The snowstorm of January 22 to 24, 2016

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

902

Deaths

39

Injuries

5

Damage

$758,000

Episodes

82

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 Nebraska, January 20 to 21, 20161 eventA storm system diving into the southern Plains on the evening of Wednesday January 20th was just close enough to allow for some snow over parts of southeast Nebraska.
• Winter Storm in Kansas, January 20 to 21, 20169 eventsA compact storm system moved slowly across Kansas and dumped 5-8 inches of snow across parts of north central and central Kansas beginning after sunset of the 20th and continuing into the morning hours of January 21st.
• Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 21, 20165 eventsAn upper level disturbance moved through Northeast Arkansas during the early morning hours of January 21st, 2016. Temperatures were below freezing and the precipitation fell in the form of freezing rain. A light glaze accumulated on roads north and west of Jonesboro.
• Heavy Snow in Washington, January 20 to 22, 20161 eventYet another winter weather system with a warm southwest to northeast trajectory of approach and exit brought snow, heavy over the mountains, to the East Slopes of the North Cascades.
• Winter Storm in Alaska, January 21 to 22, 20161 eventArctic air lingered along the northern border of the Panhandle as a gale force low in the central Gulf weakened. An associated occluded front provided just enough lift to cause heavy snow for the Haines area and Haines Highway on 1/21.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 21 to 22, 201612 eventsAn upper level low pressure system moved into the Mid-South late in the evening on January 21st, 2016. Precipitation began in the form of freezing rain and changed over to snow during the early morning hours of January 22nd, 2016.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 21 to 23, 2016$65,000 · 37 eventsA powerful upper level low pressure system moved across the Tennessee Valley on Friday, January 22, 2016. Light to moderate rain developed ahead of this system and spread across Middle Tennessee late in the day on Thursday, January 21.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 21 to 22, 201634 eventsLate on the 21st into the 22nd, a strong storm system brought some freezing rain, sleet and heavy snow to a large portion of the area.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Missouri, January 21 to 22, 20165 eventsThe southeast corner of Missouri was clipped by the wintry precipitation associated with a low pressure system over the Tennessee Valley. Snowfall amounts from 4 to 6 inches were reported in Mississippi County.
• Winter Weather in Texas, January 21, 20161 eventIn wake of the strong to severe thunderstorms that developed during the early morning through the afternoon on January 21st, colder air began to spill south into portions of Northeast Texas, Southwest Arkansas, and Northern Louisiana during the evening and overnight hours.
• Winter Storm in Kentucky, January 21 to 22, 201622 eventsWestern Kentucky was heavily impacted by the wintry precipitation associated with a low pressure system over the Tennessee Valley. Widespread snowfall amounts from 6 to 10 inches were reported.
• Winter Weather in Missouri, January 21 to 22, 20162 eventsAn upper level low pressure system moved into the Mid-South late in the evening on January 21st, 2016. Precipitation began in the form of freezing rain and changed over to snow during the early morning hours of January 22nd, 2016.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Georgia, January 22 to 23, 20161 death · $25,000 · 41 eventsVery cold air remain entrenched across the southeastern states as a deep surface low developed in the lower Mississippi Valley and swept northeast across the southern Appalachians.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 22 to 23, 20161 death · 30 eventsA strong upper level low induced a surface low pressure system that tracked through the region. With a cold air mass already in place, a winter storm impacted the region.
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 22 to 23, 201616 eventsAn area of low pressure spread light snow into the mountains and foothills of North Carolina by around midnight on the 22nd. The snow continued through the early morning hours, gradually increasing in intensity.
• Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 22, 20167 eventsLight snow developed around midnight across the southwest mountains of North Carolina in association with an area of low pressure. The snow became moderate to heavy at times during the pre-dawn hours. By sunrise, accumulations of 2-6 inches were common across the area.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Kentucky, January 22 to 23, 201633 eventsA paralyzing winter storm dumped up to 20 inches of snow across parts of eastern Kentucky from the early morning hours of Friday January 22nd through the day on Saturday January 23rd.
• Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 22, 20162 eventsIn wake of the strong to severe thunderstorms that developed during the early morning through the afternoon on January 21st, colder air began to spill south into portions of Northeast Texas, Southwest Arkansas, and Northern Louisiana during the evening and overnight hours…
• Winter Weather in Louisiana, January 22, 20161 eventIn wake of the strong to severe thunderstorms that developed during the early morning through the afternoon on January 21st, colder air began to spill south into portions of Northeast Texas, Southwest Arkansas, and Northern Louisiana during the evening and overnight hours…
• Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 22 to 23, 20169 eventsA significant winter storm pushed from southwest to northeast, spreading periods of moderate to heavy snowfall across portions of Northwest North Carolina January 22nd through the 23rd.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Mississippi, January 22, 201613 eventsAn upper level low pressure system moved into the Mid-South around midnight on January 22nd, 2016. Precipitation began in the form of freezing rain and changed over to snow during the early morning hours of January 22nd, 2016.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Illinois, January 22, 201610 eventsSouthern Illinois was on the northwest fringe of the wintry precipitation associated with a low pressure system over the Tennessee Valley. Snowfall amounts were heaviest along the Ohio River from Metropolis to Shawneetown (in Gallatin County), where 4 to 7 inches fell.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 22 to 23, 20162 deaths · 3 injured · 27 eventsA significant winter storm pushed from southwest to northeast, spreading periods of moderate to heavy snowfall across portions of southwest Virginia January 22nd through the 23rd. Snowfall continued through the day Friday and into Saturday before coming to an end after sunset.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Kentucky, January 22 to 23, 201649 eventsA strong low pressure system brought copious amounts of moisture to the lower Ohio Valley. Combined with very cold air in place, a wintry mix initially changed over to heavy snow at times across portions of southern into southeast Kentucky.
• Heavy Snow in Tennessee, January 22 to 24, 201638 eventsA strengthening low pressure system moved northeast from the Lower Mississippi Valley across the Southern Appalachians with a modified Arctic air mass in place prior to the system's arrival.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 22, 201619 eventsAn upper level low pressure system moved into the Mid-South around midnight on January 22nd, 2016. Precipitation began in the form of freezing rain and quickly changed over to snow by the early morning hours of January 22nd, 2016.
• Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 22 to 24, 201616 eventsA strengthening low pressure system moved northeast from the Lower Mississippi Valley across the Southern Appalachians with a modified Arctic air mass in place prior to the system's arrival.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Ohio, January 22 to 23, 201610 eventsA low pressure system strengthened over the southern Ohio Valley as it tracked to the East Coast. The deepening system brought significant snow to the region, with a sharp cutoff of no snowfall found near the I-71 corridor.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Kentucky, January 22 to 23, 20168 eventsA low pressure system strengthened over the southern Ohio Valley as it tracked to the East Coast. The deepening system brought significant snow to the region, with a sharp cutoff of no snowfall found near the I-71 corridor.
• Winter Storm in South Carolina, January 22 to 23, 20167 eventsAn area of low pressure spread precipitation into Upstate South Carolina by the early morning hours of the 22nd. Light snow, mixed with rain and sleet fell across the mountains and foothills during the pre-dawn hours, and continued through the morning.
• Winter Storm in Georgia, January 22 to 23, 20164 eventsAn area of low pressure spread precipitation into northeast Georgia by the early morning hours of the 22nd. Light snow, mixed with rain and sleet fell across the mountains and foothills during the pre-dawn hours, and continued through the morning.
• Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 22 to 23, 20162 eventsA major storm spread snow north, reaching far western Virginia before dawn on Friday the 22nd. The initial warm air advection snow was heavy at times, but it lifted out of Buchanan and Dickenson Counties by mid morning.
