The snowstorm of January 27 to 31, 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

1,103

Deaths

12

Injuries

19

Damage

$21 million

Episodes

90

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 Storm and Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 25 to 26, 20102 eventsThe combination of cold air and moisture from the Great Lakes triggered snow showers for locations along and west of the Allegheny front. The heaviest snow fell on the morning and afternoon hours of the 26th.
• Cold in Kentucky, January 26, 20101 death · 1 eventAn elderly man became locked out of his family's home overnight and froze to death. Low temperatures reached the middle 20s with around one half inch of snow.
• Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 26 to 28, 2010$70,000 · 5 eventsAlthough this lake effect event produced marginal snowfall amounts, the snows were accompanied by winds gusting to 35 mph. The blowing snow resulted in significantly reduced visibilities that affected the morning and afternoon commute periods.
• Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Michigan, January 26 to 29, 20105 eventsReinforcing shots of Arctic air moving across Lake Superior in a northwest flow continued to dump moderate to heavy snow across portions of west and north central Upper Michigan from the evening of the 26th into the morning of the 29th.
• Cold in Illinois, January 26 to 28, 20102 deaths · 1 eventLow temperatures were in the single digits on January 27th and 28th. An 86 year old woman died on Newland Avenue in Chicago on January 27th due to cold exposure. A 60 year old male died on Austin Road in Chicago on January 28th from hypothermia due to cold exposure.
• Winter Weather in New Mexico, January 27, 20101 death · 1 eventA brief warm up after several rounds of snowfall across the Chuska Mountains led to melting snow and muddy roads. A woman died of exposure after her vehicle got stuck in the mud and she tried to continue on foot.
• Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 27 to 28, 2010$10,000 · 2 eventsA strong, cold upper atmospheric low across central Canada produced a nearly persistent west to southwest flow of cold, unstable air across relatively mild Lake Ontario waters during the afternoon of January 27th and continuing through midday on January 28th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 27 to 28, 20103 eventsVery cold westerly winds produced isolated heavy accumulations of lake effect snow. East Jordan, Boyne Falls, and Vanderbilt all picked up 5 to 8 inches of snow, mainly on the day and night of the 27th.
• Extreme Cold in Alaska, January 27 to 28, 20101 eventThe combination of a 1053 mb high centered a few hundred miles north of Barrow and a 987 mb low in the western Gulf of Alaska produced northeast winds of 15 to 30 mph along the western Arctic Coast.
• Heavy Snow in New Mexico, January 28 to 29, 201028 eventsAn impressive storm system moved across northern Baja California on the 27th and crossed New Mexico on the 28th. Plenty of moisture was drawn north into the state, while a strong back door cold front brought chilly air to the eastern plains.
• Heavy Snow in New Mexico, January 28 to 29, 20102 eventsA cutoff low moved out of Arizona and across New Mexico with plenty of moisture in place from previous storm systems. Snow levels started out around 8000 feet and quickly fell behind strong cold front to below 5000 feet. Snowfall of up to 11 inches was reported in Cloudcroft.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 28, 20107 eventsAccumulating snow showers that coincided with the morning commute on the 28th led to numerous accidents from the Philadelphia northern suburbs through the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos. The snow spread across the area just before the start of the morning commute between 4 a.m.
• Cold in Wisconsin, January 28 to 29, 20107 eventsCold temperatures and winds combined to create bitterly cold wind chills across parts of southwest and central Wisconsin on January 28th.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Oklahoma, January 28 to 30, 2010$15 million · 66 eventsA major winter storm impacted much of Oklahoma beginning on the morning of January 28th and continued through much of the day.
• Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Texas, January 28 to 29, 20108 eventsA major winter storm impacted much of northern Texas from the morning of January 28th and continued through the day.
• Cold in Minnesota, January 28 to 29, 20104 eventsCold temperatures and wind combined to create bitterly cold wind chills across portions of southeast Minnesota on January 28th.
• Cold in Iowa, January 28 to 29, 20106 eventsCold temperatures and wind combined to create bitterly cold wind chills across portions of northeast Iowa on January 28th.
• Ice Storm and Heavy Snow in Texas, January 28 to 29, 2010$6,000 · 42 eventsA major winter storm coming east out of the southern Rockies brought mainly heavy snow along with ice and sleet to the Texas Panhandle January 28 into early January 29. There were no reports of injuries...however damage was reported from this storm.
