The snowstorm of January 18 to 21, 2010

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

415

Deaths

4

Injuries

19

Damage

$14 million

Episodes

53

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.

• Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 17, 20102 eventsA wintry mix of mainly freezing rain occurred during the second half of the day on the 17th over the Pocono Plateau. Ice accretions averaged one quarter to one half an inch with the highest amounts in Monroe County. Snowfall and sleet were generally less than half an inch.
• Winter Weather in New Jersey, January 17, 20101 eventA wintry mix of mainly freezing rain occurred during the second half of the day on the 17th in extreme northwest New Jersey. Ice accretions averaged around one quarter of an inch. Snowfall and sleet were generally just trace amounts.
• Winter Weather in New York, January 17 to 18, 20105 eventsA low pressure system tracked through the Tennessee Valley on Sunday, January 17th, with a secondary low developing off the mid Atlantic Coast during the afternoon.
• Heavy Snow in New Hampshire, January 17 to 18, 20105 eventsAn area of low pressure developed over the southeastern states and then moved rapidly northeastward through the Gulf of Maine on the 18th.The storm brought heavy snow to the southern half of New Hampshire. Snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 10 inches across much of the area.
• Heavy Snow in Maine, January 17 to 18, 20108 eventsAn area of low pressure developed over the southeastern states and then moved rapidly northeastward through the Gulf of Maine on the 18th.The storm brought heavy snow to southwestern and coastal sections of western Maine.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, January 17 to 18, 20102 eventsA low pressure system tracked through the Tennessee Valley on Sunday, January 17th, with a secondary low developing off the mid Atlantic Coast during the afternoon.
• Heavy Snow in New Hampshire, January 17 to 18, 20102 eventsA coastal storm passing southern New England just southeast of Nantucket resulted in a period of snow across northern Massachusetts and southwest New Hampshire.
• Heavy Snow and High Wind in Massachusetts, January 18, 20104 eventsA coastal storm passing southern New England just southeast of Nantucket resulted in a period of snow across northern Massachusetts and southwest New Hampshire. Strong winds also affected the area, with the highest winds across the Cape and Islands.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 18, 201017 eventsBlack ice resulted in numerous traffic accidents across the mountains and foothills of North Carolina. Several accidents involved injuries.
• Winter Weather in Alabama, January 18, 20101 eventWidespread fog and temperatures at or slightly below freezing combined to produce icy roads in portions of northwest Alabama. This caused several wrecks to occur in Lauderdale county.
• Winter Storm in Utah, January 18 to 19, 20104 eventsThe first in a series of moist Pacific storms brought precipitation to much of Utah, after a relatively dry first half of the month. The heaviest snow fell in the mountains of northern and southwest Utah.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in North Dakota, January 18 to 23, 201059 eventsA single storm system brought a wide variety of severe and unusual winter weather to west and central North Dakota from Monday, January 18th, through Monday, January 25th. (See Storm Data Entry for January 24-25).
• Heavy Snow in New Mexico, January 18 to 19, 201011 eventsThe first in a series of disturbances crossed northern New Mexico on the evening of the 18th through mid afternoon on the 19th. An east-west band of lower elevation rain and higher elevation snow developed and slowly moved north across western and central New Mexico overnight.
• Heavy Snow in Maine, January 19 to 20, 20108 eventsAn area of low pressure developed in the Gulf of Maine late on the 19th and early on the 20th. The storm brought heavy snow to coastal and interior sections of the mid-coast with 4 to 9 inches across much of the area.
• Heavy Snow in California, January 19 to 21, 20101 eventA cold moist storm inpacted the interior areas of Northwestern California.
• Heavy Snow in Maine, January 19 to 20, 20104 eventsIntensifying low pressure tracking across the Gulf of Maine brought heavy snow to portions of Downeast Maine. Snow began during the afternoon of the 19th...then continued through the morning of the 20th.
• Winter Storm and High Wind in Utah, January 19 to 24, 201063 kt wind · 10 eventsThe series of moist Pacific storms moving through Utah continued for several days, with heavy snow falling in both northern and southern Utah, particularly in the higher terrain.
• Heavy Snow in New Mexico, January 19 to 20, 20101 eventSouthwesterly upper level flow tapping into Pacific moisture brought snow to the higher elevations of the Gila Region. Significant snow amounts were confined to locations above 6500 feet.