• Heavy Snow in West Virginia, January 22 to 23, 20165 eventsA significant winter storm pushed from southwest to northeast, spreading periods of moderate to heavy snowfall across portions of southeast West Virginia January 22nd through the 23rd.
• Winter Storm in Virginia, January 22 to 23, 201619 eventsStrong Low Pressure moving from the Southeast United States northeast and off the Mid Atlantic Coast produced between five and thirteen inches of snow and strong winds across the Virginia Northern Neck and south central Virginia.
• Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 22 to 23, 20165 eventsLight snow developed across the northwest Piedmont of North Carolina around daybreak in association with an area of low pressure. The snow increased in intensity through the morning, becoming moderate to heavy at times.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Indiana, January 22, 20165 eventsSouthwest Indiana was on the northern fringe of the wintry precipitation associated with a low pressure system over the Tennessee Valley. Snowfall amounts were heaviest along the Ohio River from Evansville eastward across Warrick and Spencer Counties.
• Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 22 to 23, 20165 eventsLight snow developed around daybreak across the southwest Piedmont of North Carolina in association with an area of low pressure. The snow became moderate to heavy throughout the morning, and eventually mixed with and changed to sleet.
• Winter Storm in South Carolina, January 22 to 23, 20162 eventsLight snow developed around daybreak across far northern South Carolina in association with an area of low pressure. The snow became moderate to heavy throughout the morning, and eventually mixed with and changed to sleet.
• Heavy Snow in West Virginia, January 22 to 23, 20161 death · $425,000 · 34 eventsA major storm spread snow north during Friday morning the 22nd, reaching the Route 50 corridor around noon. The initial warm air advection snow was heavy at times, with snow rates of 2 inches per hour.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 22 to 23, 20169 eventsStrong Low Pressure moving from the Southeast United States northeast and off the Mid Atlantic Coast produced between one and three inches of snow, a trace of ice, and strong winds across Coastal Northeast North Carolina.
• Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 22 to 23, 20161 eventStrong Low Pressure moving from the Southeast United States northeast and off the Mid Atlantic Coast produced between three and eight inches of snow and strong winds across Interior Northeast North Carolina.
• Heavy Snow in Kentucky, January 22 to 23, 2016$50,000 · 4 eventsA major storm spread snow north during Friday morning the 22nd, into northeastern Kentucky. The initial warm air advection snow was heavy at times, with snow rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Lighter snow continued to fall through the night.
• Winter Storm in Virginia, January 22 to 23, 201614 eventsStrong Low Pressure moving from the Southeast United States northeast and off the Mid Atlantic Coast produced between eight and nineteen inches of snow and strong winds across central Virginia.
• Winter Storm in Virginia, January 22 to 24, 201610 eventsStrong Low Pressure moving from the Southeast United States northeast and off the Mid Atlantic Coast produced between two and seven inches of snow and strong winds across the Virginia Eastern Shore, Middle Peninsula, and Interior Southeast Virginia.
• Heavy Snow in Indiana, January 22 to 23, 20165 eventsA low pressure system lifted snow into southern Indiana on January 22. While most of the heaviest snow remained south in Kentucky, a few snow bands pivoted along the Ohio River, bringing as much as 5 inches of snow to portions of southern Indiana.
• Winter Weather in South Carolina, January 22, 20164 eventsArctic high pressure centered over New England brought a wedge of sub freezing air across portions of the Carolinas. Low pressure centered over Georgia brought freezing rain to the region.
• Winter Storm in South Carolina, January 22, 20162 eventsThe main band of heavier precipitation spread across the region Friday morning and early to mid afternoon.
• Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, January 22 to 23, 20164 deaths · 22 eventsA Nor'easter produced record-breaking snowfall across portions of southern Pennsylvania, with a large swath of 20+ inches of snow and localized areas of 30+ inches of accumulation.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Virginia, January 22 to 24, 201628 eventsCoastal low pressure rapidly intensified as it tracked up the Mid-Atlantic coast. At the same time, high pressure to the north was funneling cold air into the region.
