompanied the passage of this cold front.
• Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 14, 20134 eventsA strong cold front moved through the southern half of Arkansas during the evening hours of January 13th and through the overnight hours of January 14th. Rain and a few storms accompanied the passage of this cold front across the southern half of the state.
• Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 14, 201311 eventsOn the 14th, a front had stalled to the southeast of Arkansas. As an area of low pressure traveled along the front, moisture was thrown back into the cold air over Arkansas.
• Winter Weather in Mississippi, January 14, 20139 eventsAn upper level disturbance tracked through Southern Mississippi during the morning of January 14th, 2013. Precipitation spread northward into North Mississippi as a result. Temperatures were near or just below freezing thus the precipitation fell in the form of freezing rain.
• Ice Storm in Arkansas, January 14, 2013$100,000 · 2 eventsA strong cold front brought a shallow and very chilly air mass southward into the ArkLaMiss the night of January 13th. The cold air undercut relatively mild air aloft, thus setting the stage for freezing rain over northwest portions of the ArkLaMiss on January 14th.
• Ice Storm in Louisiana, January 14, 2013$100,000 · 2 eventsA strong cold front brought a shallow and very chilly air mass southward into the ArkLaMiss the night of January 13th. The cold air undercut relatively mild air aloft, thus setting the stage for freezing rain over northwest portions of the ArkLaMiss on January 14th.
• Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 14, 2013$44,000 · 6 eventsAs a plume of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico streamed into Middle Tennessee during the afternoon through evening hours on Monday, January 14th, with sub-freezing temperatures near the surface across the mid state, ice accumulations due to freezing rainfall occurred, resulting…
• Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 14, 20131 eventMuch colder air filtered into the region behind a strong cold front. This shallow cold air mass, combined with over-running precipitation across the area, resulted in periods of freezing rain across portions of southern middle Tennessee.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 14 to 15, 20132 eventsA cold front stalled to the south of the Mid Atlantic region and waves of low pressure moved along it. Northerly flow caused temperatures to get below freezing in the higher elevations west of the Allegheny Front.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, January 14 to 15, 20131 eventA cold front stalled to the south of the Mid Atlantic region and waves of low pressure moved along it. Northerly flow caused temperatures to get below freezing in the higher elevations west of the Allegheny Front.
• Winter Weather in Louisiana, January 14 to 17, 20131 eventLight winter weather cause periodic road closures in Rapides Parish.
• Cold in Illinois, January 15, 20131 death · 1 eventA period of cold winter weather led to the death of an elderly man in Shelbyville. The man was found dead outside his home at around 10 AM on January 15th when temperatures were in the teens. The man was lying on the ground, most likely the result of a trip or fall.
• Winter Weather in Texas, January 15, 201321 eventsA strong cold front moved through Northeast Texas during the evening hours of January 13th and the predawn hours of January 14th. Rain and a few storms accompanied the passage of this cold front across the southeast half of the state.
• Winter Storm in Louisiana, January 15, 2013$250,000 · 1 eventA strong cold front moved through Northwest Louisiana during the evening hours of January 13th and the predawn hours of January 14th. Rain and a few storms accompanied the passage of this cold front across the northern half of the state.
• Winter Weather in Louisiana, January 15, 201316 eventsA strong cold front moved through Northwest Louisiana during the evening hours of January 13th and the predawn hours of January 14th. Rain and a few storms accompanied the passage of this cold front across the northern half of the state.
• Ice Storm in Mississippi, January 15, 2013$170,000 · 7 eventsA strong cold front brought a shallow and very chilly air mass southward into the ArkLaMiss the night of January 13th.
• Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 15, 201345 eventsOn the 15th, a front remained stalled to the southeast of Arkansas. As an area of low pressure traveled along the front, moisture was thrown back into the cold air over Arkansas.
• Ice Storm in Louisiana, January 15, 2013$65,000 · 3 eventsA strong cold front brought a shallow and very chilly air mass southward into the ArkLaMiss the night of January 13th.