• Heavy Snow in Oklahoma, January 28 to 29, 20107 eventsA strong winter storm brought heavy snow to the Oklahoma Panhandle. A total of seven to eleven inches of snow was reported across the Oklahoma Panhandle by the time the storm ended during the morning of January 29. No damage, injuries, or fatalities were reported.
• Winter Weather in Connecticut, January 28, 20103 eventsA 3 to 5 hour period of moderate snowfall occurred over the region Thursday morning as an Alberta clipper system moved across the area. The timing and intensity of the event during the morning rush hour caused numerous traffic accidents.
• Winter Weather in New York, January 28, 20101 eventA 3 to 5 hour period of moderate snowfall occurred over the region Thursday morning as an Alberta clipper system moved across the area. The timing and intensity of the event during the morning rush hour caused numerous traffic accidents.
• Winter Weather in New Jersey, January 28, 20101 eventA 3 to 5 hour period of moderate snowfall occurred over the region Thursday morning as an Alberta clipper system moved across the area. The timing and intensity of the event during the morning rush hour caused numerous traffic accidents.
• Winter Storm in Kansas, January 28 to 29, 201017 eventsA strong upper level low pressure system moved from northern Old Mexico into New Mexico Wednesday night, January 27th, 2010. This winter system then plowed east-northeast through Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma Thursday and early Friday, January 28th and 29th.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Texas, January 28, 20101 death · 1 injured · $3.9 million · 19 eventsA deadly winter storm produced widespread snow and ice accumulations and resulted in significant damage across the west Texas South Plains during the daytime hours of the 28th. Wintry precipitation began to overspread the region in the hours after sunrise.
• Winter Storm in Oklahoma, January 28 to 29, 201022 eventsA strong upper level low pressure system moved from Baja California into the Southern Rockies on the 28th and into the Southern Plains on the 29th. Rain changed to freezing rain and sleet during the morning and early afternoon of the 28th.
• Heavy Snow in Kansas, January 28 to 29, 20101 eventA winter storm moved across southern and central Kansas producing light to moderate snow over Greeley and Wichita counties. Six inches of snow was reported in Leoti by local law enforcement, while four inches was reported in Tribune.
• Winter Storm in Arkansas, January 28 to 30, 20107 eventsA strong upper level low pressure system moved from Baja California into the Southern Rockies on the 28th and into the Southern Plains on the 29th. Rain changed to freezing rain and sleet during the morning and early afternoon of the 28th.
• Winter Storm in Colorado, January 28 to 29, 20102 eventsA winter storm system moving across New Mexico and then into west Texas produced widespread light to moderate snow amounts across southern Colorado. A prolonged period of snow produced 12 inches at the summit of Wolf Creek Pass.
• Blizzard in Alaska, January 28 to 29, 20102 eventsA 1054 mb high off the arctic coast combined with areas of low pressure in the Gulf of Alaska and eastern Bering Sea to produce a strong pressure gradient along the Beaufort Sea Coast.
• Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 28 to 29, 20101 eventLow pressure tracked from the eastern Great Lakes region to the Maritimes on the 28th. A cold westerly flow of air developed behind this system which kicked off lake effect snow over north central NY.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Kansas, January 28 to 29, 2010$17,000 · 26 eventsA winter storm affected the region from the late afternoon hours on the 28th through the late evening hours on the 29th. Precipitation type was predominately snow.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 28 to 30, 2010$305,000 · 41 eventsColder air began spilling into Arkansas from the northwest on the 28th as Arctic high pressure approached. Then, a low pressure system approached the state from the northwest. This low pressure caused moisture from the Gulf of Mexico to overrun the cold air near the ground.
• Winter Weather in New Mexico, January 28, 20101 death · 1 eventDespite a respite from winter storms for a few days, icy roads were still a factor across much of northern New Mexico due to several rounds of winter storms the previous week.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, January 28 to 29, 201020 eventsA winter storm brought heavy snow to southeast Kansas and southern Missouri on Friday, January 29, 2010. Light snow began the night of January 28th then increased in intensity on January 29th as a storm system tracked across Arkansas.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Arkansas, January 28 to 30, 20101 injured · $1,000 · 12 eventsThe Mid-South had a favorable set-up for winter weather during the time frame of January 28th-January 30th, 2010. A cold front moved through the area on January 27th allowing cold arctic air to filter into the region behind the front.