• Winter Storm in West Virginia, January 22 to 24, 201611 eventsCoastal low pressure rapidly intensified as it tracked up the Mid-Atlantic coast. At the same time, high pressure to the north was funneling cold air into the region.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Ohio, January 22 to 23, 20169 eventsA major storm spread snow north during Friday morning the 22nd. The snow reached Lawrence County around 1000E and then north of the Route 50 corridor by early afternoon. Southeast Ohio was on the western fringe of the heavier snow. The snow continued to fall through the night.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, January 22 to 24, 20168 eventsStrong Low Pressure moving from the Southeast United States northeast and off the Mid Atlantic Coast produced between one and three inches of snow, a trace of ice, and strong winds across southeast Virginia and Hampton Roads.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 22 to 23, 201610 eventsLow pressure, strengthened by a deepening upper trough, lifted northward from the lower Mississippi through the Tennessee Valley with cyclogenesis occurring along the Carolinas.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Ohio, January 22 to 23, 20163 eventsLow pressure, strengthened by a deepening upper trough, lifted northward from the lower Mississippi through the Tennessee Valley with cyclogenesis occurring along the Carolinas.
• Heavy Snow in Maryland, January 22 to 23, 20161 eventLow pressure, strengthened by a deepening upper trough, lifted northward from the lower Mississippi through the Tennessee Valley with cyclogenesis occurring along the Carolinas.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 22, 20163 eventsAn area of low pressure developed in northeast Texas on January 21st and moved into central Alabama by January 22nd, producing accumulating snow across northern Alabama.
• Heavy Snow in Pennsylvania, January 22 to 23, 20168 eventsLow pressure, strengthened by a deepening upper trough, lifted northward from the lower Mississippi through the Tennessee Valley with cyclogenesis occurring along the Carolinas.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Alabama, January 22 to 23, 20168 eventsAn area of low pressure developed in northeast Texas on January 21st and moved into central Alabama by January 22nd, producing accumulating snow across northern Alabama.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Maryland, January 22 to 24, 201620 eventsCoastal low pressure rapidly intensified as it tracked up the Mid-Atlantic coast. At the same time, high pressure to the north was funneling cold air into the region.
• Winter Storm in Maryland, January 22 to 24, 20165 eventsAn impulse from the west coast traversed the midsection of the country, then developed into a low pressure system as it tracked across the Gulf states before intensifying along the Carolina coast into a major nor'easter, producing record snowfall in parts of Maryland on January…
• Winter Storm in Maryland, January 22 to 23, 20164 eventsStrong Low Pressure moving from the Southeast United States northeast and off the Mid Atlantic Coast produced between three and thirteen inches of snow and strong winds across the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore.
• Winter Storm in Delaware, January 22 to 24, 20164 eventsAn impulse from the west coast traversed the midsection of the country, then developed into a low pressure system as it tracked across the Gulf states before intensifying along the Carolina coast into a major nor'easter, producing record or near record snowfall through a good…
• Winter Weather in Maryland, January 22 to 23, 20161 eventStrong Low Pressure moving from the Southeast United States northeast and off the Mid Atlantic Coast produced between one and three inches of snow and strong winds across the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore.
• Blizzard in Pennsylvania, January 22 to 24, 20168 deaths · 4 eventsAn impulse from the west coast traversed the midsection of the country, then developed into a low pressure system as it tracked across the Gulf states before intensifying along the Carolina coast into a major nor'easter, producing record snowfall in eastern Pennsylvania from…
• Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, January 22 to 24, 20165 deaths · 9 eventsAn impulse from the west coast traversed the midsection of the country, then developed into a low pressure system as it tracked across the Gulf states before intensifying along the Carolina coast into a major nor'easter, producing record snowfall in eastern Pennsylvania from…
• Winter Storm in New Jersey, January 22 to 24, 201615 eventsAn impulse from the west coast traversed the midsection of the country, then developed into a low pressure system as it tracked across the Gulf states before intensifying along the Carolina coast into a major nor'easter, producing record snowfall in parts of New Jersey on…