• Ice Storm in Arkansas, January 15, 2013$35,000 · 2 eventsA strong cold front brought a shallow and very chilly air mass southward into the ArkLaMiss the night of January 13th.
• Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 15, 20139 eventsA strong cold front moved through the southern half of Arkansas during the evening hours of January 13th and the predawn hours of January 14th. Rain and a few storms accompanied the passage of this cold front across the southern half of the state.
• Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 15, 20138 eventsAn upper level disturbance moved through the Mid-South January 15th into January 16th, 2013. Temperatures remained near or below freezing following another upper level disturbance that moved through on January 14th, 2013.
• Winter Weather in Oklahoma, January 15, 20131 eventA strong cold front moved through the southeast half of Oklahoma during the evening hours of January 13th and the predawn hours of January 14th. Rain and a few storms accompanied the passage of this cold front across the southeast half of the state.
• Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 15 to 16, 20131 injured · 20 eventsAn upper level disturbance moved through the Mid-South January 15th into January 16th, 2013. Temperatures remained near or below freezing following another upper level disturbance that moved through on January 14th, 2013.
• Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Mississippi, January 15 to 16, 20137 eventsAn upper level disturbance moved through the Mid-South January 15th into January 16th, 2013. Temperatures remained near or below freezing following another upper level disturbance that moved through on January 14th, 2013.
• Winter Weather in Missouri, January 15, 20132 eventsAn upper level disturbance moved through the Mid-South January 15th into January 16th, 2013. Temperatures remained near or below freezing following another upper level disturbance that moved through on January 14th, 2013.
• Winter Weather in Missouri, January 15, 20132 eventsA mixture of sleet and snow caused hazardous road conditions. About one-half inch of snow and sleet was reported in New Madrid and Mississippi Counties. The winter precipitation was caused by a surface low pressure system centered over Alabama and Georgia.
• Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Kentucky, January 15 to 16, 20135 eventsCold air on the backside of a departing low pressure system interacted with surface moisture to create freezing rain on January 15, 2013.
• Winter Weather in Kentucky, January 15, 201322 eventsA period of wintry precipitation caused hazardous road conditions. Several hours of sleet and freezing rain left a light icy accumulation between one-eighth and one-quarter inch. A little snow was also reported in some areas. Roads were reported to be slick and icy.
• Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 15 to 16, 2013$170,000 · 25 eventsAs a plume of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico continued streaming northeastward into Middle Tennessee during the afternoon hours on Tuesday, January 15th through the early morning hours on Wednesday, January 16th, and with surface temperatures near freezing, freezing rain that…
• Winter Weather in Virginia, January 15 to 16, 201316 eventsA cold front stalled to the south of the Mid Atlantic region and a weak disturbance moved along it. Northerly flow caused temperatures to get below freezing west of the Blue Ridge and Northern Maryland.
• Winter Weather in Indiana, January 15, 20131 eventSleet and freezing rain caused roads to become icy and very slick in Spencer County. Between one-eighth and one-quarter inch of ice accumulated on roads. In Spencer County, portions of Highways 62, 66, and 45 were reported to be slick and hazardous.
• Winter Weather in Ohio, January 15 to 16, 20131 eventA fast moving low pressure center brought a mix of winter precipitation to the upper Ohio Valley. Freezing rain accumulations of over one quarter inch occurred across portions of Tucker county West Virginia and Garrett county Maryland.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 15 to 16, 201311 eventsA cold front stalled to the south of the Mid Atlantic region and a weak disturbance moved along it. Northerly flow caused temperatures to get below freezing west of the Blue Ridge and Northern Maryland.
• Ice Storm in West Virginia, January 15 to 16, 20131 eventA fast moving low pressure center brought a mix of winter precipitation to the upper Ohio Valley. Freezing rain accumulations of over one quarter inch occurred across portions of Tucker county West Virginia and Garrett county Maryland.