• Heavy Snow in Kansas, January 28 to 29, 20103 eventsA winter storm brought heavy snow to southeast Kansas and southern Missouri on Friday, January 29, 2010. Light snow began the evening of January 28th then increased in intensity on January 29th as a storm system tracked across Arkansas.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, January 28 to 30, 20102 eventsThe Mid-South had a favorable set-up for winter weather during the time frame of January 28th-January 30th, 2010. A cold front moved through the area on January 27th allowing cold arctic air to filter into the region behind the front.
• Heavy Snow in Missouri, January 28 to 29, 20105 eventsSnow fall of 6 - 7 inches fell across Southeast Missouri. Schools were closed on the 29th and travel was very difficult through the weekend.
• Cold in New York, January 29, 20103 eventsThe combination of brisk winds and cold temperatures, below zero, late Thursday night, January 28th, through Friday morning, January 29th, produced wind chills of around -30 F across the southern Adirondacks.
• Winter Storm in Tennessee, January 29 to 30, 20101 death · 2 injured · $25,000 · 20 eventsThe Mid-South had a favorable set-up for winter weather during the time frame of January 28th-January 30th, 2010. A cold front moved through the area on January 27th allowing cold arctic air to filter into the region behind the front.
• Heavy Snow in Tennessee, January 29 to 30, 2010$850,000 · 37 eventsA low pressure system passed to the south of Middle Tennessee, spreading precipitation across the area starting Friday morning, January 29th. Snow developed across Middle Tennessee and continued through 12 PM on Saturday, January 30th.
• Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 29 to 30, 20102 eventsA low pressure system passed to the south of Middle Tennessee, spreading precipitation across the area starting Friday morning, January 29th. Snow developed across Middle Tennessee and continued through 12 PM on Saturday, January 30th.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Alabama, January 29 to 30, 20102 deaths · 4 injured · 10 eventsOn January 29th, a cold, dry air mass was in place across northern Alabama around daybreak. At the same time, a low pressure system was developing along a quasi stationary boundary extending from southern Louisiana east through southern Georgia.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Mississippi, January 29 to 30, 201016 eventsThe Mid-South had a favorable set-up for winter weather during the time frame of January 28th-January 30th, 2010. A cold front moved through the area on January 27th allowing cold arctic air to filter into the region behind the front.
• Winter Storm in Tennessee, January 29, 20101 death · 3 eventsA mixture of sleet and snow began Friday night and continued through the day on Saturday. Between 1 and 5 inches of sleet and snow accumulation ocurred from this system in Lincoln and Moore counties, with the highest totals in the northern portion of these counties.
• Ice Storm and Heavy Snow in Georgia, January 29 to 30, 2010$12,000 · 14 eventsA split flow pattern was observed in the upper atmospheric pattern across the United States during this period. A large upper low was anchored across the northeast U.S. while another upper low was moving east from the south central U.S.
• Heavy Snow in Tennessee, January 29 to 30, 201040 eventsHeavy snow occurred across east Tennessee, with snowfall amounts ranging from four to eight inches in the lower elevations to ten to fourteen inches across the higher elevations.
• Heavy Snow in Missouri, January 29 to 30, 20103 injured · 11 eventsAn upper level storm system moved slowly east across the Mid-Mississippi Valley, producing widespread heavy snow. The surface low pressure center moved east across the Gulf Coast states.
• Heavy Snow in Kentucky, January 29 to 30, 20102 injured · 22 eventsAn upper level storm system moved slowly east across the Mid-Mississippi Valley, producing widespread heavy snow. The surface low pressure center moved east across the Gulf Coast states. Accumulations across western Kentucky were generally from 4 to 6 inches.
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 29, 20102 eventsHeavy snow occurred across Cherokee and Clay counties, with snowfall amounts ranging from four to six inches across the area.
• Heavy Snow in Illinois, January 29 to 30, 201014 eventsAn upper level storm system moved slowly east across the Mid-Mississippi Valley, producing widespread heavy snow. The surface low pressure center moved east across the Gulf Coast states.
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 29 to 30, 201011 eventsLow pressure tracked across southern Georgia during the night of the 29th, and then off the Southeast cost on the 30th. As the low passed so far south of the region, most of the precipitation fell as snow, though other precipitation types mixed in toward the end.
• Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 29 to 30, 20105 eventsHeavy snow occurred across southwest Virginia, with snowfall amounts ranging from eight to twelve inches inches across the area.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Kentucky, January 29 to 30, 2010140 eventsA powerful area of low pressure moved across the Tennessee valley and then through the mid Atlantic region on January 29th and 30th.
