The snowstorm of January 8 to 12, 1997

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

1,608

Deaths

25

Injuries

103

Damage

$95 million

Episodes

191

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

• Heavy Snow in New York, January 6 to 8, 19975 eventsA strong cold front crossed the region on the morning of the 6th. An arctic air mass in the wake of this front brought locally heavy lake effect snow to portions of central New York from late at night on the 6th into the very early morning hours of the 8th.
• Ice Storm in Louisiana, January 6 to 8, 199714 eventsAn artic cold front swept southeast from the northern Plains into the lower Mississippi Valley on January 6 bringing icy temperatures across the region while an upper level low over the 4 corners area pumped moisture laden air northward from the Gulf of Mexico.
• Heavy Snow in Ohio, January 7, 19973 eventsHeavy lake effect snow fell across extreme Northeast Ohio. Whiteouts occurred countywide in Geauga County where Montville and Chesterland each received six inches of snow and Chester Township received 7 inches.
• Heavy Snow in Montana, January 7, 19972 eventsA few spots in the mountains of southwest Montana received 6 to 10 inches of snow.
• Winter Storm in Texas, January 7 to 8, 1997$5.1 million · 10 eventsA strong cold front moved southward into central Texas on the evening of Saturday, January 4th, and for the next three days, colder air continued to filter southward into the area.
• Cold in Louisiana, January 7, 19971 death · 1 eventGeorge Gantt died of hypothermia after being hospitalized from exposure. Temperatures were hovering near freezing when Gantt was found.
• Ice Storm in Nebraska, January 7, 19971 eventA disturbance in the upper atmosphere moved quickly across a part of South Central Nebraska producing a brief period of freezing rain and depositing a layer of ice on local roads.
• Heavy Snow in Texas, January 7 to 8, 19974 eventsHeavy snow fell across parts of the South Plains late on the 7th into the first half of the 8th. Lynn, Crosby, Garza, and Motley Counties received the most snow. Crosbyton reported over 6 inches, Tahoka and Post had 5, and Matador received 6.5 inches.
• Ice Storm in Texas, January 7 to 8, 19971 eventDuring the overnight hours on the 7th and the early morning hours of the 8th, the upper level storm that had been nearly stationary over the southwestern U.S. for several days, finally moved across Texas.
• Ice Storm in Texas, January 7 to 8, 19971 eventFreezing rain during the night and early morning hours made travel hazardous across mainly the northern half of the county. (See paragraph 1 under Mclennan County for a meteorological discussion of the event.)
• Ice Storm in Texas, January 7 to 8, 19971 eventFreezing rain during the night and early morning hours made travel hazardous across much of the county. (See paragraph 1 under Mclennan County for a meteorological discussion of the event.)
• Ice Storm in Texas, January 7 to 8, 19971 eventFreezing rain during the night and early morning hours made travel hazardous. (See paragraph 1 under Mclennan County for a meteorological discussion of the event.)
• Ice Storm in Texas, January 7 to 8, 19971 eventFreezing rain during the night and early morning hours made travel hazardous across the county. (See paragraph 1 under Mclennan County for a meteorological discussion of the event.)
• Winter Storm in Arkansas, January 8 to 9, 199737 eventsA combination of snow, sleet and freezing rain fell across parts of North-Central and Central Arkansas beginning on the morning of the 8th and continuing into the morning hours on the 9th.
• Heavy Snow in Oklahoma, January 8, 199717 events5 to 7 inches of snow fell in extreme northeast Oklahoma on January 8th, with 3 to 5 inches of snow falling across much of the rest of northeast Oklahoma. The snow resulted in several traffic accidents throughout northeast Oklahoma.
• Heavy Snow in Arkansas, January 8, 19974 events3 to 6 inches of snow fell across much of northwest Arkansas on January 8th and resulted in several traffic accidents.
• Sleet in North Carolina, January 8, 199719 events
• Heavy Snow in Missouri, January 8 to 9, 1997$670,000 · 30 eventsSix inches or more of snow fell over much southwest, south central and central Missouri from noon on the eighth to noon on the ninth. The heaviest snow fell in a band from Cassville to Springfield north to Hermitage where up to ten inches was recorded.
• Heavy Snow in Kansas, January 8 to 9, 1997$60,000 · 3 eventsSix inches or more of snow fell over extreme southeast Kansas from noon on the eighth until the early morning of the ninth. The greatest amount of snow was reported in Fort Scott, where eight inches of snow fell. Damage costs were due to the costs of snow removal.
• Winter Weather in South Carolina, January 8, 19977 events
• Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 8 to 9, 19973 eventsSLEET AND FREEZING RAIN DEVELOPED ACROSS THE WESTERN PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA DURING THE MID AFTERNOON HOURS THEN SPREAD ACROSS THE NORTHERN PIEDMONT BY SUNSET, BECOMING A MAJOR ICE STORM OVERNIGHT.
• Winter Storm in Illinois, January 8 to 9, 199719 eventsA low pressure system moved northeast across the Tennessee River Valley, producing up to 7 inches of snow in southern Illinois. Generally 5 or 6 inches fell north of Marion and Carbondale to Mt. Vernon and Fairfield.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, January 8 to 9, 199711 eventsA low pressure system that moved northeast across the Tennessee River Valley produced 4 to 7 inches of snow across southeast Missouri. Generally 5 or 6 inches fell, with the exception of New Madrid and Mississippi Counties, where a little sleet limited totals to 4 inches.
