The snowstorm of January 27 to 28, 2004
A snowstorm NOAA ranked in 6 regions on its Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Upper Midwest.
What the offices filed during it
Winter weather episodes east of the Rockies from the day before the storm began to the day after it ended, colored by kind.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The storm by region
Each region’s thresholds are its own, so the same depth of snow counts for more in the South than in the Northeast.
| Region | Index | Category | Area with snow (sq mi) | People under snow | Above the top threshold (sq mi) | People above it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Midwest | 2.48 | Category 1, Notable | 253,348 | 23,884,328 | 0 | 0 |
| Northeast | 1.41 | Category 1, Notable | 151,107 | 60,104,267 | 0 | 0 |
| Southeast | 0.94 | Below category 1 | 112,292 | 21,593,947 | 0 | 0 |
| Ohio Valley | 0.81 | Below category 1 | 306,415 | 48,266,307 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Rockies and Plains | 0.41 | Below category 1 | 105,613 | 2,563,812 | 0 | 0 |
| South | 0.05 | Below category 1 | 183,339 | 8,027,489 | 0 | 0 |
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.
The toll the offices filed
- Events
- 710
- Deaths
- 5
- Injuries
- 7
- Damage
- $39 million
- Episodes
- 98
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.
Episode by episode
- Heavy Snow in Kansas, January 25 to 26, 2004Snow started falling during the evening in the Hays, Ness City and Wakeeney areas early on. The snow spread quickly across the remainder of the area during the night. Wind speeds reached 20 to 30 mph dropping visibilities to under 1/4 of a mile at times.
- Ice Storm in Kansas, January 25, 2004Icy conditions on Interstate 70 near the Paxico exit caused a pickup to slide into a stopped vehicle. The pickup flipped over and seriously injured the 48 year old female driver.
- Heavy Snow in Maryland, January 25 to 26, 2004Heavy snow fell from the evening of the 25th through Monday morning the 26th across the Eastern Shore. Accumulations averaged between 4 and 6 inches.
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in New Jersey, January 25 to 26, 2004Snow fell from the second half of the evening of the 25th through Monday morning the 26th across the southern half of New Jersey. Accumulations averaged between 2 and 6 inches with the highest accumulations in the southern tier counties.
- Winter Storm in Maryland, January 25 to 26, 2004Two to four inches of snow and sleet fell across portions of the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore. Some higher amounts included: Princess Anne in Somerset county 4.3", Salisbury in Wicomico county 3.8", Snow Hill in Worcester county 3.8", and Hurlock in Dorchester county 3".
- Heavy Snow in Delaware, January 25 to 26, 2004Heavy snow fell from the second half of the evening on the 25th through Monday morning the 26th across Delaware. Accumulations averaged between 4 and 6 inches.
- Heavy Snow in Ohio, January 25 to 26, 2004Snow began the afternoon of the 25th and ended before midnight. Caldwell and New Philadelphia reported 6 inches.
- Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 25 to 26, 2004Snow fell from the late evening of the 25th through the Monday morning rush on the 26th across southeastern Pennsylvania. Accumulations averaged between 2 and 4 inches. Hundreds of traffic accidents occurred; most of them were fender benders and vehicles sliding into poles.
- Winter Weather in Oklahoma, January 25 to 26, 2004A strong cold front moved across the area causing precipitation that initially fell as rain or drizzle to freeze on roads and other surfaces. One to three inches of snow also fell across the area.
- Heavy Snow in West Virginia, January 26, 2004Snow began the afternoon of the 25th and ended by noon 26th. Total accumulations were 6 inches in Tyrone; 7 Parsons; 8 Kingwood; and 12 Terra Alta. In Tucker County, sleet and freezing rain occurred after 2 AM on 26th.
- Winter Storm in Indiana, January 26, 2004Snow accumulated 2 to 5 inches across the area with with east to northeast winds of 20 to 30 mph causing extensive blowing and drifting snow. Snow drifts were as high as 4 feet across some county roads.
- Winter Storm in Wisconsin, January 26 to 27, 2004Low pressure that formed over the Southern Great Plains moved across central Wisconsin early on the 26th. This storm dropped moderate snow across much of west central Wisconsin on the 26th.