• Ice Storm in Maryland, January 15 to 16, 20131 eventA fast moving low pressure center brought a mix of winter precipitation to the upper Ohio Valley. Freezing rain accumulations of over one quarter inch occurred across portions of Tucker county West Virginia and Garrett county Maryland.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 15 to 16, 20131 eventA fast moving low pressure center brought a mix of winter precipitation to the upper Ohio Valley. Freezing rain accumulations of over one quarter inch occurred across portions of Tucker county West Virginia and Garrett county Maryland.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, January 15 to 16, 20136 eventsA cold front stalled to the south of the Mid Atlantic region and a weak disturbance moved along it. Northerly flow caused temperatures to get below freezing west of the Blue Ridge and Northern Maryland.
• Winter Weather in New Jersey, January 15 to 16, 20136 eventsA low pressure system brought mainly snow to Sussex and Warren Counties and a wintry mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain to Middelsex, Morris, Somerset and Hunterdon Counties. Snowfall in Warren and Sussex Counties averaged 3 to 5 inches.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 15 to 16, 20139 eventsA low pressure system brought mainly snow to the Poconos, a wintry mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain to the Lehigh Valley and some freezing rain and sleet to Berks County and the Philadelphia northwest suburbs overnight on the 15th.
• Winter Weather in New York, January 16, 201313 eventsAn area of low pressure moved off the mid Atlantic coast Tuesday night, January 15th, and passed just south of Cape Cod Wednesday afternoon the 16th. Snow associated with this low overspread east central New York during the early morning hours Wednesday.
• Winter Weather in Connecticut, January 16, 20132 eventsAn area of low pressure moved off the mid Atlantic coast Tuesday night, January 15th, and passed just south of Cape Cod Wednesday afternoon the 16th. Snow associated with this low overspread northwestern Connecticut during the early morning hours Wednesday.
• Winter Weather in Massachusetts, January 16, 20132 eventsAn area of low pressure moved off the mid Atlantic coast Tuesday night, January 15th, and passed just south of Cape Cod Wednesday afternoon the 16th. Snow associated with this low overspread the Berkshires during the early morning hours Wednesday.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, January 16, 20133 eventsAn area of low pressure moved off the mid Atlantic coast Tuesday night, January 15th, and passed just south of Cape Cod Wednesday afternoon the 16th. Snow associated with this low overspread southern Vermont during the early morning hours Wednesday.
• Winter Weather in Iowa, January 16, 20131 death · $5,000 · 1 eventOne person was killed January 16th after a car skidded off an ice covered county road, hit a rock, rolled and ejected the driver. The accident occurred near Harpers Ferry (Allamakee County) after freezing drizzle earlier in the day had created a glaze of ice on untreated roads.
• Winter Weather in Michigan, January 16 to 18, 201312 eventsTwo Arctic air masses moving across the Upper Great Lakes brought periods of moderate snow to much of west and central Upper Michigan from the 16th into the 18th.
• Heavy Snow in Mississippi, January 16 to 17, 2013$100,000 · 28 eventsVery cold air aloft associated with an upper low crossing the Deep South made the atmosphere favorable for snow during the early morning hours of Thursday, January 17th.
• Heavy Snow in Louisiana, January 16 to 17, 20131 eventVery cold air aloft associated with an upper low made the atmosphere more favorable for snow as we into the early morning hours of Thursday, January 17th.
• Winter Weather in Mississippi, January 17, 20137 eventsAn upper level low pressure system tracked across Central Mississippi during the morning hours of January 17th, 2013. Precipitation fell in the form of snow underneath where the upper low tracked.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Virginia, January 17, 20133 eventsAn upper level trough moved through the eastern U.S. Surface low pressure formed near the Carolinas and tracked eastward towards the Atlantic Coast. Moisture ahead of this system aided in snow development as well as instability. Areas in central Virginia saw the most snowfall.
