The snowstorm of January 3 to 5, 2018

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

669

Deaths

16

Injuries

7

Damage

$1.8 million

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.

• Blizzard in Montana, January 1 to 2, 20183 eventsStrong winds developed along the Rocky Mountain Front after a fresh snowfall leading to ground blizzard conditions, especially along the Highway 2 corridor from Browning to the East Glacier area.
• Extreme Cold in Texas, January 2, 20183 deaths · 3 eventsTwo persons were discovered deceased from hypothermia due to outdoor exposure to subfreezing temperatures.
• Winter Weather in Illinois, January 2, 20182 eventsThanks to nearly calm winds and early morning temperatures well below zero, moisture was deposited on many area roads resulting in black ice. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to the slick conditions, especially along I-74 in Peoria and Champaign.
• Blizzard and Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 2 to 3, 20181 death · 7 injured · $210,000 · 4 eventsThis storm was a rare lake effect blizzard, producing a period of blizzard conditions northeast of Lakes Erie and Ontario.
• Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 2 to 3, 20181 eventA warm front tracked across northern New York during the morning of January 2nd, bringing an end to the frigid temperatures that plagued the region over the last few days.
• Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Michigan, January 2 to 4, 20188 eventsCold Arctic air streaming across Lake Superior generated moderate to heavy lake effect snow over the northwest wind snow belts downwind of Lake Superior from the afternoon of the 2nd into the morning of the 4th.
• Cold in Wisconsin, January 2 to 7, 20182 deaths · 24 eventsSubzero low temperatures, highs mainly in the single digits, and wind chills in the 20 below to 34 below zero range were common during the first week of January. Two people died in the cold.
• Winter Storm and Coastal Flood in Florida, January 3, 201810 eventsAn unseasonably deep cold airmass was in place across the southeast region. An area of low pressure deepened near the Bahamas during the day as a vigorous upper level trough swept over the region from the west.
• Winter Storm in Alaska, January 2 to 3, 20181 eventThe arctic front was close to Skagway on the afternoon of 1/2 through 1/3. Warm air from the south aloft caused heavy snow to the Klondike Highway overnight along higher elevations. The impact was road closure and snow removal.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Florida, January 3, 201815 eventsEarly in the morning of January 3rd, portions of north Florida and south Georgia had a mix of wintry precipitation.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Georgia, January 3, 201812 eventsEarly in the morning of January 3rd, portions of north Florida and south Georgia had a mix of wintry precipitation.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Georgia, January 3, 201816 eventsA developing surface low pressure system offshore and an amplifying upper level trough approaching from the west combined with unusually cold air to produce widespread significant winter precipitation across southeast Georgia.
• Winter Storm in Georgia, January 3, 201810 eventsAn unseasonably deep cold airmass was in place across the southeast region. An area of low pressure deepened near the Bahamas during the day as a vigorous upper level trough swept over the region from the west.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in South Carolina, January 3, 20183 deaths · 11 eventsA developing surface low pressure system offshore and an amplifying upper level trough approaching from the west combined with unusually cold air to produce widespread significant winter precipitation across southeast South Carolina.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Georgia, January 3, 20185 eventsA strong low pressure system developed along the remains of an old cold front off of the east coast of central Florida during the evening of January 2nd.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 3 to 6, 20182 eventsA long duration lake effect snow event created difficult travel conditions January 3rd through January 6th. Three day snowfall totals ranged between 1 and 2 feet across Berrien County.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, January 3 to 5, 2018$200,000 · 2 eventsCold northwest winds blowing across Lake Erie caused lake effect snow showers to develop during the late evening hours of January 3rd. The snow showers picked up in intensity during the early morning hours of the 4th.
• Heavy Snow in South Carolina, January 3, 201821 eventsA surface low off the Florida coast moved NE off the GA/SC/NC coast while intensifying rapidly, spreading moisture northward into a very cold air mass anchored over the Mid Atlantic and SE US.
• Winter Storm in South Carolina, January 3 to 4, 201810 eventsLow pressure bombed off the east coast, bringing a wintry mix for the Carolinas. Local snowfall totals averaged from 2 to 5 inches with some ice accretion from Georgetown to Myrtle Beach. Record cold followed the next week.
• Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 3 to 4, 20186 eventsLow pressure bombed off the east coast, bringing a wintry mix for the Carolinas. Local snowfall totals averaged from 2 to 5 inches with some ice accretion from Georgetown to Myrtle Beach. Record cold followed the next week.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 3 to 4, 20183 deaths · $10,000 · 24 eventsA surface low intensified off the Carolina coast, resulting in snow occurring over much of Central North Carolina. Bands of heavy snow developed, resulting in snowfall totals of 3 to 6 inches in some locations.
• Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Indiana, January 3 to 6, 20184 eventsA long duration lake effect snow event created difficult travel conditions January 3rd through January 6th. Three day snowfall totals ranged between 1 and 2 feet across portions of La Porte and Saint Joseph counties.