- Winter Storm in Ohio, January 26, 2004Snow accumulated 4 to 6 inches across Allen, Putnam, Van Wert, and Paulding counties with east to northeast winds of 20 to 30 mph causing extensive blowing and drifting snow. Snow drifts were as high as 4 feet across some county roads.
- Heavy Snow in Pennsylvania, January 26, 2004Snow began the afternoon of the 25th and ended by noon on 26th. Total accumulations were 6 inches in Allegheny and Armstrong counties; 7 in Jefferson; and 8 in Westmoreland.
- Heavy Snow in Alaska, January 26, 2004A storm southwest of the Gulf of Alaska pushed moist air over the arctic front in the Homer area. This produced 12 inches of snow for the peak of the snow event over Seldovia by noon Monday. In Homer, snowfall accumulated to 8 inches before tapering off in the afternoon.
- Heavy Snow in Maryland, January 26, 2004Snow began the afternoon of the 25th. Oakland reported 6 inches of snow before 7 AM on 26th.
- Winter Storm in Minnesota, January 26 to 27, 2004Snow accumulations of 6 to 8 inches were common across southeast Minnesota as a winter storm hit the area.
- Winter Storm in Iowa, January 26 to 27, 2004A winter storm produced heavy snow across parts of northeast Iowa. Specific reports included 6.3 inches at Edgewood (Clayton County). Accumulations of 6 to 7 inches were common near the Minnesota-Iowa border from near Osage (Mitchell County) toward Lime Springs (Howard County).
- Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 26, 2004A winter storm occurred on January 25th and 26th when snow and sleet fell across central North Carolina. The precipitation fell as snow and sleet over much of the area on the 25th, then became freezing rain over the southeastern sections on the 26th.
- Cold in Minnesota, January 26 to 31, 2004Arctic high pressure built into the northern plains in the wake of the January 24th-26th snowstorm, which dropped heavy snow over all of northwest Minnesota.
- Cold in North Dakota, January 26 to 31, 2004Arctic high pressure built into the northern plains in the wake of the January 24th-26th snowstorm, which dropped heavy snow over all of eastern North Dakota.
- Cold in New York, January 26, 2004A woman froze to death outside her home. She was 101 years old, and officials report her as not dressed for the cold. Early morning minimum temperatures on the 26th were between 12 and 24 degrees below zero in St Lawrence county.
- Winter Storm in Wisconsin, January 26 to 27, 2004Parts of southwest Wisconsin were hit by a winter storm that produced snow accumulations of 6 to 7 inches.
- Ice Storm in Georgia, January 26 to 27, 2004An ice storm developed over the CSRA late Sunday night and Monday and produced 1/4-3/4 inch of ice. The heaviest ice accumulations occurred in Lincoln, Columbia, and McDuffie counties. Many trees and powerlines were down causing scattered power outages.
- Heavy Snow in Iowa, January 26, 2004A long lived snow event took place in Iowa during the day on the 25th into the day on the 26th. The seasons first significant push of Arctic air was underway as a strong cold front sagged south across the area on the 24th.
- Ice Storm in Kansas, January 26, 2004Three vehicles collided on an icy U.S Highway 40 6 miles west of Lawrence injuring two women. One was 24 years old and the other was 25 years old. The injuries were minor.
- Ice Storm in South Carolina, January 26 to 27, 2004Another episode of frozen precipitation occurred on the heels of the storm of January 25th, bringing more freezing rain and sleet to areas that already had over a quarter inch of ice still in the trees.
- Ice Storm in North Carolina, January 26 to 27, 2004Another round of frozen precipitation moved into the area on the heels of the storm of Jan 25th, bringing more freezing rain and sleet to areas that already had over a quarter inch of ice still in the trees.
- Ice Storm in South Carolina, January 26 to 27, 2004A strong wedge was in place over the Carolinas and Georgia. An area of low pressure developed off the coast and tracked to the northeast on the 26th and into the early morning hours of the 27th, producing freezing rain and freezing drizzle.
