The snowstorm of January 5 to 8, 2024

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

906

Deaths

2

Injuries

24

Damage

$15 million

Episodes

86

Every winter weather episode the Weather Service filed east of the Rockies in these dates. A few may belong to another system on the same days. Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

• Blizzard and Heavy Snow in Kansas, January 4 to 5, 202419 eventsA low surface pressure developed over the Panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma on the 4th and 5th of January, lifting moist air northward into colder air at the surface over western Kansas.
• Winter Weather in Kansas, January 5, 202419 eventsWinter weather overspread the region and produced hazardous driving conditions across the region. There were numerous accidents, indirectly, resultant from the snowfall as it did coincide with the morning commute.
• Winter Weather in Arkansas, January 5 to 6, 202425 eventsA strong area high pressure was departing the region to the east as a new storm system approached from the west. It was cold enough across the northwest half of Arkansas to begin as mainly snow, but precipitation changed over to rain by early afternoon.
• Winter Storm in Washington, January 5 to 7, 20242 eventsA series of fronts brought heavy snow to the Cascades.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 6, 202410 eventsThe second arctic cold front in 4 days brought gusty northwest winds and another shot of very cold air to the southern Appalachians in the wake of an arctic cold front.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Virginia, January 6, 202421 eventsLow pressure tracked along the Mid-Atlantic coast bringing a period of snow, sleet, and freezing rain to portions of Virginia. Snowfall totaled 3 to 7 inches northwest of I-81, with one to three inches toward the Blue Ridge Mountains.
• Winter Storm in Oregon, January 6 to 7, 20244 eventsA series of fronts brought heavy snow to the Cascades.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 6, 202414 eventsA shortwave trough advanced across the Upper Ohio Valley on January 6th, as a surface low tracked across the Appalachians to the Mid-Atlantic region.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 6, 20248 injured · $120,000 · 16 eventsLow pressure stationed off the New England Coast allowed for a long duration snowfall across much of central Pennsylvania beginning in the morning hours of January 6th with the bulk of snowfall ending in the evening hours.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 6, 202411 eventsLow pressure tracked along the Mid-Atlantic coast bringing a period of snow, sleet, and freezing rain to portions of West Virginia.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Maryland, January 6, 202410 eventsLow pressure tracked along the Mid-Atlantic coast bringing a period of snow, sleet, and freezing rain to portions of Maryland. The heaviest snow fell west of US-15. However, accumulating snow, sleet, and freezing rain occurred as far east as just northwest of the I-95 corridor.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in West Virginia, January 6, 20247 eventsA shortwave trough advanced across the Upper Ohio Valley on January 6th, as a surface low tracked across the Appalachians to the Mid-Atlantic region.
• Heavy Snow in California, January 6 to 7, 20242 eventsA quick-hitting, cold storm system brought rain to the Valley and foothills, and snow to the foothills and mountains from January 6th to January 7th, 2024.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Oregon, January 6 to 10, 202482 kt wind · 17 eventsA strong cold front swept across the Pacific Northwest on the 8th, ushering in much colder air. Strong and deep onshore flow in this cold air mass led to periods of heavy snow, strong winds for the Cascades, with snow for the lowlands.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 6 to 7, 20248 eventsA winter storm brought the first significant snowfall of the season to portions of the region. Eastern Pennsylvania experienced several inches of snowfall as well as some wintry mixed precipitation.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in New York, January 6 to 7, 202418 eventsA large winter storm brought a period of moderate to heavy snowfall to the area beginning during the early afternoon hours on Saturday, January 6th 2024, spreading quickly from south to north over the region.
• Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, January 6 to 8, 202489 kt wind · 3 eventsAnother potent low pressure system moved up into the central Aleutians as it rapidly deepened and reached peak intensity upon entering the far southern Bering Sea.
