The snowstorm of January 9 to 12, 2009

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

627

Deaths

5

Injuries

8

Damage

$3.5 million

Episodes

79

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.

• Cold in Illinois, January 8, 20091 death · 1 eventCold conditions across central Illinois led to the death of a homeless man in Champaign-Urbana. Early morning low temperatures on January 8th dipped into the teens, while wind-chill readings hovered around zero.
• Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 8 to 9, 20094 eventsA cold, westerly flow of air over the warmer waters of Lake Ontario brought as much as a foot of lake effect snow to areas east of the lake.
• Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 8 to 9, 2009$60,000 · 6 eventsCold air sweeping in behind a departing low pressure system produced lake effect snows beginning during the evening of the 7th. Off Lake Erie, over a foot of snow fell over the higher elevations during the morning and midday hours of the 8th.
• Heavy Snow in North Carolina, January 8, 20094 eventsSnow showers developed across the Tennessee border counties around sunrise, and persisted until the late afternoon hours. Snowfall amounts ranged from 2-5 inches, mainly in elevations above 3000 feet or so. Some locally higher amounts were reported on the higher peaks.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 8, 20093 eventsNorthwesterly, upslope winds brought a period of light to moderate snow showers to the southwest mountains of North Carolina, primarily along the Tennessee line. Accumulations ranged from 1 to 3 inches, mostly above 3000 feet.
• Ice Storm in Montana, January 8, 20091 eventFreezing rain developed over portions of Hill and Blaine counties and quickly intensified to an ice storm. Ice accumulations of one-quarter to one-half inch were reported.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Alaska, January 8 to 11, 200916 eventsA very cold arctic air mass persisted across northwest Canada and southeast Alaska panhandle. An Arctic front on the 8th was positioned off shore of the panhandle. A low moved across the gulf and into southeast Alaska on the 9th.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in North Dakota, January 8 to 9, 200929 eventsA strong winter storm system brought moderate to heavy snow, areas of freezing rain, and considerable blowing and drifting snow to much of west and central North Dakota from early morning Thursday, January 8th, through Friday afternoon, January 9th.
• Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in New York, January 8, 20099 eventsA cold west to northwest flow of air traversing the Great Lakes, combined with the passage of an upper level disturbance, led to numerous snow showers and embedded heavier snow squalls across portions of the southwest Adirondacks, the central and eastern Mohawk Valley, the…
• Winter Weather in Vermont, January 8, 20092 eventsA cold west to northwest flow of air traversing the Great Lakes, combined with the passage of an upper level disturbance, led to numerous snow showers and embedded heavier snow squalls across portions of southwest Vermont during Thursday January 8th.
• Winter Weather in Massachusetts, January 8, 20091 eventA cold west to northwest flow of air traversing the Great Lakes, combined with the passage of an upper level disturbance, led to numerous snow showers and embedded heavier snow squalls across portions of the Berkshires during Thursday January 8th.
• Extreme Cold in Alaska, January 8 to 9, 20093 eventsThe combination of a very cold airmass that was established in late December, and a period of strong wind, combined to produce low wind chills in the passes of the Alaska Range and in the Upper Yukon Valley on January 8th and 9th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, January 8 to 9, 20092 eventsCold northwesterly winds off of Lake Michigan produced locally heavy lake effect snow in Northwest Lower Michigan. Bellaire, Mancelona, and Kalkaska picked up 6 to 8 inches of snow, mostly during the evening hours of the 8th.
• Winter Weather in Minnesota, January 8 to 9, 20091 death · 3 injured · 6 eventsSnow accumulated 2 to 4 inches in southwest Minnesota, away from the far southwest corner of the state, during the evening of January 8th and the predawn hours of January 9th. The snow was accompanied by areas of freezing drizzle.
• Winter Weather in Wisconsin, January 9, 200911 eventsSnow fell across south-central and southeast Wisconsin on January 9th during a 9-hour period, with the greatest accumulations south of a Madison to Milwaukee line.