• Winter Storm in Montana, January 8 to 9, 19975 eventsMost of central and southwest Montana received 4 to 7 inches of snow. Both Roy and Grassrange received 12 inches.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, January 8 to 9, 199731 eventsA winter storm affected much of central, east and northeast Missouri on the 8th and 9th. Snow began falling from mid to late afternoon on the 8th and continued into the afternoon on the 9th. Snowfall amounts ranged from 3 to around 8 inches, with the heaviest snow.
• Winter Storm in Kentucky, January 8 to 9, 199722 eventsA winter storm produced about 4 inches of snow in far western Kentucky, west of a line from Murray to Madisonville. Further east, from Owensboro to Murray, a mix of sleet and freezing rain limited accumulations to 1 to 3 inches.
• Winter Storm in Arkansas, January 8 to 9, 1997$40 · 4 eventsA mix of sleet and snow fell across parts of northwest Tennessee, the Missouri bootheel and northeast Arkansas. Between 1 to 3 inches of sleet and snow across the area with 3 inches reported at Union City in Obion county, Tennessee.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, January 8 to 9, 1997$20 · 2 events
• Ice Storm in Georgia, January 8 to 9, 1997$15,000 · 14 eventsFreezing rain coated trees and power lines in northeast Georgiaas far south as northern Fulton county.
• Winter Storm in Illinois, January 8 to 9, 199717 eventsA widespread winter storm affected the area from late afternoon on the 8th through the night of the 9th. Snow fall across the area was mostly in the 5 to 8 inch range. Strong winds and very cold temperatures moved in on the evening of the 9th creating more problems.
• Winter Storm in Indiana, January 8 to 9, 19976 eventsA low pressure system moved northeast across the Tennessee River Valley, producing 3 to 4 inches of snow across southwest Indiana.
• Winter Storm in Tennessee, January 8 to 9, 1997$40 · 4 events
• Heavy Snow in Illinois, January 8 to 9, 19976 injured · 35 eventsA winter storm developed over the southern Plains and tracked to the northeast across southern Illinois. The storm dumped between 3 and 11 inches of snow over central Illinois. The heaviest snow fell in a corridor just north of I-70.
• Ice Storm in West Virginia, January 8 to 9, 1997$20,000 · 4 eventsSnow and sleet changed to freezing rain, leaving an icedeposit of 1/4 to 1/2 inch. No widespread power outagesoccurred.
• Ice Storm in Virginia, January 8 to 9, 1997$10,000 · 2 eventsSnow and sleet changed to freezing rain, leaving an icedeposit of 1/4 to 1/2 inch. No widespread power outageswere reported.
• Heavy Snow in West Virginia, January 8 to 9, 19971 eventSnow developed across southeast West Virginia during the evening hours on the 8th and continued into the morning hours on the 9th. Snowfall amounts in Greenbrier County ranged from 2 to 5 inches. Slippery road conditions resulted in several traffic accidents.
• Winter Storm in Indiana, January 8 to 9, 19972 events
• Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 8 to 9, 19971 eventSnow developed across west-central Virginia during the late evening hours on the 8th. The snow mixed with sleet before ending during the morning hours on the 8th. Snow accumulations ranged from 4 to 5 inches in Rockbridge County.
• Ice Storm in North Carolina, January 9, 1997$2.0 million · 22 events
• Ice Storm in South Carolina, January 9, 1997$200,000 · 8 events
• Ice Storm in Georgia, January 9, 1997$100,000 · 2 eventsHeavy rain began to freeze around midnight resulting in very damaging accumulations of ice. Serious power outages occurred and numerous roads were blocked by downed trees in both Habersham and Rabun counties. Damage likely was considerably higher than what is listed.
• Winter Storm in Indiana, January 9, 199714 eventsOn January 9th 5 to 10 inches of snow fell across northwest and north central Indiana. Some snowfall ammounts were 7.5 inches at South Bend, 6.8 inches at LaPorte and 10 inches at Monticello.
• Winter Weather in Texas, January 8 to 9, 19978 eventsSnow began to fall across north Texas Tuesday night (January 8) and fell through the day Wednesday. By Wednesday evening, around 2 inches of snow blanketed western portions of north Texas.
• Winter Weather in South Carolina, January 9, 19973 eventsA light mix of wintry precipitation began during the day near the mountains and gradually increased in intensity.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 9, 19973 eventsA light mix of snow and sleet accumulated to an inch or two in parts of the mountains and foothills during the day. Freezing rain and sleet became predominant during the night and caused fairly widespread damage. Power outages extended for a day or two in some cases.
• Heavy Snow in Oklahoma, January 8 to 9, 199750 eventsSnow began to fall across most of Oklahoma Tuesday night (January 8) and fell through Wednesday evening. Around 4 inches of snow blanketed western Oklahoma with about 2 inches across central and southeastern portions of the state.
• Winter Storm in Illinois, January 9, 19977 eventsOn January 9th, 5 to 7 inches of snow fell over much of the Chicago area. The heaviest snow was reported in the north suburbs of Chicago, with 9 inches reported in Barrington and Waukegan, 5.6 inches at O'hare, and 7.7 inches at Midway.
• Heavy Snow in Missouri, January 9, 19974 eventsSnow during the overnight and early morning hours on the 9th, several bands of snow with a fast moving Southwestern U.S system produced up to 7 inches of snow in Boonville, Sedalia and Clinton. Snowfall amounts of 4 to 6 inches were measured at Butler, Blairstown and Windsor.