• Heavy Snow in Pennsylvania, January 6 to 7, 20248 eventsA large winter storm brought a period of moderate to heavy snowfall to the area beginning during the early afternoon hours on Saturday, January 6th 2024, spreading quickly from south to north over the region.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in New Jersey, January 6 to 7, 20245 eventsA winter storm brought the first significant snowfall of the season to portions of the region. Northern New Jersey experienced several inches of snowfall as well as some wintry mixed precipitation.
• Winter Weather in New Jersey, January 6 to 7, 20243 eventsLow pressure pushed northeast from the Tennessee Valley and moved along and off the coast.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in New York, January 6 to 7, 202427 eventsAn area of low pressure slowly tracking up and just off the East Coast brought widespread moderate to heavy snow across eastern New York on January 6-7, 2024. Snowfall totals were generally between 5 and 10 inches with localized areas above a foot.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in New York, January 6 to 7, 20244 eventsLow pressure pushed northeast from the Tennessee Valley and moved along and off the coast. An accumulating snow took place across portions of the Lower Hudson Valley of Interior Southeastern New York.
• Heavy Snow in Massachusetts, January 6 to 7, 20242 eventsAn area of low pressure slowly tracking up and just off the East Coast brought widespread moderate to heavy snow across western Massachusetts on January 6-7, 2024. Snowfall totals were generally between 5 and 10 inches with localized areas around a foot.
• Heavy Snow in Connecticut, January 6 to 7, 20242 eventsAn area of low pressure slowly tracking up and just off the East Coast brought widespread moderate to heavy snow across northwestern Connecticut on January 6-7, 2024. Snowfall totals were generally between 5 and 10 inches with localized areas around a foot.
• Winter Weather in Connecticut, January 6 to 7, 20243 eventsLow pressure pushed northeast from the Tennessee Valley and moved along and off the coast. An accumulating snow took place across portions of Fairfield County, with far northern sections towards the Litchfield border receiving heavy snow in the vicinity of New Fairfield.
• Winter Storm in New Hampshire, January 6 to 7, 20241 death · 13 eventsEarly on the 6th low pressure began organize along the Gulf Coast as high pressure settled into southern Quebec. This high pressure brought some fresh cold air ahead of the developing East Coast storm.
• Heavy Snow in Vermont, January 6 to 7, 20243 eventsAn area of low pressure slowly tracking up and just off the East Coast brought widespread moderate to heavy snow across southern Vermont on January 6-7, 2024. Snowfall totals were generally between 5 and 10 inches with localized areas around a foot.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Vermont, January 6 to 7, 202417 eventsLow pressure developed across the northern Gulf of Mexico coast during the evening hours of January 5th and traveled along the east coast moving off the southeast coast of New England by the afternoon of January 7th.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in New York, January 6 to 7, 20249 eventsLow pressure developed across the northern Gulf of Mexico coast during the evening hours of January 5th and traveled along the east coast moving off the southeast coast of New England by the afternoon of January 7th.
• Heavy Snow in Connecticut, January 6 to 7, 20243 eventsA strong storm moved up the east coast passing near the 70/40 benchmark brought heavy snow to southern New England beginning late Monday night and continuing on Sunday.
• Heavy Snow in Massachusetts, January 6 to 7, 202413 eventsA strong storm moved up the east coast passing near the 70/40 benchmark brought heavy snow to southern New England beginning late Monday night and continuing on Sunday.
• Winter Storm in Maine, January 6 to 7, 202411 eventsEarly on the 6th low pressure began organize along the Gulf Coast as high pressure settled into southern Quebec. This high pressure brought some fresh cold air ahead of the developing East Coast storm.
• Heavy Snow in Rhode Island, January 6 to 7, 20243 eventsA strong storm moved up the east coast passing near the 70/40 benchmark brought heavy snow to southern New England beginning late Monday night and continuing on Sunday.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 7 to 8, 20242 eventsAs low pressure pulled off to the northeast, upslope snow showers accumulated anywhere from three to seven inches across the Allegheny Front.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, January 7 to 8, 20241 eventAs low pressure pulled off to the northeast, upslope snow showers accumulated anywhere from three to seven inches across the Allegheny Front.
