The snowstorm of January 2 to 4, 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

232

Deaths

0

Injuries

8

Damage

$355,000

Episodes

45

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 1 to 2, 20002 eventsEvent continued from December 1999. Large low pressure center 600 miles northeast of Prudhoe Bay drifted southwest to 450 miles northeast of Prudhoe Bay with a weather front moving southeast over the Beaufort Sea.
• Winter Storm in Utah, January 1 to 3, 20002 injured · $20,000 · 11 eventsThe new Millennium arrived with a snowy bang, as a series of winter storms pounded much of the state in a three day period. This was on the heels of a very dry start to winter and the ski season, so it was much appreciated.
• Heavy Snow in Oregon, January 1 to 3, 20001 eventA strong Pacific frontal system brought heavy snow to the Cascade Mountains, the Cascade Foothills, and the Coastal Mountains. In the Cascades snow accumulations included 23 inches at Timberline and Santiam Pass, 25 inches at Mt Hood Meadows, and 19 inches at Blue Box Pass.
• Extreme Cold in Alaska, January 2 to 6, 20001 eventWind chills reached 70 below along the coastal areas of the Kuskokwim Delta several times during the period.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 2, 20002 eventsA storm system which developed over the southern Rocky Mountains moved to the northeast across the central plains and strengthened overnight on the 2nd. The storm system then moved across northern lower Michigan on the afternoon of the 2nd.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 2, 20006 eventsA winter storm moved northeast from Kansas, across Lake Michigan, and into Quebec, bringing heavy snow to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
• Extreme Cold in Alaska, January 2 to 3, 20001 eventHigh pressure over the southern Yukon Territory of Canada produced gusty southeast wind along the Yukon River near Eagle, with ambient temperatures ranging from 25 to 30 below. Coldest wind chill value reported by Eagle ASOS was -81 F.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, January 2, 20008 eventsA low pressure system that moved across southern Wisconsin on the 2nd produced heavy snow over the northern part of the state. The low left a band of 6 to 11 inches of snow across north-central and far northeast Wisconsin that fell during the morning and early afternoon hours.
• Winter Storm in Nebraska, January 2, 2000$45,000 · 1 eventA mixture of light freezing drizzle and snow invaded parts of south-central Nebraska during the early morning hours of January 3. Most areas received one inch or less of snow.
• Winter Weather in New York, January 2, 2000$30,000 · 1 eventA stationary front across northern portions of Vermont and New York during the morning of January 2nd resulted in areas of freezing rain which continued into the mid afternoon hours. Area roads were very icy with numerous automobile accidents.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, January 2, 2000$20,000 · 1 eventA stationary front across northern portions of Vermont and New York during the morning of January 2nd resulted in areas of freezing rain which continued into the mid and late afternoon hours. Area roads were icy with cars off the road.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, January 2, 2000$20,000 · 1 eventA stationary front across northern portions of Vermont and New York during the morning of January 2nd resulted in areas of freezing rain which continued into the mid and late afternoon hours. Some area roads were closed, as well as portions of I-91.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, January 2, 2000$20,000 · 1 eventA stationary front across northern portions of Vermont and New York during the morning of January 2nd resulted in areas of freezing rain which continued into the mid and late afternoon hours. Portions of I-89 were very icy especially in the western half of the county.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, January 2, 20004 eventsHeavy snowfall occurred in a narrow band and was accompanied by thunder and lightning, which produced snowfall rates as much as 2 to 3 inches per hour.
• Heavy Snow in Minnesota, January 2, 20002 eventsA narrow band of heavy snow fell from Rochester to Wabasha and was accompanied by lightning and thunder. This resulted in snowfall rates as much as 2 to 3 inches per hour.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, January 2, 2000$5,000 · 1 eventA stationary front across northern portions of Vermont and New York during the morning of January 2nd resulted in areas of freezing rain which continued into the mid and late afternoon hours. Many area roads were icy, especially in the Stowe area.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, January 2, 2000$5,000 · 1 eventA stationary front across northern portions of Vermont and New York during the morning of January 2nd resulted in areas of freezing rain which continued into the mid afternoon hours. Some area roads were very icy especially in the Hubbardton area.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, January 2, 2000$5,000 · 1 eventA stationary front across northern portions of Vermont and New York during the morning of January 2nd resulted in areas of freezing rain which continued into the mid afternoon hours. Icy roads were reported, especially in the north portion of the county around Bethel.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, January 2, 2000$20,000 · 1 eventA stationary front across northern portions of Vermont and New York during the morning of January 2nd resulted in areas of freezing rain which continued into the mid and late afternoon hours. Portions of I-89 were closed from Richmond through Bolton.
• Heavy Snow in Colorado, January 2 to 3, 20003 eventsHeavy snow fell over portions of the northeast plains, mainly over the higher terrain along the Palmer Divide.
• Winter Storm in Colorado, January 3, 20002 eventsA band of 8-11 inch snowfall was reported from southern Yuma County into extreme northern Kit Carson County. The heaviest snow fell during the overnight hours along with some significant drifting.
• Heavy Snow in Kansas, January 3, 200027 eventsSnow fell across the entire CWA with all locations receiving at least 3 inches. In a narrow band about 25 miles wide...much heavier snow fell. Southeast Rush, all of Pawnee, all of Stafford, northeast Hodgeman and southeast Ness received 6 or more inches of snow.