• Ice Storm in Tennessee, January 29, 20101 death · $725,000 · 18 eventsA low pressure system moved along the gulf coast spread a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain across much of the southern portion of Middle Tennessee, mainly locations along and south of Interstate 40.
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 29 to 31, 20109 eventsA cold front moved through the area on January 28th. Behind this front cold air was left in its wake. On the 29th, an area of low pressure moved the northern edge of the Gulf of Mexico before heading north and strengthening along the eastern coast of the U.S. on the 30th.
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 29 to 30, 201018 eventsLow pressure tracked across southern Georgia during the night of the 29th, and then off the southeast cost on the 30th. As the low passed well south of the region, most of the precipitation fell as snow, though other precipitation types mixed in toward the end.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in South Carolina, January 29 to 30, 201015 eventsPrecipitation began as light snow early in the evening across northern portions of the Upstate. By late evening, snow had mostly changed to sleet, except in areas along the North Carolina border.
• Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 29 to 31, 201027 eventsA cold front moved through the area on January 28th. Behind this front cold air was left in its wake. On the 29th, an area of low pressure moved the northern edge of the Gulf of Mexico before heading north and strengthening along the eastern coast of the U.S. on the 30th.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Georgia, January 29 to 30, 20106 eventsLow pressure tracked across southern Georgia during the night of the 29th, and then off the southeast cost on the 30th. Precipitation began as light snow early in the evening across the Georgia mountains.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 29 to 30, 20105 eventsLow pressure tracked across southern Georgia during the night of the 29th, and then off the southeast cost on the 30th. Snow became heavy at times during the late evening, resulting in quick accumulation of snow.
• Cold in New York, January 29 to 30, 20104 eventsThe combination of very cold temperatures, well below zero, and winds of 5 to 10 mph Friday night, January 29th, into Saturday morning, January 30th, produced wind chills of -30 to -35 F across the southern Adirondacks.
• Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 29 to 30, 20102 eventsWith low pressure well to the south and temperatures in the 20s, a dry snow accumulated from Friday evening the 29th, into Saturday the 30th. The heaviest snow rates were observed during the predawn hours on the 30th.
• Cold in Vermont, January 29 to 30, 20102 eventsThe combination of very cold temperatures, well below zero, and winds of 5 to 10 mph Friday night, January 29th, into Saturday morning, January 30th, produced wind chills of around -30 F across southern Vermont above 1500 feet.
• Heavy Snow in West Virginia, January 29 to 31, 20104 eventsA cold front moved through the area on January 28th. Behind this front cold air was left in its wake. On the 29th, an area of low pressure moved the northern edge of the Gulf of Mexico before heading north and strengthening along the eastern coast of the U.S. on the 30th.
• Heavy Snow in Kentucky, January 29 to 30, 201037 eventsAn upper level disturbance moved east from the southern plains through the Tennessee Valley late on a Friday night.
• Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 29 to 30, 20101 death · 1 injured · 31 eventsA strong storm system tracking northeast from the Gulf of Mexico spread heavy snow and freezing rain into Central North Carolina the evening of January 29th. The snow continued into the morning hours of January 30th.
• Heavy Snow in Indiana, January 29 to 30, 20104 eventsAn upper level storm system moved slowly east across the Mid-Mississippi Valley, producing widespread heavy snow. The surface low pressure center moved east across the Gulf Coast states.
• Heavy Snow in West Virginia, January 29 to 30, 201012 eventsWith low pressure well to the south, and temperatures in the teens and lower 20s, a dry snow gradually moved north, into extreme southern West Virginia late on Friday the 29th. The snow creeped further north during the morning hours of Saturday the 30th.
• Winter Storm in Virginia, January 29 to 31, 201043 eventsLow pressure moving off the coastal Carolinas produced between five and fifteen inches of snow across central and eastern Virginia from Friday night, January 29th, into Saturday night January 30th.
• Heavy Snow in Indiana, January 29 to 30, 20101 eventAn upper level disturbance moved from the southern Plains through the Tennessee Valley the evening of January 29th. This storm left a broad swath of heavy snow from Oklahoma, through southern Kentucky and Tennessee, to the southern Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic states.
• Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 29 to 30, 201010 eventsLow pressure moving off the coastal Carolinas produced between three and eleven inches of snow across northeast North Carolina from Friday night, January 29th, into Saturday night January 30th.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 30, 201010 eventsLow pressure developed just south of eastern North Carolina during the evening of January 29th. This low then moved northeast along the coast of North Carolina on January 30th.
• Heavy Snow in Kentucky, January 30, 20101 eventWith low pressure well to the south and temperatures in the 20s, a dry snow accumulated on Saturday the 30th. The northern fringe of the heavy snow was seen across Lawrence County, with lighter snow amounts across Carter, Greenup, and Boyd Counties in northeast Kentucky.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 30, 20102 eventsA combination of freezing rain and sleet fell over much of Robeson County.
• Winter Storm in Virginia, January 30 to 31, 201024 eventsAn upper-level low passed through the Mid-Atlantic triggering snow on the 30th. The heaviest snow fell during the late morning and afternoon hours.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 30 to 31, 20109 eventsAn upper-level low passed through the Mid-Atlantic triggering snow on the 30th. The heaviest snow fell during the late morning and afternoon hours.
• Ice Storm in South Carolina, January 30, 20103 eventsFreezing rain accumulated on grass, roads, and trees, causing numerous power outages.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in South Carolina, January 30, 2010$170,000 · 11 eventsA winter storm moved up the SC coast and produced snow, sleet, and freezing rain to Lancaster, Chesterfield, and Newberry counties. Freezing rain and some sleet fell in Fairfield, Kershaw, Lee, Saluda, Lexington, Richland, Sumter, and northern Clarendon counties.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Maryland, January 30 to 31, 201015 eventsAn upper-level low passed through the Mid-Atlantic triggering snow on the 30th. The heaviest snow fell during the late morning and afternoon hours.
• Winter Storm in Maryland, January 30 to 31, 20105 eventsLow pressure moving off the coastal Carolinas produced between six and thirteen inches of snow across the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore from Saturday morning into Saturday night January 30th.
• Heavy Snow in Delaware, January 30 to 31, 20105 injured · 4 eventsHeavy snow fell across Delaware from the morning of the 30th into the early morning of the 31st. Snowfall averaged 4 to 10 inches with the highest amounts in the southern part of the state. Snow spread from south to north from 9 a.m.
• Heavy Snow in Maryland, January 30 to 31, 20105 eventsHeavy snow fell across the Eastern Shore from the morning of the 30th into the early morning of the 31st. Snowfall averaged 4 to 10 inches with the highest amounts in the southern part of the Eastern Shore. Snow spread from south to north from 9 a.m.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in New Jersey, January 30 to 31, 201012 eventsSnow fell across southern New Jersey from the morning of the 30th into the early morning of the 31st. Heavy accumulations occurred in Salem, Cumberland, Atlantic and Cape May Counties. Snowfall averaged 4 to 10 inches with the highest amounts in Cape May County.
• Winter Storm in District of Columbia, January 30 to 31, 20101 eventAn upper-level low passed through the Mid-Atlantic triggering snow on the 30th. The heaviest snow fell during the late morning and afternoon hours.
• Winter Weather in South Carolina, January 30, 2010$10,000 · 1 eventIce accumulation caused a large branch to fall, damaging a home.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 30, 20102 eventsA light accumulating snow fell across extreme southeastern Pennsylvania from the middle of the afternoon into the middle of the evening on the 30th. The region was along the northwest edge of the accumulating snow. Untreated roadways and walkways were slippery.
• Heavy Snow in Idaho, January 31, 20103 eventsHeavy snow fell in southern and eastern Idaho through the morning of February 1st with 16 inches reported at Pebble Creek ski area and up to a foot on the west benches of Pocatello. Franklin County saw up to a foot of snow and the Upper Snake Highlands had heavy snow as well.
• Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 31, 2010$20,000 · 2 eventsA weak low passed across Ontario into Quebec well north of the Lakes, with a trailing west-east trough stalling out north of Lake Ontario.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Texas, February 1 to 3, 201011 eventsA winter storm impacted portions of west Texas on the 3rd. Widespread drizzle and light rain began to fall over much of the region during the early morning hours, but the precipitation transitioned toward heavy snowfall over the extreme southwestern Panhandle by midday.

The snowstorm of January 20 to 27, 2010The snowstorm of January 29 to 30, 2010Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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