• Heavy Snow in West Virginia, January 17 to 18, 20134 eventsA deep low pressure system tracked from northern Georgia to the North Carolina coast.
• Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 17 to 18, 201318 eventsA deep low pressure system tracked from northern Georgia to the North Carolina coast.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Alabama, January 17, 201314 eventsA strong upper level storm system moved northeast through the Tennessee valley region, with heavy snowfall and sleet reported in portions of north Alabama. Snowfall amounts ranged from up to an inch in northwest Alabama, to three to four inches in north central Alabama.
• Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 17, 20132 eventsThe last of 3 distinct waves, along a stalled front to the east and south, passed during the day on the 17th. The precipitation started as rain during the morning. It changed over to sleet and wet snow by midday. A quick shot of heavy wet snow fell during the afternoon hours.
• Heavy Snow in Tennessee, January 17, 201322 eventsVery strong lifting of a moist air mass in the presence of an upper level low pressure system resulted in a heavy wet snowfall event during the period from around noon est until early evening. Atmospheric dynamics were so intense at times, that lightning was generated; i.e.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Kentucky, January 17, 20134 eventsA low pressure system tracking to our south provided a shot of snow to parts of extreme southeast Kentucky on Thursday January 17th. There was a sharp cutoff to the precipitation, but where it fell, it fell heavily for a 2 to 3 hour period.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 17, 20132 eventsThe last of 3 distinct waves, along a stalled front to the east and south, passed during the day on the 17th. It brought a quick shot of heavy snow, as far north as extreme southern West Virginia. Three to 10 inches of wet snow fell in 6 hours in McDowell County.
• Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 17, 20133 eventsA strong upper level storm system moved northeast through the Tennessee valley region, with light snowfall reported over portions of southern middle Tennessee. A dusting to a half of an inch of snow was reported across the area.
• Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 17, 2013$35,000 · 2 eventsAs a strong upper level low passed south of Middle Tennesssee as the day progressed on Thursday, Janurary 17th, rainfall during the morning hours changed over to sleet snow mix, resulting in accumulating amounts across these two counties.
• Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 17, 20137 eventsVery strong lifting of a moist air mass in the presence of an upper level low pressure system resulted in a heavy wet snowfall event during the period from around noon est until early evening. Atmospheric dynamics were so intense at times, that lightning was generated; i.e.
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 17 to 18, 20134 eventsA deep low pressure system tracked from northern Georgia to the North Carolina coast.
• Winter Weather and Strong Wind in Georgia, January 17, 2013$4,000 · 5 eventsAt the conclusion of the heavy rainfall event on the 16th, a strong upper level low moved across the Southeast, basically across the Interstate 20 corridor. Several light bands of snow fell particularly north and west of the track of the upper low on the 17th.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, January 17 to 18, 201330 eventsLow pressure moving off the North Carolina Coast produced between one and three inches of snow across portions of central and eastern Virginia from Thursday afternoon into Thursday night, January 17th.
• Winter Storm in Virginia, January 17 to 18, 20138 eventsLow pressure moving off the North Carolina Coast produced between three and six inches of snow across portions of central and south central Virginia from Thursday afternoon into Thursday night, January 17th.
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 17, 20134 eventsHeavy rain changed to snow across the higher elevations of the North Carolina mountains during the late afternoon hours. Snow levels lowered in elevation through early evening, during which time snow quickly accumulated to as much as 4 inches across the higher elevations.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 17, 201318 eventsRain gradually began to change to snow, first in the higher elevations of the central mountains, followed by the northern foothills and the northwest Piedmont.
• Winter Storm and Strong Wind in North Carolina, January 17 to 18, 2013$500,000 · 8 eventsA powerful upper level storm system moved across the region, producing rainfall at the onset of the event which changed to snow as the upper low moved across the region and colder air moved into the region behind it.

The snowstorm of January 10 to 13, 2013The snowstorm of January 17 to 18, 2013Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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