• Winter Weather in Arizona, January 7, 20241 eventA cold low pressure system diving down from the north brought snow and isolated impacts.
• Winter Weather in Maine, January 7, 20241 eventLow pressure tracking south of the Gulf of Maine brought snow to the Downeast coast. Snow developed during the morning of the 7th and persisted into the evening. Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 3 to 6 inches.
• Winter Storm in Nebraska, January 7 to 9, 202426 eventsA longwave trough over the western CONUS moved out into the central Plains on 1/8. At the surface, a deep low-pressure system developed in the Texas panhandle the morning of the eighth and tracked east-northeast into the mid-Mississippi river valley by the morning of the ninth.
• Blizzard and Heavy Snow in Colorado, January 7 to 11, 202470 kt wind · 25 eventsThe closed low dug down in a deep trough across the Rocky Mountains and SE Colorado. This brough more widespread heavy snow and strong winds to our forecast area.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in South Dakota, January 7 to 9, 202424 eventsThe first widespread heavier snowfall of the season occurred over a two-day period, resulting in 8 to 14 inches of accumulation.
• Winter Weather in Colorado, January 7 to 8, 20242 eventsA brief period of moderate snowfall developed in the foothills of Jefferson County and over the Palmer Divide. Storm totals ranged from 4 to 8 inches.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Minnesota, January 8 to 9, 20247 eventsThe first widespread heavier snowfall of the season occurred over a two-day period, resulting in 8 to 14 inches of accumulation.
• Winter Storm in Nebraska, January 8 to 9, 20242 eventsThe first widespread heavier snowfall of the season occurred over a two-day period, resulting in 8 to 14 inches of accumulation.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Iowa, January 8 to 9, 202411 eventsThe first widespread heavier snowfall of the season occurred over a two-day period, resulting in 8 to 14 inches of accumulation.
• Winter Storm in Iowa, January 8 to 9, 20246 eventsA longwave trough over the western CONUS moved out into the central Plains on 1/8. At the surface, a deep low-pressure system developed in the Texas panhandle the morning of the eighth and tracked east-northeast into the mid-Mississippi river valley by the morning of the ninth.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Kansas, January 8 to 9, 202422 eventsA widespread area of snow moved over Northwest Kansas producing blizzard conditions up to eleven hours with gusts up to 60 mph and snow amounts ranging from two inches to twelve inches. The strongest wind gusts were reported in Sherman County with several gusts of 55 to 60 mph.
• Blizzard and Heavy Snow in Oklahoma, January 8 to 9, 202464 kt wind · 9 eventsA strong low pressure system brought severe winds and snow to the combined Panhandles. With sustained winds reaching 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 74 mph combined with snow, much of the area saw blizzard to near blizzard conditions.
• Winter Storm in Nebraska, January 8 to 9, 20245 eventsA winter storm moved into portions of southwest, into central and north central Nebraska during the early morning hours on January 8th through the early morning hours on January 9th.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Minnesota, January 8 to 9, 20245 eventsA prolonged area of light snow moved across western Minnesota and produced around 6 inches of snow. The snow began during the morning of January 08, and ended during the early morning hours of January 09.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Nebraska, January 8 to 9, 20241 death · 27 eventsA closed upper low-pressure system moved east across Kansas and into Missouri overnight on January 8th and into the morning hours of January 9th. South central Nebraska was in the left exit region of an upper jet stream which increased lift over the area.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Kansas, January 8 to 9, 20248 eventsA closed upper low-pressure system moved east across Kansas and into Missouri overnight on January 8th and into the morning hours of January 9th, placing north central Kansas in the left exit region of an upper jet stream which increased lift over the area.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Kansas, January 8 to 9, 202414 injured · 20 eventsThe evening of 8 January to the late morning of 9 January, a strong low pressure system pushed through central, south central and southeast Kansas. Rainfall overspread the region which eventually changed over to snow.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Texas, January 8 to 9, 202463 kt wind · 40 eventsA strong low pressure system brought severe winds and snow to the combined Panhandles. With sustained winds reaching 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 74 mph combined with snow, much of the area saw blizzard to near blizzard conditions.