- Heavy Snow in Oregon, January 26, 2004Heavy snows were received by the ski lodges. Timberline received 13 inches, Mt Hood Meadows 9 inches, and Hoodoo 3 inches.
- Ice Storm in Georgia, January 26, 2004A strong wedge was in place over the Carolinas and Georgia. An area of low pressure developed off the coast and tracked to the northeast on the 26th and into the early morning hours of the 27th, producing freezing rain and freezing drizzle.
- Winter Storm in Wisconsin, January 26 to 27, 2004Low pressure that moved from the Ohio Valley into southeast Michigan brought 5 to 10 inches of snow to east-central Wisconsin. Northeast winds off Lake Michigan enhanced the snowfall near the lake and caused blowing and drifting snow.
- Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, January 26 to 27, 2004A long-duration, heavy snow event affected three counties in southeast Wisconsin. Most of the snow occurred in two separate periods, with the first period consisting of "system snow" and the second period consisting of "lake-effect" snow.
- Winter Weather in Virginia, January 26 to 27, 2004An area of low pressure moved across the area on the 26th and 27th. This low produced a second round of freezing rain and snow across the region. Due to the inclement weather Federal agencies in the Washington DC Metropolitan area closed three hours early on the 27th.
- Winter Weather in Maryland, January 26 to 27, 2004An area of low pressure moved across the region on the 26th and 27th. This system produced a second round of freezing rain and snow. One to two additional inches of snow fell across the Baltimore Metropolitan area as well as one tenth inch of ice.
- Winter Storm in Maryland, January 26 to 27, 2004An area of low pressure moved across the region on the 26th and 27th. This storm produced a second round of freezing rain and snow. Five additional inches of snow fell across Allegany County in Western Maryland.
- Winter Weather in District of Columbia, January 26 to 27, 2004A weak area of low pressure moved across the region on the 26th and 27th. This brought a second round of freezing rain and snow to the area. One tenth inch of ice accumulated in portions of the District.
- Winter Storm in West Virginia, January 26 to 27, 2004A weak area of low pressure moved across the region on the 26th. This low produced a second round of snow and freezing rain on the 27th. An additional five inches of snow fell in Mineral County.
- Winter Storm in Ohio, January 26 to 27, 2004An area of low pressure moved across Northwest Ohio early on January 27th and moved over the west end of Lake Erie during the middle part of the morning. Freezing rain associated with the low began during the evening of the 26th and continued into the 27th.
- Winter Storm in Michigan, January 26 to 28, 2004A strong storm system lifted from the southern Plains and moved through southeast Michigan on Tuesday January 27th. Areas of snow developed across the region Monday evening. The snow was mixed with sleet, especially form M59 south.
- Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 26 to 27, 2004A winter storm caused up to one half inch ice accumulations mainly across the coastal plains of eastern North Carolina during the night.
- Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 26 to 28, 2004An extended period of heavy snow affected almost all of Northern Lower Michigan, as a strong low pressure system over the southern plains gradually moved toward the state.
- Ice Storm in South Carolina, January 26 to 27, 2004Freezing rain redeveloped across western portions of the Upstate during the late evening of the 26th. Additional ice accretion of 1/4 inch or so occurred. This resulted in additional power outages.
- Ice Storm in Georgia, January 26 to 27, 2004Freezing rain redeveloped during the late evening of the 26th across extreme northeast Georgia, resulting in an additional 1/4 inch or so of ice across the area. This resulted in further power outages. The glaze of ice caused numerous traffic accidents on the morning of the 27th.
- Winter Weather in South Carolina, January 27, 2004A light freezing rain developed during the early morning hours of the 27th across much of the Upstate. This added another layer of glaze to the mixture of sleet and ice that was already present. Hundreds of traffic accidents occurred overnight and into the morning rush hour.
- Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 27, 2004Light freezing rain developed during the early morning hours of the 27th across the southern foothills and southwest piedmont. This added an additional layer of glaze to the mixture of sleet and ice that was already present.
- Heavy Snow in Oregon, January 26 to 27, 2004Heavy snow fell across central Oregon with nine inches in north Hampton, eight inches near La Pine and Sunriver, and five inches in Brothers.
