The snowstorm of January 18 to 21, 2023

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

562

Deaths

1

Injuries

2

Damage

$20,000

Episodes

68

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.

• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 17, 20232 eventsA brief period of patchy light freezing rain affected portions of central Pennsylvania during the pre-dawn hours of January 17, 2023, leading to isolated slick spots on area roads. Temperatures quickly rose above freezing once the sun came up, with patchy light rain continuing.
• Winter Weather in New York, January 17 to 18, 20236 eventsOverrunning ahead of a warm front and low pressure system resulted in light freezing rain developing over the area Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday evening January 17, 2023. This resulted in numerous car accidents in spots across the area.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Colorado, January 17 to 18, 202318 eventsA wet winter storm produced widespread blowing and drifting snow across much of the urban corridor and northeast plains of Colorado. Much of the region received a prolonged period of light to moderate snow, with bands of heavy wet snow from the 17th through the 18th.
• Heavy Snow in Wyoming, January 17 to 18, 20236 eventsHeavy snow occurred across extreme southeast Wyoming 17-18 January 2023.
• Winter Storm in Nebraska, January 17 to 19, 202327 eventsA winter storm moved into western and north central Nebraska during the evening hours on January 17th and continued through the early morning hours on January 19th.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Colorado, January 17 to 18, 20233 eventsIn the evening hours of January 17th, a low-pressure system from southeast Colorado traveled northeast across northwest Kansas and on into south central Nebraska.
• Heavy Snow in Nebraska, January 17 to 18, 20237 eventsHeavy snow reported across the southern and central Nebraska Panhandle beginning 17 January and continuing through much of 18 January 2023.
• Winter Storm in Kansas, January 17 to 19, 20233 eventsIn the evening hours of January 17th, a low-pressure system from southeast Colorado traveled northeast across northwest Kansas and on into south central Nebraska.
• Winter Storm in Nebraska, January 17 to 18, 20233 eventsIn the evening hours of January 17th, a low-pressure system from southeast Colorado traveled northeast across northwest Kansas and on into south central Nebraska.
• Winter Storm in Nebraska, January 18 to 19, 202324 eventsOn Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, a significant winter storm impacted the NWS Hastings coverage area, bringing heavy snow accumulations to many places along with some freezing rain.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in South Dakota, January 18 to 19, 20237 eventsA storm system tracked from the southern Rockies through the central Plains, bringing snowfall to far southern South Dakota.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Nebraska, January 18 to 19, 202323 eventsAn impactful winter weather system brought heavy snow, freezing rain, sleet, and ice pellets to the area. There was a wide swath of 6+ inches of snowfall in northeast Nebraska. The peak snowfall amount was 11 inches in Cedar County.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in South Dakota, January 18 to 19, 20234 eventsAn area of low pressure passing south and east of the region brought wintry weather to south-central South Dakota. While snowfall amounts were 6 inches or less, snow-covered roadways significantly impacted travel. Patchy freezing drizzle also caused travel issues.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in South Dakota, January 18 to 19, 202314 eventsA strong upper level wave lifted out of the southwestern U.S. and closed off moving across Iowa by early on January 19.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Kansas, January 18 to 19, 20234 eventsOn Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, a significant winter storm impacted the NWS Hastings coverage area, bringing heavy snow accumulations to many places along with some freezing rain.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Iowa, January 18 to 19, 20233 eventsAn impactful winter weather system brought snow, freezing rain, sleet, and ice pellets to the area. Heavier snowfall mostly stayed west and north. Harison and Monona counties both received at least 6 inches of snow.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, January 18 to 19, 202321 eventsA strong upper level low pressure lifted from the central Rockies and across the upper midwest. A broad shield of snow expanded across Iowa through the afternoon, resulting in heavy snowfall rates at times.