• Heavy Snow in Kansas, January 8 to 9, 202432 eventsA winter storm brought heavy wet snow to much of the state of Kansas beginning on January 8th lasting into the morning of January 9th.
• Blizzard in Kansas, January 8, 202411 eventsA Blizzard brought widespread heavy Blowing and Drifting snow, zero visibility, as well as winds commonly around 60 mph beginning in the late morning hours of January 8th and winding down toward midnight.
• Blizzard in Colorado, January 8, 20242 eventsA widespread area of snow moved over portions of Kit Carson and Cheyenne counties producing blizzard conditions up to four and a half hours and up to two inches of snow.
• Blizzard in Nebraska, January 8, 20242 eventsA widespread area of snow moved over extreme Southwest Nebraska producing blizzard conditions up to five hours and up to five inches of snow. The greatest snow amounts occurred in Red Willow County in McCook.
• Heavy Snow in Missouri, January 8 to 9, 20242 eventsA large mid latitude extratropical cyclone moved across the central US on Jan 8th into Jan 9th, producing a large swath of 5+ inch snow across Missouri. Snow fell most of the day on Jan 8th, but with surface temperatures above freezing accumulations were marginal.
• Blizzard and High Wind in Texas, January 8 to 9, 202459 kt wind · 22 eventsA powerful storm system emerging over the southern High Plains brought a variety of impacts to the region on the eighth.
• Winter Storm in Iowa, January 8 to 9, 202448 eventsOn January 8th, a defined low pressure system made its way across the Central Plains, entering southwestern Iowa into the afternoon and tracking east-northeastward across the state for the remainder of the day and into January 9th.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Missouri, January 8 to 9, 20242 eventsA strong winter storm brought heavy wet snow and gusty north winds to eastern IA, northwest IL, and northeast MO on January 9.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Iowa, January 8 to 18, 202421 eventsA strong winter storm brought heavy, wet snow and gusty north winds to eastern IA, northwest IL, and northeast MO on January 9.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Illinois, January 8 to 9, 202413 eventsA strong winter storm brought heavy, wet snow and gusty north winds to eastern IA, northwest IL, and northeast MO on January 9.
• Winter Storm and High Wind in Oklahoma, January 8 to 9, 20241 injured · 58 kt wind · 24 eventsA high amplitude upper system brought varied impacts across the Southern Plains from the 8-9th.
• Heavy Snow in Illinois, January 8 to 9, 20246 eventsLow pressure tracking from the Oklahoma panhandle during the morning of January 8th to southeast Michigan by the evening of January 9th spread a mixture or rain and snow across central Illinois.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Wisconsin, January 8 to 9, 20241 injured · $5,000 · 12 eventsSeveral days of winter weather began with narrow, heavy snow bands from late January 8th through January 9th from western into central Wisconsin.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, January 8 to 9, 20246 eventsLow pressure tracking through the Mississippi Valley brought a heavy, wet snow beginning on the evening of January 8 and continuing through January 9. A swath of 5 to 10 inches of snow fell across northeast Missouri.
• Winter Storm in Illinois, January 8 to 9, 20242 eventsLow pressure tracking through the Mississippi Valley brought a heavy, wet snow beginning on the evening of January 8 and continuing through January 9. A swath of 6 to 8 inches of snow fell in west central Illinois.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Illinois, January 8 to 10, 202418 eventsHeavy wet snow fell from the late evening of January 8th into January 9th. Snow water ratios were as low as 4:1, making the snow very heavy and difficult to shovel. The snow also mixed with light rain and drizzle at times.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Iowa, January 8 to 9, 20248 eventsA multi-day winter storm began late on January 8th through much of January 9th with narrow bands of heavy snow traversing northeast Iowa.