• Blizzard in New Jersey, January 22 to 24, 20167 eventsAn impulse from the west coast traversed the midsection of the country, then developed into a low pressure system as it tracked across the Gulf states before intensifying along the Carolina coast into a major nor'easter, producing record snowfall in parts of New Jersey on…
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in New York, January 22 to 24, 20166 deaths · 2 injured · 30 eventsLow pressure moving across the deep South on Thursday January 21st and Friday January 22nd intensifed and moved off the Mid Atlantic coast on Saturday January 23rd, bringing heavy snow and strong winds to southeast New York, and blizzard conditions to Long Island, New York City,…
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in New Jersey, January 22 to 23, 201611 deaths · 14 eventsLow pressure moving across the deep South on Thursday January 21st and Friday January 22nd intensifed and moved off the Mid Atlantic coast on Saturday January 23rd, bringing heavy snow and strong winds to northeast New Jersey, and blizzard conditions to the urban corridor and…
• Heavy Snow in Pennsylvania, January 23, 20163 eventsThe great Blizzard of 2016 which dumped record-breaking snows across southern Pennsylvania just clipped Luzerne, Pike and Lackawanna counties. The snow began during the early morning hours of the 23rd and lasted until the evening of the 23rd.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Connecticut, January 23 to 24, 20169 eventsLow pressure moving across the deep South on Thursday January 21st and Friday January 22nd intensifed and moved off the Mid Atlantic coast on Saturday January 23rd, bringing heavy snow and strong winds to all of southern Connecticut, and blizzard conditions to some coastal…
• Winter Weather in Florida, January 23, 20164 eventsSnow flurries were observed across much of northeast Florida as a surface low deepened offshore of the mid-Atlantic coast with a cold northerly flow and wrap-around low level moisture in place over the local area.
• Blizzard and Coastal Flood in Massachusetts, January 23 to 24, 2016$153,000 · 24 eventsLow pressure intensified as it moved off the coast of North Carolina and tracked northeastward, passing south of southern New England. This brought accumulating snow to areas south of Interstate 90 in Massachusetts, including Connecticut and Rhode Island.
• Heavy Snow in Rhode Island, January 23 to 24, 2016$40,000 · 8 eventsLow pressure intensified as it moved off the coast of North Carolina and tracked northeastward, passing south of southern New England. This brought accumulating snow to areas south of Interstate 90 in Massachusetts, including Connecticut and Rhode Island.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Connecticut, January 23 to 24, 20163 eventsLow pressure intensified as it moved off the coast of North Carolina and tracked northeastward, passing south of southern New England. This brought accumulating snow to areas south of Interstate 90 in Massachusetts, including Connecticut and Rhode Island.
• Blizzard in District of Columbia, January 23, 20161 eventCoastal low pressure rapidly intensified as it tracked up the Mid-Atlantic coast. At the same time, high pressure to the north was funneling cold air into the region.
• Winter Weather in South Dakota, January 25, 20163 eventsSnow accumulated 2 to 5 inches over a small area in southeast South Dakota during the morning of January 25th. North to northwest winds gusting to near 30 mph near the end of the snowfall caused minor drifting.
• Winter Storm in Alaska, January 24 to 26, 20162 eventsWarm moist air moving from the south aloft, moved over cold air at the surface oer the northern panhandle and the Misty Fjords areas. This caused 24 hours of heavy snow for both areas on 1/25 and the morning of 1/26.
• Winter Weather in Michigan, January 25 to 26, 20168 eventsModerate snow and lake enhanced snow occurred over portions of west and central Upper Michigan from the evening of the 25th into the afternoon of the 26th.
• Heavy Snow in New Mexico, January 25 to 26, 20167 eventsA large scale upper level storm system digging into the southern Rockies combined with deep, easterly, upslope flow over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico to produce very heavy snowfall.
• Winter Weather in Wisconsin, January 25 to 26, 20169 eventsA wave of low pressure brought sleet and snow of several inches along and north of a line from Mineral Point to Madison to just north of Sheboygan. Vehicle slide-offs and accidents were prevalent.
• Blizzard in Alaska, January 25, 20161 eventUnder a fairly strong northeast wind pattern over western Alaska, a weather front moved from the southwest interior across the coastal area to the Bering Strait on the 25th, likely creating blizzard conditions at Brevig Mission, Gambell and Tin City.

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