• Heavy Snow in Kansas, January 9, 19971 eventSnowfall during the overnight hours on the 9th from a fast moving Southwest U.S low produced 6 inches of snow at La Cygne, 5 inches at Mound City and 4 inches at Centerville.Several school closings and minor traffic accidents were reported.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, January 9, 19979 eventsLow pressure moved north along the eastern seaboard during Thursday, January 9, and spread 2 to 3 inches of snow across portions of the central piedmont and northern neck of Virginia.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, January 9, 19971 eventLow pressure moved north along the eastern seaboard during Thursday, January 9, and spread 2 to 3 inches of snow across parts of Somerset county. Princess Anne reported 3 inches of snow.
• Blizzard in South Dakota, January 9 to 10, 19972 deaths · 3 injured · 26 eventsA powerful Alberta Clipper and a deep Arctic High brought widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions, heavy drifting snow, and dangerous wind chills of 40 to 80 below to central and northeast South Dakota. North winds were from 30 to 50 mph gusting to 60 mph.
• Blizzard in Wyoming, January 9 to 10, 19975 eventsTwo to eight inches of snow combined with 50 mph winds to reduce visibilities to zero. Along with hazardous travel conditions, wind chill indices dropped to 60 below zero.
• Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, January 9, 19972 eventsA strong winter storm developed across the Gulf of Mexico and moved quickly north into Ohio.
• Winter Storm in West Virginia, January 9, 1997$1,000 · 1 eventA strong winter storm developed across the Gulf of Mexico and moved quickly north into Ohio. The storm spread an icy wintry mix of precipitation into the mountainous area of northern West Virginia. Preston county reported up to one inch accumulation of sleet and freezing rain.
• Winter Storm in Maryland, January 9, 1997$1,000 · 1 eventA strong winter storm developed across the Gulf of Mexico and moved quickly north into Ohio. The storm spread an icy wintry mix of precipitation into the mountainous area of the Western Maryland Panhandle.
• Blizzard in North Dakota, January 9 to 11, 19972 deaths · 45 injured · $55 million · 36 eventsThe second blizzard in less than 1 week brought North Dakota to a virtual standstill. This blizzard didn't bring as much snow as the first storm, but the winds gusted from the northwest as high at 40 mph and they lasted for 3 days.
• Winter Storm in Iowa, January 9 to 10, 199721 eventsThree to five of snow fell across the area causing numerous accidents. One man was killed when he lost control of his pickup and struck another vehicle near Wilton, Iowa. In another area, a semi-tractor trailer overturned east of Walcott, Iowa.
• Winter Storm in Illinois, January 9 to 10, 199713 eventsThree to five inches of snow fell across the area and caused numerous accidents.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, January 9, 199718 eventsThe first area-wide winter weather event of the 1996/97 season spread a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain across all of northern and western Virginia during the daylight hours of the 9th.
• Blizzard in South Dakota, January 9 to 10, 199717 eventsA surge of arctic air with 40 to 60 mph winds created deadly wind chill indices to 80 below. Snowfall amounts were light over the plains, but winds lifted snow already on the ground resulting in zero visibility.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, January 9, 199711 eventsThe first area-wide winter weather event of the 1996/97 season spread a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain across all of northern and western Maryland during the daylight hours of the 9th.
• Blizzard in South Dakota, January 9 to 11, 19976 injured · $210,000 · 24 eventsStrong winds, gusting as high as 60 mph, combined with loose heavy snow cover and 1 to 3 inches of new snow to produce widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions. Wind chills as cold as 80 below zero also occurred.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 9, 19974 eventsSubtropical moisture, rapidly overrunning a dome of cold air, produced an area of 1 to 3 inches of snow across portions of the Potomac highlands during the daylight hours of the 9th.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, January 9 to 10, 19973 eventsLow pressure moving northeast through Illinois and Indiana produced a prolonged period of snow over a part of eastcentral and southeast Wisconsin. The system's snow was enhanced by moisture input from Lake Michigan due to a northeast flow of air in the lower atmosphere.
• Blizzard in Minnesota, January 9 to 11, 19972 eventsA powerful Alberta Clipper and a deep Arctic High brought widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions, heavy drifting snow, and dangerous wind chills of 40 to 70 below to Big Stone and Traverse counties. North winds were from 30 to 50 mph gusting to 60 mph.
• Winter Weather in District of Columbia, January 9, 19971 eventThe first city-wide winter weather event of the 1996/97 season spread a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain across the city during the daylight hours of the 9th.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 9, 19978 eventsLow pressure tracked northeast from the Ohio valley across extreme southeast Michigan on the 9th. The result was snow across all of southeast Michigan, with the heaviest amounts falling from the Flint area north through the upper thumb and Saginaw valley.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, January 9, 19972 eventsLow pressure tracking through southern Lake Michigan brought 3 to 5 inches of snow to much of east central Wisconsin. Northeast winds off of Lake Michigan enhanced the snowfall in Kewaunee and Manitowoc counties, with 7 inch amounts reported in Kewaunee, Two Rivers and Manitowoc.
• Ice Storm in Virginia, January 9, 19971 eventFreezing rain on the 9th in Pittsylvania County resulted in downed tree limbs and power lines and power outages.
• Blizzard in Minnesota, January 9 to 11, 1997$80,000 · 8 eventsStrong winds gusting as high as 60 mph combined with loose heavy snow cover and 1 to 3 inches of new snow to produce widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions. Transportation, schools, and commerce were brought to a halt for almost two full days.