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Minnesota, January 8 to 9, 2024$8,000 · 8 eventsA large winter storm that churned through the Upper Mississippi River Valley on January 8th provided narrow bands of snowfall rates up to 1 per hour in far southeast Minnesota during the early morning hours of January 9th.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Wisconsin, January 8 to 9, 2024$108,000 · 20 eventsStrong low pressure tracking from the southern Great Plains to the lower Great Lakes brought a prolonged period of wet snow to southern WI.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Washington, January 8 to 10, 202472 kt wind · 8 eventsA strong cold front swept across the Pacific Northwest on the 8th, ushering in much colder air. Strong and deep onshore flow in this cold air mass led to periods of heavy snow, strong winds for the Cascades, with snow for the lowlands.
• Winter Storm in Wisconsin, January 9, 20246 eventsA strong low pressure system moved towards the southern Great Lakes region on Tuesday (1/9). This low brought a swath of light snow and freezing drizzle Tuesday morning, then moderate to heavy snow and gusty northeast winds of 30 to 40 mph during the afternoon and evening.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 9, 20249 eventsPrecipitation overspread the southern Appalachians during the early morning of the 9th in advance of a strong storm system.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 9, 20248 eventsAn area of low pressure moved into the Ohio Valley with a warm frontal band of snow moving through parts of the West Virginia Mountains.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, January 9, 20246 eventsAn area of low pressure moved into the Ohio Valley with a warm frontal band of snow moving through parts of western Virginia toward the Blue Ridge Mountains.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Maryland, January 9, 20243 eventsAn area of low pressure moved into the Ohio Valley with a warm frontal band of snow moving through western Maryland. Temperatures held at or just below freezing for several hours resulting in a quick five to twelve inches of snow.
• Winter Weather in Missouri, January 9, 20246 eventsA cold airmass moved into the region as precipitation moved over the area. Precipitation started as a light rain/snow mixture during the early morning of January 9 before changing over to snow just before sunrise.
• Winter Weather in Kansas, January 9, 20241 eventA cold airmass moved into the region as precipitation moved over the area. Precipitation started as a light rain/snow mixture during the early morning of January 9 before changing over to snow just before sunrise.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, January 9, 20242 eventsAn upper level storm system moved from the Central United States into the eastern United States through January 9. At the surface, a warm front with a trailing area of low pressure, lifted north through western North Carolina during the morning into the early afternoon hours.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 9, 20242 eventsAn upper level storm system moved from the Central United States into the eastern United States through January 9. At the surface, a warm front with a trailing area of low pressure, lifted north through western North Carolina during the morning into the early afternoon hours.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 20249 eventsAn impressive trough provided strong forcing aloft to support a sub-980mb cyclone that trekked across the Great Lakes 1/9 into 1/10. This system dropped heavy, wet snow with snow-to-liquid ratios near 10:1 -- and even lower during the evening hours of 1/9.
• Winter Weather and Strong Wind in Vermont, January 9 to 10, 20243 eventsA strong storm system brought gusty winds, locally heavy rainfall, and high elevation wet snow to southern Vermont from the afternoon hours on January 9 into the early morning hours on January 10, 2024.
• Blizzard and Heavy Snow in Minnesota, January 9 to 11, 20243 eventsA wave propagating along the Canadian border brought strong cold air advection into the area, increasing wind speeds along with falling snow. In addition, snowfall in Canada was easily lofted and blown into our CWA by the high winds.
• Winter Storm and Coastal Flood in New Hampshire, January 9 to 10, 2024$15 million · 54 kt wind · 5 eventsA powerful storm tracked northeast through the Mid Mississippi River Valley on the 9th, rapidly deepening as it approached the southern Great Lakes.

The snowstorm of March 12 to 16, 2023The snowstorm of January 7 to 10, 2024Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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