• Winter Storm in Nebraska, January 18 to 19, 20232 eventsA strong upper level wave lifted out of the southwestern U.S. and closed off moving across Iowa by early on January 19.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Iowa, January 18 to 19, 202311 eventsA strong upper level wave lifted out of the southwestern U.S. and closed off moving across Iowa by early on January 19.
• Winter Weather in Iowa, January 18 to 19, 20231 death · $20,000 · 1 eventA Charles City (Floyd County) driver died in a single motor vehicle accident after losing control on a rural road east of Charles City. Rural roads across portions of Floyd County remained slippery after a snow event that occurred from January 18th into the 19th.
• Winter Storm in Iowa, January 18 to 19, 20235 eventsHeavy snow moved into northeast Iowa on the evening of January 18th lingering into the morning of January 19th. Snowfall amounts ranged from 4 to 10 inches across northeast Iowa. The highest reported total was 10.2 inches in Nora Springs (Floyd County).
• Winter Weather in Wisconsin, January 18 to 19, 20238 eventsDeveloping low pressure tracking from the central Great Plains to southern Lake MI spread a swath of light to moderate snow across south central WI during the overnight hours.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Minnesota, January 18 to 19, 202314 eventsA band of heavy snow with rates of around 1 per hour lifted up from the north and moved across the region. Most locations picked up 4 to 6 inches of snow, with a few spots reporting around 7 inches.
• Winter Weather in Minnesota, January 18 to 19, 20234 eventsA strong upper level wave lifted out of the southwestern U.S. and closed off moving across Iowa by early on January 19.
• Winter Storm in Minnesota, January 18 to 19, 20237 eventsHeavy snow moved across southeast Minnesota from the evening of January 18th into the morning of January 19th. Snowfall amounts ranged from 4 to 8 inches across much of the area.
• Winter Storm in Wisconsin, January 18 to 19, 20238 eventsHeavy snow moved across western into central Wisconsin from the evening of January 18th into the early evening of January 19th. Snowfall amounts ranged from 2 to 8 inches across much of the area.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, January 19, 202312 eventsLow pressure tracking from the central Plains through the central Great Lakes brought a swath of heavy snow to northeast Wisconsin overnight on Wednesday (1/18) into Thursday (1/19) morning. Lake effect snow continued across Vilas County through Thursday (1/19) afternoon.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Wisconsin, January 19, 20239 eventsA band of heavy snow with rates of around 1 per hour lifted up from the north and moved across the region. Most locations picked up 4 to 6 inches of snow, with a few spots reporting around 7 inches.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Michigan, January 19, 202311 eventsA Plains storm system moving into the Great Lakes dumped widespread heavy snow across portions of Upper Michigan on the 19th.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, January 19, 20235 eventsAn area of low pressure developed across the Southern Plains on the 18th and moved northeastward into the western Great Lakes on the 19th bringing snowfall to much of northwest Wisconsin on the 19th.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 19, 20235 eventsA strong trough quickly progressed from the Great Plains overhead on 1/19, providing ample forcing aloft to support a deepening cyclone. This cyclone trekked across the Midwest and through the Great Lakes, generating heavy snowfall across portions of northern Michigan.
• Winter Storm in New Hampshire, January 19 to 20, 20237 eventsA cold front crossed the region early on the 19th, providing some fresh cold air despite a relatively mild pattern. High pressure building out of Ontario helped to dam the cold air in place as a warm front approached from the southwest in the evening.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, January 19 to 20, 202317 eventsLow pressure moved from the mid Mississippi Valley on January 19th into New York during by January 20th. In the meantime, an area of low pressure was developing across southeast Massachusetts and moving offshore.
• Winter Weather in New York, January 19 to 20, 20239 eventsLow pressure moved from the mid Mississippi Valley on January 19th into New York during by January 20th. In the meantime, an area of low pressure was developing across southeast Massachusetts and moving offshore.