- Ice Storm in Kansas, January 26, 2004An ice coated tree from an ice storm earlier in the day fell through a trailer house in Junction City damaging the trailer house and a computer inside.
- Cold in Nebraska, January 27, 2004Extremely cold wind chills were observed over all of eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa on the heels of the prolonged winter storm that dropped between 6 and 15 inches of snow across most of the region.
- Cold in Iowa, January 27, 2004Extremely cold wind chills were observed over all of eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa on the heels of the prolonged winter storm that dropped between 6 and 15 inches of snow across most of the region.
- Winter Weather in Illinois, January 27, 2004One to two inches of snow fell across parts of southern Illinois, mainly along and north of a line from Carbondale to Harrisburg and Shawneetown. The snow began as a period of freezing drizzle that left a thin coating of ice on most surfaces.
- Winter Weather in Indiana, January 27, 2004One to two inches of snow fell across southwest Indiana. The snow began as a brief period of freezing rain that left a thin coating of ice on most surfaces. Secondary roads were reportedly slick and hazardous. Main roads were reported to be wet with slick spots.
- Winter Weather in Kentucky, January 27, 2004On the heels of a significant ice storm on the 25th, about an inch of snow fell early on the 27th. A woman was seriously injured in a two-vehicle accident on the Pennyrile Parkway near Kentucky 425, the Henderson by-pass.
- Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, January 27, 2004An area of low pressure moved across Ohio and Lake Erie on the morning of January 27th. Freezing rain associated with this low began in northwest Pennsylvania by the early morning hours of the 27th and continued through the middle part of the day.
- Blizzard in Alaska, January 27 to 29, 2004A tight northeasterly pressure gradient caused strong winds to blow over the White Pass region on the Klondike Highway. Alaska Department of Transportation Officials estimated north-northeast 25-35 mph winds gusting to 50 mph at times.
- Heavy Snow in Oregon, January 27, 2004Six inches of snow fell 18 miles southwest of Paulina.
- Winter Storm in Michigan, January 27 to 28, 2004A low pressure system developed over the gulf coast states and moved northeast to southern Lake Huron, bringing a combination of moderate to heavy snow and strong gusty winds that caused blowing and drifting of snow across the area.
- Heavy Snow in Oregon, January 27 to 29, 2004A series of Pacific storms moved onshore bringing heavy snows to higher elevations. In 48 hours Timberline Lodge received 16 inches, Mt Hood Meadows 13 inches, Government Camp 5 inches, Santiam Pass, White River and Bennett Pass each 3 inches.
- Heavy Snow in West Virginia, January 27 to 28, 2004Snow began the afternoon of the 27th. Total accumulations by midnight were 6 inches in Hancock County, 6 in Tucker, and 9 in Preston.
- Heavy Snow in Maryland, January 27, 2004Snow began the afternoon of the 27th. Oakland reported 8 inches by 3 PM; Friendsville 8 inches by 9 PM.
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 27 to 28, 2004The combination of a high pressure system over nearby Canada and a pair of low pressure systems - one that moved into the Great Lakes before dissipating and another that formed over the Virginia coastal waters gave Eastern Pennsylvania a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet and…
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in New Jersey, January 27 to 28, 2004The combination of a high pressure system over nearby Canada and a pair of low pressure systems - one that moved into the Great Lakes before dissipating and another that formed over the Virginia coastal waters gave New Jersey a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow.
- Heavy Snow in Pennsylvania, January 27 to 28, 2004Snow began the afternoon of the 27th. Some places in northern Pennsylvania reached 6" by evening; Indiana County reached 6" by midnight on 28th.
- Winter Weather in Maryland, January 27, 2004The combination of a high pressure system over nearby Canada and a pair of low pressure systems - one that moved into the Great Lakes before dissipating and another that formed over the Virginia coastal waters gave the Maryland Eastern Shore a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet…
- Heavy Snow in Pennsylvania, January 27 to 28, 2004A low pressure system approached Pennsylvania from the west during the afternoon and evening hours of Tuesday, January 27th.
- Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 27 to 28, 2004Light snow developed across the Tennessee border counties during the evening of the 27th, and continued into the early morning hours of the 28th. Accumulations of 1 to 3 inches occurred, mainly right along the state line.
- Winter Weather in Delaware, January 27 to 28, 2004The combination of a high pressure system over nearby Canada and a pair of low pressure systems - one that moved into the Great Lakes before dissipating and another that formed over the Virginia coastal waters gave Delaware a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow.
- Cold in North Dakota, January 27 to 28, 2004An approaching arctic high pressure system over southern Canada and exiting low pressure system over the northern plains broughtextremely cold temperatures and bitter wind chills to western and central North Dakota.
- Winter Storm in Massachusetts, January 27 to 28, 2004A winter storm tracking south of New England brought heavy snow to southern New England, from western Massachusetts into much of Connecticut and southern Rhode Island. In Massachusetts, heavy snow fell across the higher elevations of western and north central Massachusetts.
- Winter Storm in Connecticut, January 27 to 28, 2004A winter storm tracking south of New England brought heavy snow to southern New England, from western Massachusetts into much of Connecticut and southern Rhode Island.
- Winter Storm in Rhode Island, January 27 to 28, 2004A winter storm tracking south of New England brought heavy snow to southern New England, from western Massachusetts into much of Connecticut and southern Rhode Island.
- Heavy Snow in Indiana, January 27 to 28, 2004A combination of snow from an area of low pressure moving across Ohio and lake enhancement from northwest flow behind this storm caused heavy snow across the area with general accumulations of 8 to 10 inches and over 12 inches in some locations.
- Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 27 to 28, 2004A combination of snow from an area of low pressure moving across Ohio and lake enhancement from northwest flow behind this storm caused heavy snow across the area with general accumulations of 8 to 10 inches and over 12 inches in some locations.
- Heavy Snow in New York, January 27 to 28, 2004A low pressure system moved northeast into the Ohio Valley early on the 27th. Another low pressure system developed on the east coast later that day then moved northeast to the New England coast. Snow ahead of the initial low became heavy the afternoon of the 27th.
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in New Jersey, January 27 to 28, 2004A cold high pressure ridge extended southeast from James Bay across New England. As the primary low moved northeast toward the Eastern Great Lakes, a secondary low developed off the Mid Atlantic Coast during Tuesday morning, January 27th.
- Heavy Snow in Ohio, January 27 to 28, 2004Snow began the afternoon of the 27th. By 11 PM, Hopedale reported 6 inches of snow.
- Heavy Snow in Pennsylvania, January 28, 2004A low pressure system moved northeast into the Ohio Valley early on the 27th. Another low pressure system developed on the east coast later that day then moved northeast to the New England coast. Snow ahead of the initial low became heavy the afternoon of the 27th.
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in New York, January 28, 2004A cold high pressure ridge extended southeast from James Bay across New England. As the primary low moved northeast toward the Eastern Great Lakes, a secondary low developed off the Mid Atlantic Coast during Tuesday morning, January 27th.
- Winter Storm in New York, January 28, 2004A complex low pressure area moved into the Ohio Valley on January 27. Energy from this storm transferred across the Appalachians to form a secondary storm, off the mid Atlantic coast by midnight. This second storm moved northeast, south of Long Island.
- Winter Storm in Vermont, January 28, 2004A complex low pressure area moved into the Ohio Valley on January 27. Energy from this storm transferred across the Appalachians to form a secondary storm, off the mid Atlantic coast by midnight. This second storm moved northeast, south of Long Island.
- Winter Storm in Massachusetts, January 28, 2004A complex low pressure area moved into the Ohio Valley on January 27. Energy from this storm transferred across the Appalachians to form a secondary storm, off the mid Atlantic coast by midnight. This second storm moved northeast, south of Long Island.
- Winter Storm in Connecticut, January 28, 2004A complex low pressure area moved into the Ohio Valley on January 27. Energy from this storm transferred across the Appalachians to form a secondary storm, off the mid Atlantic coast by midnight. This second storm moved northeast, south of Long Island.