• Winter Storm and Coastal Flood in North Carolina, January 3 to 4, 20182 deaths · 67 kt wind · 22 eventsRapidly deepening low pressure passing offshore of the coast produced widespread hazardous winter weather across eastern North Carolina from the evening of January 3rd through the morning of January 4th.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Virginia, January 3 to 4, 201834 eventsStrong low pressure tracking northward just off the East Coast produced between three inches and fourteen inches of snow across Eastern Virginia.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 3 to 4, 201810 eventsStrong low pressure tracking northward just off the East Coast produced between three inches and twelve inches of snow across northeast North Carolina.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, January 3 to 4, 201814 eventsStrong low pressure tracking northward just off the East Coast produced between one inch and four inches of snow across Central and South Central Virginia.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Maryland, January 3 to 4, 20185 eventsStrong low pressure tracking northward just off the East Coast produced between six inches and thirteen inches of snow across the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 3 to 6, 20182 eventsSignificant lake effect snow fell across portions of Allegan and Van Buren counties from January 3rd through the 6th.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Maryland, January 3 to 4, 201815 eventsLow pressure rapidly intensified offshore. A period of snow developed due to the lows rapid intensification. Although snow amounts were light, it impacted the morning rush thanks to cold temperatures that allowed the light snow to stick.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, January 3 to 4, 20185 eventsLow pressure rapidly intensified offshore. A period of snow developed due to the lows rapid intensification. Although snow amounts were light, it impacted the morning rush thanks to cold temperatures that allowed the light snow to stick.
• Winter Weather in District of Columbia, January 3 to 4, 20181 eventLow pressure rapidly intensified offshore. A period of snow developed due to the lows rapid intensification. Although snow amounts were light, it impacted the morning rush thanks to cold temperatures that allowed the light snow to stick.
• Extreme Cold in Minnesota, January 3 to 5, 20189 eventsContinuing on the cold temperatures felt in late December, early January across the Northland had overnight temperatures dropping into the 20s and 30s below zero with wind chills in the 30 to 40 below zero range. Daytime highs barely made it above zero for many areas.
• Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 4, 20181 eventA wave of light snow showers affected the Upper Cumberland during the early morning hours on January 4. Snow measurements up to around 1/2 inch were received in Fentress County.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in New York, January 4, 201826 eventsThe development of the blizzard/winter storm began along the southeast coast on Wednesday January 3, 2018. An amplifying upper level trough spawned the development of low pressure off the coast of Florida.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Connecticut, January 4, 201812 eventsThe development of the blizzard/winter storm began along the southeast coast on Wednesday January 3, 2018. An amplifying upper level trough spawned the development of low pressure off the coast of Florida.
• Winter Storm in Connecticut, January 4, 20183 eventsLow pressure moved north from the Florida coast and deepened, passing southeast of Nantucket on Thursday January 4. The storm reached its lowest pressure and strongest pressure gradient as it passed Southern New England. This brought heavy snow and damaging winds to Connecticut.
• Winter Storm and Coastal Flood in Massachusetts, January 4, 2018$1.2 million · 65 kt wind · 31 eventsLow pressure moved north from the Florida coast and deepened, passing southeast of Nantucket on Thursday January 4. The storm reached its lowest pressure and strongest pressure gradient as it passed Southern New England.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in New Jersey, January 4, 20181 death · 56 kt wind · 26 eventsAn area of low pressure tracked up the east coast interacting with a cold front which lead to rapid development of a winter storm across the state. This storm quickly moved out by the 5th. However, snowfall accumulations and gusty winds occurred with the storm.
• Extreme Cold and Cold in Virginia, January 4 to 6, 201826 eventsArctic air and gusty winds caused low wind chills to develop.
• Extreme Cold and Cold in Maryland, January 4 to 6, 201820 eventsArctic air and gusty winds caused low wind chills to develop.
• Extreme Cold and Cold in West Virginia, January 4 to 6, 201815 eventsArctic air and gusty winds caused low wind chills to develop.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in New Jersey, January 4, 20189 eventsThe development of the blizzard/winter storm began along the southeast coast on Wednesday January 3, 2018. An amplifying upper level trough spawned the development of low pressure off the coast of Florida.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Rhode Island, January 4 to 5, 20188 eventsLow pressure moved north from the Florida coast and deepened, passing southeast of Nantucket on Thursday January 4. The storm reached its lowest pressure and strongest pressure gradient as it passed Southern New England.
• Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, January 4, 20184 eventsAn area of low pressure tracked up the east coast interacting with a cold front which lead to rapid development of a winter storm across the state. This storm quickly moved out by the 5th. However, snowfall accumulations and gusty winds occurred with the storm.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Delaware, January 4, 20183 eventsAn area of low pressure tracked up the east coast interacting with a cold front which lead to rapid development of a winter storm across the state. This storm quickly moved out by the 5th. However, snowfall accumulations and gusty winds occurred with the storm.