• Heavy Snow in New Mexico, January 19 to 20, 20109 eventsThe second storm in two days crossed New Mexico on the 20th, with widespread light to moderate snow. Overall snow amounts were less than the previous storm.
• Heavy Snow and High Wind in Arizona, January 19 to 20, 201060 kt wind · 5 eventsA strong Pacific winter storm produced moderate valley rain and mountain snow to much of southeast Arizona. Heavy snow combined with strong winds to produce significant blowing and drifting at the higher elevations.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, January 19 to 20, 20104 eventsAn upper level disturbance that lifted across the central plains caused a weak area of low pressure to lift across the area. The disturbance brought slightly milder and moister air aloft which produced freezing rain with pockets of substantial glazing.
• Ice Storm in Nebraska, January 19 to 20, 20104 eventsAn upper level disturbance that lifted across the central plains caused a weak area of low pressure to lift across the area. The disturbance brought slightly milder and more moist air aloft which produced freezing rain with pockets of substantial glazing.
• Ice Storm and Winter Weather in South Dakota, January 20, 20101 death · 6 eventsFreezing rain produced ice accumulations around a quarter inch or a little more in Union County in extreme southeast South Dakota. Travel and walking were made extremely hazardous, and power lines and trees were damaged.
• Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Iowa, January 20, 2010$200,000 · 11 eventsFreezing rain produced ice accumulations of a quarter inch or a little more in the Sioux City to Storm lake areas of northwest Iowa.Travel and walking were made extremely hazardous, and power lines and trees were damaged.
• Ice Storm in Nebraska, January 20, 20102 eventsFreezing rain produced ice accumulations of a quarter inch or a little more in extreme northeast Nebraska.Travel and walking were made extremely hazardous, and power lines and trees were damaged.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, January 20, 20101 injured · $13 million · 45 eventsA strong push of warm air aloft took place over the central U.S. with 850 mb temperatures warming well above zero C over much of the state. During the day on the 19th a relatively strong high moved southeast to the east of Iowa.
• Ice Storm in Missouri, January 20, 20101 eventA strong upper air disturbance moved from Kansas to central Illinois on January 20, 2010. This was combined with a weak surface wave moving along a stationary front that extended from southern Missouri to Kentucky.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, January 20, 201013 eventsA strong upper air disturbance moved from Kansas to central Illinois on January 20, 2010. This was combined with a weak surface wave moving along a stationary front that extended from southern Missouri to Kentucky.
• Ice Storm in Illinois, January 20, 20106 eventsA strong upper air disturbance moved from Kansas to central Illinois on January 20, 2010. This was combined with a weak surface wave moving along a stationary front that extended from southern Missouri to Kentucky.
• Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Illinois, January 20 to 21, 20101 death · 18 injured · $230,000 · 11 eventsAn upper-level disturbance tracked across the region on January 20th, bringing a period of freezing rain to central Illinois. Ice accumulations of one tenth to one quarter of an inch were common along and north of I-72.
• Cold in Illinois, January 20 to 21, 20101 death · 1 eventLow temperatures were in the upper 20s to near 30 on January 21st. A 61 year old female died on North Barrington Road in Hoffman Estates from hypothermia due to cold exposure.
• Heavy Snow in Idaho, January 20 to 21, 20101 eventHeavy snow fell in Blaine county with widespread reports of 9 to 11 inches by spotters and SNOTEL sites.
• Winter Weather in Minnesota, January 21, 20105 eventsA warm front remained nearly stationary across southern Iowa on January 21st. Freezing rain developed along and north of the warm front and moved into southeast Minnesota. This allowed some roadways to become icy and create hazardous travel conditions on January 21st.
• Winter Weather in Iowa, January 21, 20104 eventsA warm front remained nearly stationary across southern Iowa on January 21st. Freezing rain developed along and north of the warm front and moved into northeast Iowa. This allowed some roadways to become icy and created hazardous travel conditions on January 21st.
• Heavy Snow in New Mexico, January 21 to 23, 20101 death · 19 eventsThe third and final storm during the week of January 18th delivered heavy snow to much of western and central New Mexico from the morning of the 21st through the day on the 23rd.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 21 to 22, 20109 eventsA very narrow corridor of freezing rain developed along the Blue Ridge escarpment during the morning, and continued off and on through the day. A light glaze of ice developed, mainly on elevated surfaces. However, a few vehicle accidents occurred in the northern mountains.