- Cold in Illinois, January 28 to 29, 2004A period of abnormally cold weather settled across the Midwest in late January. In Hampton, Illinois, an 82 year old man slipped and fell between his house and garage and was not found until the 29th of January. The coroner report indicated death was a result of hypothermia.
- Cold in Nebraska, January 28, 2004The second night in a row of extremely cold wind chill values were observed across eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa as a another surge of Arctic air spilled south across the region.
- Cold in Iowa, January 28, 2004The second night in a row of extremely cold wind chill values were observed across eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa as a another surge of Arctic air spilled south across the region.
- Heavy Snow in Connecticut, January 28, 2004A cold high pressure ridge extended southeast from James Bay across New England. As the primary low moved northeast toward the Eastern Great Lakes, a secondary low developed off the Mid Atlantic Coast during Tuesday morning, January 27th.
- Winter Storm in Idaho, January 28, 2004Localized heavy snow fell in the Upper Snake Highlands. Strong winds accompanied the snow with extensive drifting. Reports were 9 inches in victor, 10 inches in Swan Valley, 3 inches in Palisades, 3 inches in Island Park, 4 inches in Tetonia
- Heavy Snow in New York, January 28 to 31, 2004A strong trough crossed the lower Great Lakes region. The well-aligned northwest flow kicked off an intense band of lake effect snow over Oswego county. The band remained nearly stationary for 36 to 42 hours.
- Winter Storm in Michigan, January 28 to 31, 2004As a storm system moved northeast into Canada from the central plains, cold air poured across Lake Superior in the wake of the low pressure system. Heavy snow showers fell over the favored snow belts downwind of Lake Superior from the 27th into the 31st.
- Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 28, 2004Heavy lake effect snow showers developed during the morning of the 28th. In the snowbelts of Northwest Lower Michigan, around 6 inches of snow fell in the Elmira area before things tapered off in the evening.
- Winter Weather in Oregon, January 28 to 29, 2004Around 11 inches of snow, combined with sleet and freezing rain, fell above 4000 feet in the Blue Mountains. The weight of the snow and ice knocked trees down on highway 204, prompting the Oregon Department of Transportation to close the road at 5:30 am on January 29th.
- Heavy Snow in Alaska, January 29, 2004A 990mb low tracked from the southern Gulf into the Queen Charlotte Islands during this time. The airmass was cold enough for a widespread heavy snowfall event to develop across the Southern Panhandle.
- Heavy Snow in New York, January 29 to 31, 2004A major winter storm was centered off the New England coast on the 28th. This storm set up a strong west wind of Arctic air across Lake Ontario into Oneida County. A band of heavy lake effect snow started around 5 PM on the 28th. Snowfall rates were 1 to 3 inches an hour.
- Winter Weather in Kentucky, January 29, 2004One to two inches of snow fell across northwest Kentucky, from Henderson and Owensboro south across Webster and Muhlenberg Counties. Although road conditions were reported to be hazardous, only a few minor accidents occurred.
- Winter Weather in Illinois, January 29, 2004One to two inches of snow fell across most of southern Illinois, except for the southern tip from Metropolis to Cairo and Anna. A thin layer of ice formed on some surfaces just prior to the snowfall. Roads were reportedly very slick and hazardous.
- Winter Weather in Indiana, January 29, 2004One to two inches of snow fell across southwest Indiana. No major travel problems were reported.
- Winter Storm in Kansas, January 29 to 31, 2004Another winter storm moved across the area producing another round of sleet and freezing rain before changing over to snow. Once again roads became slick and hazardous resulting in numerous accidents.
- Heavy Snow in Oregon, January 29 to 30, 2004A Pacific cold front dumped heavy snows in the Cascade Mountains. Timberline Lodge reported 19 inches of new snow, Mt Hood Meadows 13 inches, Bennett Pass and Willamette Pass 12 inches, and Santiam Pass and Blue Box Pass 15 inches.
More
The snowstorm of December 17 to 19, 2003The snowstorm of February 26 to 28, 2004Snow nowEvery winter storm filed
Sources
NOAA NCEI Regional Snowfall Index, and the Storm Events Database for the episodes.