• Winter Storm in Maine, January 19 to 20, 202310 eventsA cold front crossed the region early on the 19th, providing some fresh cold air despite a relatively mild pattern. High pressure building out of Ontario helped to dam the cold air in place as a warm front approached from the southwest in the evening.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Kansas, January 20 to 21, 202311 eventsA winter storm system brought heavy snow to Northwest Kansas. Snowfall amounts ranged from a couple inches in northwest Cheyenne County to nine inches in Sherman, Thomas, Wallace, Logan, Greeley, and Wichita counties.
• Winter Weather in Maine, January 20, 20235 eventsIntensifying low pressure tracked from the Mid-Atlantic region across the southern Gulf of Maine from the 19th through the 20th...exiting southeast of Nova Scotia during the night of the 20th.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 20 to 21, 20232 eventsA prolonged period of northwest flow resulted in snow showers that accumulated one to three inches. Winds gusted to 40-50 mph resulting in periods of blowing snow. During the evening of January 20th, light freezing drizzle mixed in with the snow and produced a coating of ice.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, January 20 to 21, 20231 eventA prolonged period of northwest flow resulted in snow showers that accumulated one to three inches. Winds gusted to 40-50 mph resulting in periods of blowing snow. During the evening of January 20th, light freezing drizzle mixed in with the snow and produced a coating of ice.
• Heavy Snow in Massachusetts, January 20, 20233 eventsAreas of light rain transitioned to snow by late in the morning. Even though low pressure was pulling farther away offshore, upper level low pressure remained to the west and an inverted trough set up with a mid-level convergence axis across northern Massachusetts.
• Cold in Alaska, January 20 to 21, 20231 eventAn outbreak of Arctic air over parts of Southwest Alaska brought very cold temperatures and even colder wind chills to parts of the region, namely over the Kuskokwim Delta.
• Heavy Snow in Colorado, January 20 to 21, 20235 eventsAn upper level system moved across the region, bringing snow to much of south central and southeast Colorado. The snow was brief across the higher terrain, where lighter amounts were observed.
• Heavy Snow in Colorado, January 20 to 21, 20232 eventsAn upper level storm system brought heavy snow to East Central Colorado in mid January. Snowfall amounts ranged from an inch or less in northern Yuma County to over eleven inches in Cheyenne County. This event was unusual in that there was very little blowing snow.
• Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, January 20 to 23, 202374 kt wind · 3 eventsA strong front lifted north across the Aleutians and into the Bering Sea between 1/21 and 1/23, producing numerous impacts ranging from strong winds up to 86 mph across the eastern Aleutians to snow and blowing snow farther north across the Pribilof Islands and Kuskokwim Delta.
• Winter Weather in Colorado, January 20 to 21, 20232 eventsA storm system brought a brief period of light to moderate snowfall to east central Colorado. Storm totals ranged from 2 to 4 inches, heaviest over the southern part of Lincoln County.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Kansas, January 20 to 21, 202389 eventsA strong southwest upper-level low made its way south of the CWA putting a good bullseye across southwest Kansas for snowfall. Ahead of the frontal and around the occlusion, many reports of 2-10 inches.
• Winter Weather in Kansas, January 21 to 22, 20236 eventsA storm system brought several inches of snow to north central Kansas throughout the day on Saturday, January 21st.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Kansas, January 21 to 22, 20237 eventsA compact but powerful upper level low pressure system moved out of the southern Rockies and into the Oklahoma Panhandle and Kansas during the morning hours of January 21st.
• Winter Weather in Nebraska, January 21, 20233 eventsA storm system brought several inches of snow to extreme southern portions of south central Nebraska throughout the day on Saturday, January 21st.
• Heavy Snow in Missouri, January 21 to 22, 20233 eventsA narrow corridor of around 6 of snow fell on the afternoon of Saturday, January 21st across Andrew, Daviess, and Grundy counties.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Ohio, January 22, 202316 eventsA low pressure system tracked northeast through the Tennessee and Upper Ohio Valleys on Sunday, January 22nd. A mix of rain and snow was found southeast of the I-71 corridor, with accumulating snow occurring along and northwest of the corridor.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Kentucky, January 22, 20233 eventsA low pressure system tracked northeast through the Tennessee and Upper Ohio Valleys on Sunday, January 22nd. A mix of rain and snow was found southeast of the I-71 corridor, with accumulating snow occurring along and northwest of the corridor.