• Heavy Snow in Kansas, January 3, 20008 eventsFrom 0700 to 1500 CST, a 40-50 mile wide swath of very heavy, convective snow buried much of central and a small part of south-central Kansas with 6-13 inch snows in only 5-8 hours.
• Winter Storm in Kansas, January 3, 20003 eventsA storm system dropped 3 to 6 inches of snow over parts of east central Kansas on the 3rd. Heaviest snows occurred in southern Dickinson and southwest Morris counties. Six inches of snow was reported near the town of Hope in southeast Dickinson county.
• Winter Storm in Nebraska, January 3, 20001 injured · $50,000 · 1 eventIcy roads resulted in about a half dozen accidents on Interstate 80 west of Sidney, NE.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 3 to 4, 200011 eventsA low pressure system developed over Oklahoma during the morning hours of the 3rd and moved quickly northeast to western Indiana by the evening hours of the 3rd.
• Winter Storm in Iowa, January 3 to 4, 200021 eventsLow pressure over the southern plains intensified and raced northeast along a frontal boundary into East Central Illinois during the evening. The storm system brought a mixture of freezing drizzle, freezing rain, sleet and snow to the region.
• Winter Storm in Illinois, January 3 to 4, 200013 eventsLow pressure over the southern plains intensified and raced northeast along a frontal boundary into East Central Illinois during the evening. The storm system brought a mixture of freezing drizzle, freezing rain, sleet and snow to the region.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, January 3 to 4, 20002 eventsLow pressure over the southern plains intensified and raced northeast along a frontal boundary into East Central Illinois during the evening. The storm system brought a mixture of freezing drizzle, freezing rain, sleet and snow to the region.
• Winter Storm in Wisconsin, January 3 to 4, 20007 eventsLow pressure that moved across Illinois on the 3rd dropped 4 inches to more than 6 inches of snow across east-central Wisconsin. Most of the snow fell from late afternoon through the evening.
• Winter Storm in Wisconsin, January 3 to 4, 20006 eventsThe first major winter storm of the 1999-2000 winter season struck parts of southcentral and southeast Wisconsin (almost a year to the date after a major January 1999 winter storm/blizzard).
• Heavy Snow in Alaska, January 3 to 4, 20001 eventAn exiting low through Prince William Sound produced 7 to 10 inches of snow along the Anchorage Hillside. Accumulations ranged up to 5 inches in town. Water/snow ratios were on the order of 40:1.
• Heavy Snow in Montana, January 3 to 4, 20001 event12 inches Hegben Dam.
• Winter Weather in New York, January 3 to 4, 2000$30,000 · 6 eventsA storm system moved through the eastern Great Lakes Monday night, January 3rd and then into Canada on Tuesday, January 4th. Across the area, generally between 2 and 3 inches of snow fell with up to 1/4 inch of ice from freezing rain. The precipitation changed to rain Tuesday.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 3 to 4, 200013 eventsA storm system moved from the southern Great Plains rapidly to the northeast during the day on January 3rd. The storm system moved across south central lower Michigan overnight on the 4th.
• Winter Storm in New York, January 3 to 4, 2000$10,000 · 2 eventsA storm system moved through the eastern Great Lakes Monday night, January 3rd and then into Canada on Tuesday, January 4th. Across the entire county, generally between 2 and 3 inches of snow fell with up to 1/2 inch of ice from freezing rain.
• Winter Weather in Vermont, January 3 to 4, 2000$45,000 · 9 eventsA storm system moved through the eastern Great Lakes Monday night, January 3rd and then into Canada on Tuesday, January 4th. Across the area, generally between 2 and 3 inches of snow fell with up to 1/4 inch of ice in some areas from freezing rain.
• Winter Weather in Maine, January 4, 200017 eventsLow pressure moving northeastward across the Great Lakes brought a mixture of precipitation to the state. One to three inches of snow fell in the foothills and mountains of Maine before the precipitation changed to sleet and freezing rain.
• Winter Weather in New Hampshire, January 4, 200010 eventsLow pressure moving northeastward across the Great Lakes brought a mixture of precipitation to the state.
• Ice Storm in Maine, January 4, 20002 eventsLow pressure tracking through the St. Lawrence River Valley brought mixed precipitation to extreme northern Maine. After several inches of snow...precipitation changed to sleet and freezing rain during the afternoon.
• Heavy Snow in Utah, January 4 to 5, 20005 injured · $30,000 · 8 eventsAnother decent storm moved through Northern Utah, producing 10-20 inches in the mountains with 3-8 inches elsewhere. Five people were hurt in an eight-car pileup on I-15. Alta picked up 21 inches of fresh powder, with 17 inches at Snowbird.
• Heavy Snow in Alaska, January 4, 20001 eventHeavy snow shower event mostly west of Yakutat. Satellite imagery estimate west of Yakutat 8 inches or more. Yakutat 4 inches.
• Heavy Snow in Idaho, January 4 to 5, 20002 eventsHeavy snow fell across portions of Eastern Idaho. An accumulation of 8 to 10 inches were recorded over the Teton Basin and the mountains near the Wyoming border, while 3 inches or less were recorded across the Upper Snake Plains and the Sawtooth Mountains.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 4 to 5, 20004 eventsA strong storm system and its associated cold front departed during the early morning hours of the 4th. However, northwest winds behind the system created broad area snow bands across Ottawa, Allegan, Van Buren, and Kalamazoo counties.
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 4 to 5, 20005 eventsNorthwest flow snow showers fell overnight across the northern mountains and higher elevations of Haywood and Swain counties near the Tennessee border. Accumulations of 1 to 2 inches were common, with a maximum of 3 inches reported on Grandfather Mountain.

The snowstorm of January 1 to 3, 2000The snowstorm of January 4 to 6, 2000Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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