• Sleet in Maryland, January 9, 19975 eventsDouble barrel low pressure systems spread a mixture of sleet and freezing rain across the Maryland Eastern Shore. Precipitation started briefly as light snow across northern Cecil County. Precipitation spread across the area by noon on the 9th.
• Winter Storm in Virginia, January 9, 19975 eventsA winter storm spread a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain across all of northern and western Virginia during the daylight hours of the 9th. From the Blue Ridge to points west, between 3 and 5 inches of snow fell before precipitation changed to mixed sleet and freezing rain.
• Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, January 9, 19973 eventsA double barrel low pressure system brought a mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain across the region. This caused numerous accidents and helped contribute to at least one fatality in Berks County.
• Blizzard in Iowa, January 9 to 11, 19973 injured · $80,000 · 11 eventsStrong winds gusting as high as 60 mph combined with loose snow cover and 1 to 3 inches of new snow to produce widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 9, 19975 eventsDouble barrel low pressure systems spread a mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain across Southeast Pennsylvania from the late morning through the evening on the 9th.
• Winter Storm in New Jersey, January 9, 19974 eventsA double barrel low pressure system brought a mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain across the region. This caused numerous accidents.
• Sleet and Winter Weather in Delaware, January 9, 19972 eventsDouble barrel low pressure systems spread a mixture of sleet and freezing rain across the northern half of Delaware. Precipitation started briefly as light snow across northern New Castle County. Precipitation spread across the area by noon on the 9th.
• Blizzard in Nebraska, January 9 to 11, 19972 eventsStrong winds gusting as high as 50 mph combined with loose snow cover and 1 to 3 inches of new snow to produce prolonged blizzard conditions.
• Winter Weather in New Jersey, January 9, 199712 eventsDouble barrel low pressure systems spread a mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain across Central and Southern New Jersey from the late morning through the evening on the 9th.
• Winter Storm in West Virginia, January 9, 19974 eventsSubtropical moisture, rapidly overrunning a dome of cold air, produced a swath of 4 to 5 inches of snow and sleet over the eastern panhandle of West Virginia during the daylight hours of the 9th.
• Winter Storm in Maryland, January 9, 19973 eventsA winter storm spread a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain across portions of western Maryland during the daylight hours of the 9th.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 9, 19972 eventsA double barrel low pressure system brought snow that mixed in with some sleet and freezing rain toward the end on the 9th. Accumulations averaged between 2.5 and 4 inches across the Southern Poconos.
• Winter Weather in New Jersey, January 9, 19971 eventDouble barrel low pressure systems spread snow across Sussex County from the late morning through the evening on the 9th. Precipitation ended as a brief period of sleet and freezing rain. Accumulations averaged between two and three inches.
• Cold in Ohio, January 9, 19971 death · 1 eventA 97 year old white female died of hypothermia in her home.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 11, 19975 eventsAn Alberta Clipper type low pressure system moved southeast from Alberta on the evening of the 8th to Lake Erie on the evening of the 9th.
• Winter Weather in New York, January 9, 19971 death · 4 injured · 3 events
• Cold in South Dakota, January 9 to 12, 199721 eventsArctic air lowered temperatures into the ten to 30 below zero range for overnight lows with highs remaining below zero. A persistent northwest wind produced wind chill indices from 30 to 70 below zero through the period.
• Cold in Wyoming, January 9 to 12, 19975 eventsArctic air brought temperatures into the 15 to 35 below zero range for overnight lows with daytime highs only near zero. Persistent northwest winds kept wind chill indices between 30 and 60 below zero through the period.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 19971 eventLOW PRESSURE TRACKING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES REGION SPREAD LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWS ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF THE SNOW WAS PROVIDED BY EASTERLY WINDS OFF OF LAKE HURON. SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE COUNTY RANGED FROM 8 TO 10 INCHES.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 19971 eventLOW PRESSURE TRACKING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES SPREAD LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWS ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN. SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE COUNTY WERE AROUND 6 INCHES.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 19971 eventLOW PRESSURE TRACKING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES SPREAD LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWS ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN. SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE COUNTY RANGED FROM 6 TO 8 INCHES.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 19971 eventLOW PRESSURE TRACKING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES REGION SPREAD LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWS ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF THE SNOW WAS PROVIDED BY EASTERLY WINDS OFF OF LAKE HURON. SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE COUNTY RANGED FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 19971 eventLOW PRESSURE TRACKING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES REGION SPREAD LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWS ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF THE SNOW WAS PROVIDED BY EASTERLY WINDS OFF OF LAKE HURON. SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE COUNTY RANGED FROM 8 TO 12 INCHES.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 19971 eventLOW PRESSURE TRACKING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES SPREAD LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWS ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF THE SNOW WAS PROVIDED BY EASTERLY WINDS OFF OF LAKE HURON. SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE COUNTY RANGED FROM 6 TO 8 INCHES.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 19971 eventLOW PRESSURE TRACKING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES SPREAD LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWS ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF THE SNOW WAS PROVIDED BY EASTERLY WINDS OFF OF LAKE HURON. SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE COUNTY RANGED FROM 8 TO 12 INCHES.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 19971 eventLOW PRESSURE TRACKING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES SPREAD LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWS ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF THE SNOW WAS PROVIDED BY EASTERLY WINDS OFF OF LAKE HURON. SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE COUNTY RANGED FROM 5 TO 6 INCHES.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 19971 eventLOW PRESSURE TRACKING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES SPREAD LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWS ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF THE SNOW WAS PROVIDED BY EASTERLY WINDS OFF OF LAKE HURON. SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE COUNTY RANGED FROM 8 TO 10 INCHES.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 19971 eventLOW PRESSURE TRACKING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES SPREAD LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWS ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF THE SNOW WAS PROVIDED BY EASTERLY WINDS OFF OF LAKE HURON. SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE COUNTY RANGED FROM 8 TO 12 INCHES.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 19971 eventLOW PRESSURE TRACKING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES SPREAD LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWS ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF THE SNOW WAS PROVIDED BY EASTERLY WINDS OFF OF LAKE HURON. SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE COUNTY RANGED FROM 5 TO 7 INCHES.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 19971 eventLOW PRESSURE TRACKING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES SPREAD LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWS ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF THE SNOW WAS PROVIDED BY EASTERLY WINDS OFF OF LAKE HURON. SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE COUNTY RANGED FROM 8 TO 12 INCHES.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 19971 eventLOW PRESSURE TRACKING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES SPREAD LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWS ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENT OF THE SNOW WAS PROVIDED BY EASTERLY WINDS OFF OF LAKE HURON. SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE COUNTY RANGED FROM 8 TO 10 INCHES.