• Winter Storm in Indiana, January 22, 20231 eventA low pressure system tracked northeast through the Tennessee and Upper Ohio Valleys on Sunday, January 22nd. A mix of rain and snow was found southeast of the I-71 corridor, with accumulating snow occurring along and northwest of the corridor.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 22 to 23, 20231 eventUpslope snow showers persisted along the West Virginia mountains from January 22nd to the 23rd as an upper level disturbance pivoted through the area. This led to an estimation of 4 inches of snow at the Snowshoe Resort in Pocahontas County.
• Blizzard in Alaska, January 22 to 23, 20231 eventAn area of low pressure in the southern Bering Sea brought blizzard conditions to the Yukon Delta.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 22 to 23, 20238 eventsA wave of wintry precipitation developed over the region with temperatures at or just below freezing. This resulted in a period of sleet and freezing rain.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, January 22, 20236 eventsA wave of wintry precipitation developed over the region with temperatures at or just below freezing. This resulted in a period of sleet and freezing rain.
• Winter Storm in Ohio, January 22, 20233 eventsA weak area of low pressure lifted through the Ohio Valley and brought a swath of accumulating snow across Ohio on January 22, 2023.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, January 22 to 23, 20233 eventsA wave of wintry precipitation developed over the region with temperatures at or just below freezing. This resulted in a period of sleet and freezing rain.
• Winter Weather in Ohio, January 22 to 23, 20233 eventsLow pressure tracked up the Eastern Seaboard from the Carolinas on January 22nd to the New England coast on the 23rd. Southwest flow and jet ascent created widespread precipitation across the Upper Ohio Valley from the afternoon of the 22nd to the morning of the 23rd.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 22 to 23, 20238 eventsLow pressure tracked up the Eastern Seaboard from the Carolinas on January 22nd to the New England coast on the 23rd. Southwest flow and jet ascent created widespread precipitation across the Upper Ohio Valley from the afternoon of the 22nd to the morning of the 23rd.
• Winter Weather in Alaska, January 22 to 25, 20232 eventsA push of deep warm, southerly flow aloft combined with synoptic frontal lift over-top air starting out below freezing at ground level combined together to produce a mess of mixed precipitation types across much of Southcentral Alaska between 1/22 and 1/25.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 22 to 23, 20232 eventsLow pressure tracked up the Eastern Seaboard from the Carolinas on January 22nd to the New England coast on the 23rd. Southwest flow and jet ascent created widespread precipitation across the Upper Ohio Valley from the afternoon of the 22nd to the morning of the 23rd.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in New York, January 22 to 23, 202321 eventsWith eastern New York in the cold sector of a coastal low pressure system, a swath of moderate to heavy snow fell across a good portion of the area Sunday evening/night into Monday before ending Monday afternoon.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Massachusetts, January 22 to 23, 20232 injured · 2 eventsWith western Massachusetts in the cold sector of a coastal low pressure system, a swath of moderate to heavy snow fell across a good portion of the area Sunday evening/night into Monday before ending Monday evening.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 22 to 23, 20232 eventsA winter system brought freezing rain and some sleet to the Pocono Plateau region in Pennsylvania on the 22nd. Temperatures warmed above freezing by midnight, then a period of light snow resulted in some light snowfall accumulations in the morning hours of the 23rd.
• Heavy Snow in New York, January 22 to 23, 20234 eventsA low pressure system brought snow and areas of wintry mix to Central New York on the 22nd. On the East Coast, a secondary low formed, which helped bring in colder air into the region on the 23rd and allowed the mixed precipitation transition back to all snow.
• Winter Storm in New Hampshire, January 22 to 23, 202313 eventsThe second in a series of winter storms over the course of a week developed on the 22nd over the Gulf Coast. Low pressure moved northeastward along the Eastern Seaboard, passing very near the elbow of Cape Cod by sunrise on the 23rd.

The snowstorm of December 21 to 26, 2022The snowstorm of February 21 to 24, 2023Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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