• Ice Storm in Virginia, January 21 to 22, 2010$9,000 · 11 eventsCold high pressure was in place across the area as warm, moist air overspread the region in association with a warm front moving north across the region. The result was rain that fell onto sub-freezing surface that produced up to one-half inch of ice.
• Ice Storm in North Carolina, January 21 to 22, 2010$800 · 3 eventsCold high pressure was in place across the area as warm, moist air overspread the region in association with a warm front moving north across the region. The result was rain that fell onto sub-freezing surface that produced up to three-quarters inch of ice.
• Ice Storm in West Virginia, January 21 to 22, 20104 eventsCold high pressure was in place across the area as warm, moist air overspread the region in association with a warm front moving north across the region. The result was rain that fell onto sub-freezing surface that produced up to one-quarter inch of ice.
• Ice Storm in West Virginia, January 21 to 22, 20101 eventLow level cold air came south and southwest into the upper Greenbrier River Valley from northern Virginia during the morning of the 21st. Freezing rain, with temperatures in the upper 20s, fell across Pocahontas County.
• Ice Storm in West Virginia, January 21 to 22, 20102 eventsLow pressure moving east across the Ohio valley produced a mix of precipitation with freezing rain and sleet. Ice accumulations in Garrett county Maryland and Preston and Tucker counties in West Virginia ranged between a quarter and one half inch.
• Ice Storm in Maryland, January 21 to 22, 20101 eventLow pressure moving east across the Ohio valley produced a mix of precipitation with freezing rain and sleet. Ice accumulations in Garrett county Maryland and Preston and Tucker counties in West Virginia ranged between a quarter and one half inch.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, January 21 to 22, 20104 eventsLow pressure tracked through the Ohio Valley before redeveloping off the Mid-Atlantic Coast. High pressure to the north kept just enough cold air for precipitation that was associated with this low to fall in the from of snow and ice.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 21 to 22, 20104 eventsLow pressure tracked through the Ohio Valley before redeveloping off the Mid-Atlantic Coast. High pressure to the north kept just enough cold air for precipitation that was associated with this low to fall in the from of snow and ice.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, January 21 to 22, 20103 eventsLow pressure tracked through the Ohio Valley before redeveloping off the Mid-Atlantic Coast. High pressure to the north kept just enough cold air for precipitation that was associated with this low to fall in the from of snow and ice.
• Winter Weather in Wisconsin, January 21 to 22, 20104 eventsA weak low pressure system moved into the Central Plains states during the evening hours of January 21st. This allowed freezing rain to develop and move into southwest Wisconsin.
• Winter Storm in South Dakota, January 22 to 23, 201022 eventsA powerful mid season winter storm moved northeast out of the four corners region of the United States and into the Northern Plains.
• Winter Storm in Minnesota, January 22 to 25, 201024 eventsAs a powerful storm system crashed into the west coast and desert southwest, a warm, moist feed of air moved into the northern plains. Temperatures stayed unseasonably mild, in the low to mid 30s, from the 22nd into the morning of the 23rd.
• Winter Storm in North Dakota, January 22 to 23, 201018 eventsAs a powerful storm system crashed into the west coast and desert southwest, a warm, moist feed of air moved into the northern plains. Temperatures stayed unseasonably mild, in the low to mid 30s, from the 22nd into the morning of the 23rd.
• Heavy Snow in Idaho, January 22 to 23, 20101 eventHeavy snow led to the closure of state highway 32 from Ashton and Tetonia on the morning of January 23rd. 11 inches of snow fell in St Anthony and Ashton.
• Blizzard in Alaska, January 22, 20101 eventA strong pressure gradient between a 975 mb low across the Kamchatka Peninsula and a 1030 mb high across northeast Alaska produced a period of blizzard conditions on Saint Lawrence Island from around 4 am AKST through 6 pm AKST on the 22nd.
• Winter Storm in Montana, January 22 to 25, 201010 eventsA deep surface low pressure system moved across northern Montana and brought cold temperatures and widespread snow. Snow accumulations in excess of 6 inches were reported.
• Winter Storm in Wyoming, January 22 to 24, 20101 eventA major winter storm developed over the Central Rockies. As the storm slowly moved northeast into the Northern High Plains, it brought heavy snow to Northern Wyoming.

The snowstorm of January 4 to 9, 2010The snowstorm of January 20 to 27, 2010Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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