• Blizzard in Minnesota, January 9 to 10, 19971 death · 25 eventsAn Alberta Clipper raced across northeast North Dakota and then stalled over the Red River Valley, due to a blocking low pressure system over the Great Lakes. Strong winds and snow produced blizzard conditions across the area.
• Blizzard in North Dakota, January 9 to 10, 19971 death · 17 eventsAn Alberta clipper raced across northeast North Dakota and then stalled over the Red River Valley, due to a blocking low pressure system over the Great Lakes. Strong winds and snow produced blizzard conditions across the area.
• Blizzard in Minnesota, January 9 to 10, 199716 eventsSustained winds of 30 to 45 mph with gusts to 50 mph at times produced blizzard conditions for over a 24 hour period and paralyzed much of west central into portions of south central Minnesota.
• Cold in Nebraska, January 9 to 11, 199724 eventsAn arctic air mass was the source for extremely cold temperatures and wind chill factors. Temperatures below zero and a stiff northwest breeze combined to drop wind chill factors to 60 below zero in some areas.
• Cold in Kansas, January 9 to 11, 19976 eventsAn arctic air mass had its grip on North Central Kansas for several days. Winds to 30 mph and temperatures near zero forced wind chill factors to 40 to 50 below zero at times.
• Cold in Nebraska, January 9 to 11, 19975 eventsStrong northwest winds gusting to 55 mph combined with cold temperatures to generate wind chills of 40 to 75 below zero.
• Heavy Snow in New York, January 9 to 10, 19972 eventsOn January 9 and 10, a low pressure system tracked from the Tennessee Valley north across the Great Lakes. The storm dumped heavy snow across parts of the southern Adirondacks.
• Blizzard in Iowa, January 9 to 10, 1997$75,000 · 18 events
• Winter Weather in Wyoming, January 9 to 11, 19977 eventsHeavy snow that began January 9 and ended January 10 combined with strong winds to create whiteout conditions in southeast and south central Wyoming and the Nebraska panhandle.
• Winter Storm in Vermont, January 9 to 10, 1997$180,000 · 12 eventsA storm system off the North Carolina coast Thursday afternoon (1/9/97) moved north across Long Island NY on Friday (1/10/97) and into Maine Friday night.Generally 6 to 12 inches of snow fell across northern Vermont with 4 to 8 inches in Rutland and Windsor counties of Vermont.
• Cold in Iowa, January 9 to 11, 199751 eventsA major blast of Arctic air roared into the state during the afternoon and evening of the 9th creating blizzard conditions over much of the northwest half of Iowa.
• Winter Weather in New York, January 9 to 10, 1997$60,000 · 8 eventsA storm system off the North Carolina coast Thursday afternoon (1/9/97) moved north across Long Island NY Friday (1/10/97) and into Maine Friday night. Generally 3 to 6 inches of snow fell across Northern New York.
• Winter Storm in New Hampshire, January 9 to 10, 19975 eventsA low pressure center that developed off the coast of Maine and New Hampshire brought mixed precipitation to the state. Snowfall accumulations ranged from about an inch along the immediate coast to up to a foot in parts of Coos County.
• Cold in Nebraska, January 9 to 11, 199718 eventsStrong northwest winds gusting to 55 mph combined with cold temperatures to generate wind chills of 40 to 70 below zero.
• Cold in Iowa, January 9 to 11, 19978 eventsStrong northwest winds combined with cold temperatures to generate wind chills of 40 to 70 below zero.
• Cold in Nebraska, January 9 to 10, 19976 eventsStrong northwest winds combined with cold temperatures to generate wind chills of 40 to 65 below zero.
• Cold in Ohio, January 10 to 19, 19974 deaths · $195,000 · 30 eventsLow temperatures were in the single digits or below zero across all of Northern Ohio, causing frozen and ruptured water pipes. With wind chills of 40 to 50 below zero, many schools were forced to close.
• Cold in Pennsylvania, January 10 to 20, 1997$25,000 · 3 eventsLow temperatures were in the single digits or below zero across Northwest Pennsylvania, causing numerous water pipes to freeze and break. With wind chills of 40 to 50 below zero, many schools were forced to close.
• Winter Storm in Maine, January 10, 199714 eventsA low pressure center that developed off the coast of Maine and New Hampshire brought mixed precipitation to coastal parts of the state with heavy snows in the north, western mountains, and foothills. Snow accumulations were over a foot in areas of the north and mountains.