• Winter Storm in Maryland, January 4, 20181 eventAn area of low pressure tracked up the east coast interacting with a cold front which lead to rapid development of a winter storm across the state. This storm quickly moved out by the 5th. However, snowfall accumulations and gusty winds occurred with the storm.
• Extreme Cold and Heavy Snow in New York, January 4 to 7, 20181 death · 44 eventsA deep upper level trough swept across the southern US and turned northeastward offshore of the east coast from the morning of January 3 through the morning of January 4, 2018.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Vermont, January 4 to 6, 2018$80,000 · 16 eventsA powerful Nor'easter developed off the SE CONUS on January 3rd and proceeded to move on shore between eastern Maine and western Nova Scotia late in the day of January 4th.
• Blizzard and Heavy Snow in Maine, January 4 to 5, 201819 eventsThe energy from a storm slipping southeast from the Great Lakes merged with the energy from low pressure off the southeast U.S. coast to form an intense area of low pressure off the mid-Atlantic coast by the morning of January 4th.
• Blizzard and Heavy Snow in New Hampshire, January 4, 201816 eventsThe energy from a storm slipping southeast from the Great Lakes merged with the energy from low pressure off the southeast U.S. coast to form an intense area of low pressure off the mid-Atlantic coast by the morning of January 4th.
• Extreme Cold and Heavy Snow in Vermont, January 4 to 7, 20186 eventsA deep upper level trough swept across the southern US and turned northeastward offshore of the east coast from the morning of January 3 through the morning of January 4, 2018.
• Extreme Cold and Heavy Snow in Connecticut, January 4 to 7, 20184 eventsA deep upper level trough swept across the southern US and turned northeastward offshore of the east coast from the morning of January 3 through the morning of January 4, 2018.
• Extreme Cold and Heavy Snow in Massachusetts, January 4 to 7, 20184 eventsA deep upper level trough swept across the southern US and turned northeastward offshore of the east coast from the morning of January 3 through the morning of January 4, 2018.
• Blizzard and Coastal Flood in Maine, January 4 to 5, 201817 eventsRapidly intensifying low pressure tracked from the Mid-Atlantic region toward southwest Nova Scotia during the 4th...exiting across the Maritimes during the 5th. The low brought blizzard conditions to all of northern and eastern Maine.
• Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 4 to 6, 20182 eventsAn intense low pressure system tracked northeast off the New England coast the evening of the 4th to over the Maritimes of Canada on the 5th and 6th. A strong northwest flow of very cold air followed this storm and produced lake effect snow for north central NY.
• Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 4 to 6, 2018$95,000 · 3 eventsThe heaviest lake effect snow fell at the beginning of this event during the evening of the 4th as an arctic front slowly crossed Lake Ontario and merged with a band of lake effect snow from Rochester to southern Oswego County.
• Extreme Cold in Pennsylvania, January 4 to 6, 20182 eventsSeasonably frigid temperatures were in place at the beginning of January, which resulted in a prolonged period of wind chill headlines across the region.
• Extreme Cold in West Virginia, January 4 to 6, 20182 eventsSeasonably frigid temperatures were in place at the beginning of January, which resulted in a prolonged period of wind chill headlines across the region.
• Extreme Cold in Maryland, January 4 to 6, 20181 eventSeasonably frigid temperatures were in place at the beginning of January, which resulted in a prolonged period of wind chill headlines across the region.
• Extreme Cold in Pennsylvania, January 5 to 6, 20188 eventsAn arctic airmass dropped temperatures well below zero across northern and western Pennsylvania, with wind chills dropping to -25 F to -30 F across northern Pennsylvania.
• Extreme Cold in Virginia, January 5 to 7, 20182 eventsA strong area of low pressure off the Atlantic coast rapidly strengthened, ushering in strong winds and an extremely frigid arctic air mass. Record cold temperatures combined with these winds created dangerous wind chills.
• Extreme Cold in North Carolina, January 5 to 6, 20181 eventA strong area of low pressure off the Atlantic coast rapidly strengthened, ushering in strong winds and an extremely frigid arctic air mass. Record cold temperatures combined with these winds created dangerous wind chills.
• Extreme Cold in New York, January 5 to 6, 20186 eventsA bitterly cold arctic airmass entrenched across the region brought bitterly cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills across the southern tier and north country. Low temperatures dropped to -15 to -20 degrees in the north country .
• Extreme Cold and Cold in Massachusetts, January 6 to 7, 20182 eventsStrong west winds trailed the January 4 winter storm. These winds drew bitterly cold arctic air over Massachusetts.
• Extreme Cold in Maine, January 6 to 7, 20185 eventsWinds and very cold temperatures produced dangerous wind chills from the early morning hours of the 6th into the morning of the 7th. Wind chill temperatures ranged from 30 to 40 below zero.
• Cold in Minnesota, January 6, 20188 eventsIncreasing winds behind retreating high pressure allowed for a brief period of dangerous wind chills during the late night and early morning hours of January 6th.
• Cold in Iowa, January 6, 20184 eventsIncreasing winds behind retreating high pressure allowed for a brief period of dangerous wind chills during the late night and early morning hours of January 6th.
• Winter Weather in Idaho, January 6, 20181 eventSome freezing rain brought power outages to over 300 customers in the Snake River Plain.

The snowstorm of December 8 to 10, 2017The snowstorm of March 1 to 3, 2018Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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