• Cold in Missouri, January 10 to 13, 199737 eventsVery cold arctic air settled over Northwest and West Central Missouri from the 10th through the 13th. Daytime temperatures through the period only reached the single digits which is almost 30 degrees below normal. Nightime low temperatures were in the single digits below zero.
• Cold in Kansas, January 10 to 13, 19977 eventsVery cold arctic air settled over Northeast Kansas and extreme Eastern Kansas on the 10th through the 13th.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 10 to 12, 199714 eventsA lake effect snow storm tied up all activities for over 3 days. Some schools closed early on Friday, the 10th. Numerous shift workers were told not to report for 2nd and 3rd shifts. Heavy snow continued through Saturday and tapered off to flurries on Sunday morning.
• Heavy Snow in Colorado, January 10, 19973 eventsA strong upper level jet brought bands of heavy snow showers to portions of the Front Range Foothills and adjacent plains.
• Heavy Snow in Montana, January 10, 19973 eventsMany locations in southwest Montana received 5 to 8 inches of new snow with over a foot in the mountains.
• Cold in Iowa, January 10 to 12, 199721 eventsStrong winds and temperatures in the single digits, above and below zero, caused many schools to close Friday, January 10. This was also associated with snow and blowing snow, but the most significant element was the cold.
• Cold in Illinois, January 10 to 12, 19971 injured · 13 eventsStrong winds and temperatures in the single digits, above and belowzero, caused many schools to close Friday, January 10. This wasalso associated with snow and blowing snow, but the most significant element was the cold.
• Heavy Snow in Tennessee, January 10, 1997$110 · 11 eventsSnow fell across much of southwest Tennessee with accumulations of 3 to 5 inches over most of the area.
• Cold in Kansas, January 10, 19972 eventsWind chills between 40 and 50 degrees below zero forced the closing of all school districts in Lyon County and several school districts in Coffey County. John Redmond Reservoir recorded a wind chill of 47 degrees below zero at 805 AM.
• Heavy Snow in Tennessee, January 10, 19971 eventThe Overton County News reported more than 4 inches of snow fell in some areas in Overton county. This caused hazardous driving conditions and several traffic accidents Friday evening.
• Cold in Illinois, January 10, 19971 death · 1 eventA man died while clearing snow at a High School.
• Heavy Snow in New York, January 10 to 12, 1997$58,000 · 7 eventsLake effect snowbands set up Friday morning over the Niagara peninsula and Niagara county before shifting south to the Buffalo metro area during the afternoon.
• Cold in Kansas, January 10, 19971 eventThe National Weather Service at Phillip Billard Airport in Topeka recorded a wind chill of 47 degrees below zero.
• Cold in Illinois, January 10 to 11, 19971 death · 19 eventsArctic air blew into the region in the wake of a departing snowstorm. A wind chill advisory was issued for wind chills as low as minus 30. A woman in her 60s froze to death after she slipped and fell outside her home near Orient in Franklin County.
• Winter Storm in Alabama, January 10, 1997$64,000 · 10 eventsOne to two inches of snow fell during a snowstorm that entered into northwestern Alabama before noon. It snarled traffic and icy roadways were blamed for dozens of accidents including two deaths due to cars skidding off roads and into other cars.
• Winter Storm in Tennessee, January 10, 199739 eventsAn arctic cold front and associated upper level disturbance swept through the southern Appalachians. Snowfall amounts were 1-3 inches in southeast Tennessee, 2-4 inches across the northern Cumberland plateau and central east Tennessee, and 3-5 inches in northeast Tennessee.
• Cold in Kentucky, January 10 to 11, 199722 eventsAn outbreak of arctic cold followed in the wake of a departing winter storm. Wind chills were occasionally minus 20 to minus 25. Area shelters reported a sharp rise in the number of homeless people checking in. Two vagrants were found by police suffering from severe exposure.
• Cold in Missouri, January 10 to 11, 199711 eventsArctic air invaded the region in the wake of a departing snowstorm. Wind chill advisories were issued for wind chills as low as 30 below zero.
• Cold in Indiana, January 10 to 11, 19976 eventsArctic air blew into the region in the wake of a departing snowstorm. A wind chill advisory was issued for wind chills as low as minus 30.
• Winter Storm in Virginia, January 10, 19975 eventsAn arctic cold front and associated upper level disturbance swept across the southern Appalachians. Snowfall amounts across southwest Virginia ranged from 2 to 5 inches.
• Winter Storm in North Carolina, January 10, 19972 eventsAn arctic cold front and associated upper level disturbance swept through the southern Appalachians. Snowfall amounts ranged between 2 and 3 inches.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 10 to 11, 19971 eventLOCALLY HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOWS DEVELOPED BEHIND EXITING LOW PRESSURE DURING THE AFTERNOON OF THE 10TH AND CONTINUED THROUGH MUCH OF THE 11TH. LOCALIZED ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 10 TO 12 INCHES WERE REPORTED ACROSS THE COUNTY.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 10 to 11, 19971 eventLOCALLY HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOWS DEVELOPED BEHIND EXITING LOW PRESSURE DURING THE AFTERNOON OF THE 10TH AND CONTINUED THROUGH MUCH OF THE 11TH. LOCALIZED ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 6 TO 10 INCHES WERE REPORTED ACROSS THE COUNTY.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 10 to 11, 19971 eventLOCALLY HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOWS DEVELOPED BEHIND EXITING LOW PRESSURE DURING THE AFTERNOON OF THE 10TH AND CONTINUED THROUGH MUCH OF THE 11TH. LOCALIZED ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 6 TO 10 INCHES WERE REPORTED ACROSS THE COUNTY.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 10 to 11, 19971 eventLOCALLY HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOWS DEVELOPED BEHIND EXITING LOW PRESSURE DURING THE AFTERNOON OF THE 10TH AND CONTINUED THROUGH MUCH OF THE 11TH. LOCALIZED ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 12 TO 18 INCHES WERE REPORTED ACROSS THE COUNTY.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 10 to 11, 19971 eventLOCALLY HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOWS DEVELOPED BEHIND EXITING LOW PRESSURE DURING THE AFTERNOON OF THE 10TH AND CONTINUED THROUGH MUCH OF THE 11TH. LOCALIZED ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 8 TO 10 INCHES WERE REPORTED ACROSS THE COUNTY.
• Winter Weather in Massachusetts, January 10, 19972 eventsA sudden snow squall, accompanied by thunder, hit parts of northern Worcester County and the Merrimack Valley just as the sun was setting and deposited a quick one to two inches of snow.
• Winter Weather in New Hampshire, January 10, 19971 eventA sudden snow squall, accompanied by thunder, hit the Merrimack Valley just as the sun was setting and deposited a quick one to two inches of snow.
• Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, January 10 to 12, 19974 eventsWisconsin's snow belt received over two feet of lake effect snow. The heavier amounts were in Iron County where 26 inches fell at Hurley and 18 at Saxon. The rest of the lake shore received between 8 and 14 inches.
• Blizzard in Alaska, January 10 to 12, 19971 eventA weather front moving over an existing strong pressure gradient across the outer West Coast of Alaska produced high winds and blizzard conditions. Winds at Tin City peaked at 40 kts sustained, at Gambell 45 kts sustained, gust 55 kts.
• Heavy Snow in New York, January 10 to 14, 1997$47,000 · 3 eventsAn intense band of lake effect snow brought unprecedented amount of snow to the eastern Lake Ontario region. Snowfall rates of three to six inches per hour were received. Snow totals for the four day event ranged from five to seven feet! Isolated areas exceeded 84".
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 10 to 11, 199713 eventsHeavy snow fell in the mountains resulting in accumulations of 3 to 6 inches. The highest totals were reported from Graham and Jackson counties. Over 200 car wrecks were reported in western North Carolina during the snow.
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 10 to 11, 19973 eventsHeavy snow developed across the mountains of northwestern North Carolina during the evening hours on the 10th. Snowfall accumulations ranged from 3 to 6 inches across Watauga, Ashe, and Alleghany Counties. Snow covered and slippery road conditions resulted in several accidents.
• Winter Weather in Georgia, January 10 to 11, 19972 eventsOne to two inches of snow fell.
• Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 10 to 11, 1997$50,000 · 8 eventsCold air blowing across Lake Ontario resulted in Lake Effect Snow across portions of the following New York counties: St. Lawrence, Franklin, Essex and Clinton.
• Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 10 to 11, 19972 eventsHeavy snow during the late evening hours on the 10th and the early morning hours on the 11th deposited 4 to 5 inches of snow in Smyth and Tazewell Counties. Slippery road condition resulted in several traffic accidents.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, January 11, 19975 eventsA weak low pressure system developed over Virginia the night of the 10th along a secondary cold front. As the low moved northeast and reached Block Island, Rhode Island during the morning of the 11th, a swath of light snow accompanied it during the pre-dawn hours.
• Winter Weather in Delaware, January 11, 19972 eventsA weak low pressure system developed over Virginia the night of the 10th along a secondary cold front. As the low moved northeast and reached Block Island Rhode Island during the morning of the 11th, a swath of light snow accompanied it during the pre-dawn hours.
• Cold in New Mexico, January 11, 19971 death · 1 eventA man from Gamerco died from exposure in west Gallup. Overnight weather was clear and cold with a low of 16 degrees.
• Winter Weather in New Jersey, January 11, 199714 eventsA weak low pressure system developed over Virginia the night of the 10th along a secondary cold front. As the low moved northeast and reached Block Island Rhode Island during the morning of the 11th, a swath of light snow accompanied it during the pre-dawn and morning hours.
• Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 11, 19975 eventsA low pressure system developed over Virginia along a secondary cold front the evening of the 10th. It spread a swath of light snow across Southeast Pennsylvania during the predawn and morning hours of the 11th. Accumulations averaged between 1.0 and 2.5 inches.
• Heavy Snow in Montana, January 11, 19971 eventEnnis received 7 inches of new snow and Alder received 6 inches.
• Heavy Snow in Rhode Island, January 11, 19975 eventsA developing low pressure system south of Long Island spread snow across the entire state. Snowfall totals ranged from about 4 inches along the south coast to 7 inches in the northwest corner of the state. The maximum total was 7.4 inches at North Foster.
• Heavy Snow in Massachusetts, January 11, 199710 eventsA developing low pressure system south of Long Island spread bands of heavy snow across southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the Islands. Six to nine inches of snow fell from just south of Boston to northern Rhode Island and southeastward to Cape Cod.
• Cold in North Carolina, January 11, 19971 death · 1 eventA man died outside his home, at least in part because of exposure to the cold.
• Winter Storm in New Mexico, January 11 to 14, 19971 death · 14 eventsThe second winter storm in less than a week dumped another 20 to 45 inches of fresh snow across northern New Mexico in a period of 48 to 72 hours.
• Heavy Snow in Texas, January 11 to 12, 199711 eventsSnowfall across the northern and eastern Texas panhandle ranged from 4 inches at Dalhart and Miami to 8 inches at Shamrock.
• Heavy Snow in Oklahoma, January 11 to 12, 19971 eventSnowfall across the western Oklahoma panhandle ranged from 4 to 5 inches.
• Blizzard in Idaho, January 11, 19972 eventsBlizzard conditions occurred in Southeast Idaho due to strong winds and 1-3 inches of new snow. Several communities in Bannock, Bingham, Minidoka and Lincoln counties reported 30 to 45 mph winds and visiblities at 1/4 mile or less. In Springfield, winds were sustained to 60 mph.
• Winter Storm in Texas, January 11 to 14, 1997$1.0 million · 27 eventsA second strong cold front moved into central Texas on the evening of Friday, January 10th, and again temperatures began to drop steadily across the area. Again, an upper level disturbance moving through the southwestern U.S.
• Winter Weather in Oklahoma, January 11 to 12, 199716 eventsOn January 11, a Sunday, 2 to 3 inches of snow fell over southwest Oklahoma with a band of heavy snow over Altus where snow measured 4 inches.
• Cold in Nebraska, January 11 to 12, 19976 eventsStrong northwest winds combined with cold temperatures to generate wind chills of 40 to 50 below zero.
• Cold in Nebraska, January 12, 199710 eventsStrong northwest winds combined with cold temperatures to generate wind chills of 40 to 50 below zero.
• Cold in Iowa, January 12, 19974 eventsStrong northwest winds combined with cold temperatures to produce wind chills of 40 to 50 below.
• Heavy Snow in New York, January 12 to 14, 19972 eventsA strong push of cold air from central Canada invaded central New York on the evening of the 11th. By the early morning hours of the 12th, this cold air was interacting with the relatively warm waters of Lake Ontario to produce heavy lake effect snow.
• Cold in Wyoming, January 12 to 13, 19976 eventsStrong winds of 30 to 40 MPH combined with temperatures around zero degrees to create dangerously cold wind chills in southeast Wyoming. Wind chills of 70 below zero were recorded at Arlington as well as at the summit of Interstate 80 between Cheyenne and Laramie at 1050 AM.
• Ice Storm in Texas, January 12 to 13, 19973 deaths · 23 eventsFreezing rain/sleet event occured on the 12th-13th. Trees, powerlines and roadways were all effected. The weight of the ice caused trees and powerlines to snap/fall. Glazed roadways posed hazardous driving conditions.
• Cold in Illinois, January 12, 19971 death · 1 eventA man found on his driveway, died of cold exposure and chronic alcoholism.
• Ice Storm in Louisiana, January 12 to 15, 199717 eventsWith Artic air over northern Louisiana an upper level storm system moved out of central Texas drawing copious amounts of moisture northward from the Gulf of Mexico.
• Ice Storm in Oklahoma, January 12 to 15, 19971 eventFor the second time this month another surge of Artic air plunged southward across the region. The cold front responsible for the Artic air stalled along the Gulf Coast states and a low pressure system formed along the front in the nothwest Gulf of Mexico.
• Ice Storm in Louisiana, January 12 to 14, 19972 deaths · 15 injured · $12 million · 6 eventsA record ice storm hit southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas. The hardest hit area was Calcasieu Parish. Over 40,000 electric customers were without power for up to six days due to the number of downed trees and power lines.
• Ice Storm in Texas, January 12 to 14, 19971 death · 20 injured · $18 million · 3 eventsA record ice storm paralyzed southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. Around 90,000 electric customers across southeast Texas were without power for up to six days. Emergency shelters were opended for several nights due to the cold weather following the ice storm.
• Ice Storm in Texas, January 12 to 15, 199711 eventsFreezing rain with sleet accumulated to depths of 1/4 to 1/2 inch across the region. Several highways were closed and numerous traffic accidents occurred. Isolated power outages from fallen power lines also occurred.
• Winter Storm in Texas, January 12 to 14, 19975 eventsCold arctic air settled over west central Texas on the 11th. Warm and moist air from the Gulf of Mexico moved northwest above the frigid air on the night of the 11th.
• Cold in Texas, January 12 to 14, 19974 eventsTemperatures in the upper 20s to near 30 and extensive freezing drizzle caused damage to tropical ornamental plants, sugar cane, aloe, and some citrus.
• Winter Weather in Texas, January 12 to 13, 199748 eventsAnother major winter storm developed into the southwestern United States on the 11th and 12th while arctic air remained entrenched over the southern plains. An upper level disturbance moved away from the developing storm and toward Texas late on the 12th.
• Heavy Snow in Nevada, January 12 to 13, 19971 eventA strong winter storm dropped heavy snow over parts of East Central Nevada. 24 hour totals were: 12 inches at Ruth...10 miles west of Ely, and 7 inches in the city of Ely.
• Heavy Snow in Arizona, January 12 to 13, 19971 eventUp to 12 inches of snow fell on the Northwest Arizona plateau and deserts above 4000 feet during a 24 hour period. Chloride reported a foot of snow on the ground and 15 to 18 inches fell on Hualapai Mountain above 6000 feet.
• Heavy Snow in Montana, January 13, 19971 eventBig Sky ski resort received 7 inches of new snow.
• Heavy Snow in Nevada, January 13, 19971 eventA winter storm dropped heavy snow over parts of East Central Nevada. 24 hour totals at Eureka were 8 inches.

The snowstorm of November 22 to 27, 1996The snowstorm of January 12 to 17, 1997Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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