• Heavy Snow in North Dakota, January 9, 20094 eventsA narrow band of 6 to 8 inches of snow fell across southwest Benson County, western Eddy County, southwest Griggs County, and northwest Barnes County.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Indiana, January 9 to 10, 20093 injured · 6 eventsA low pressure system tracked east-northeast through the Ohio Valley late January 9th into January 10th. A narrow band of heavy snow fell on the northern fringe of this storm system across northern Indiana, with total snowfall amounts generally ranging between 5 and 10 inches.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 20098 eventsSix to twelve inches of snow fell south of the I-96 corridor over south and southwest Michigan on the ninth and tenth. The snow began during the morning of the ninth and continued through the early evening hours.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 20095 eventsA low pressure system tracked east-northeast through the Ohio Valley late January 9th into January 10th.
• Heavy Snow in Ohio, January 9 to 10, 20093 eventsA low pressure system tracked east-northeast through the Ohio Valley late January 9th into January 10th. A narrow band of heavy snow fell on the northern fringe of this storm system across northwest Ohio, with total snowfall amounts generally ranging between 5 and 9 inches.
• Winter Storm in Ohio, January 9 to 10, 2009$3.4 million · 19 eventsLow pressure tracked eastward from the Mississippi Valley, and moved through the Ohio Valley on the 10th. With the low tracking south of the region colder air was able to remain in place allowing for mainly snow.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 9 to 10, 20097 eventsA strong low pressure system tracked east along the Ohio River, producing 6 to 9 inches of snow along and south of M-59. Snowfall totals quickly tapered off north of M-59.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, January 9 to 10, 200910 eventsLow pressure moved into Kansas and deepened during the afternoon of the 9th and moved east across northern Missouri during the night and morning hours of the 10th. A very strong temperature contrast became established along a frontal boundary extending through the low.
• Heavy Snow in Pennsylvania, January 9 to 10, 200910 eventsA strong storm system brought heavy snow to portions of western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio with snow accumulations of 7 to 10 inches by late afternoon on January 10th.
• Heavy Snow in Ohio, January 9 to 10, 20091 eventA strong storm system brought heavy snow to portions of western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio with snow accumulations of 7 to 10 inches by late afternoon on January 10th.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, January 9 to 10, 200911 eventsLow pressure tracked from the southern Plains to southern Missouri and then to the Ohio Valley on January 9-10, 2009. A frontal boundary draped across eastern Iowa and northern Illinois focused a band of moderate to heavy snow.
• Heavy Snow in Illinois, January 9 to 10, 20093 eventsLow pressure tracked from the southern Plains to southern Missouri and then to the Ohio Valley on January 9-10, 2009. A frontal boundary draped across eastern Iowa and northern Illinois focused a band of moderate to heavy snow.
• Winter Storm in Illinois, January 9 to 10, 20096 eventsA winter storm moved northeast across the Ohio Valley on January 9th and 10th. Snow developed over northern Illinois during the mid to late evening of January 9th and continued into the late afternoon of January 10th.
• Winter Weather in Wisconsin, January 9 to 10, 20098 eventsThis was round number two of two days of dry, fluffy, snow falling over roughtly the same area in south-central and southeast Wisconsin.
• Ice Storm in Ohio, January 10, 200910 eventsLow pressure tracked eastward through the southern Ohio Valley, with a prolonged period of freezing rain occurring along the Interstate 70 corridor in Ohio.
• Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, January 10, 200914 eventsA clipper-like system brought moderate to heavy snowfall to north central Pennsylvania. The snow started early in the morning and tapered off in the evening.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 10 to 11, 200910 eventsAn area of high pressure early on the 10th gave way to an advancing low pressure system which traveled up the Ohio Valley. This system moved across the region during the nighttime hours of the 10th and then tracked to the northeast during the morning of the 11th.
• Winter Weather in New Jersey, January 10 to 11, 200912 eventsAn area of high pressure early on the 10th gave way to an advancing low pressure system which traveled up the Ohio Valley. This system moved across the region during the nighttime hours of the 10th and then tracked to the northeast during the morning of the 11th.
• Winter Weather in Kentucky, January 10, 20091 eventSpotty freezing rain fell in the morning hours of January 10th due to an approaching cold front. Cold air was also in place in the early morning, before warm air overspread the region and changed the precipitation to all rain.
• Winter Weather in North Carolina, January 10, 20093 eventsFreezing drizzle and light freezing rain produced slick spots on northern mountain roads. This resulted in numerous traffic accidents.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 10 to 11, 20094 eventsAn area of low pressure passed through the Mid-Atlantic on the 10th into the early morning hours of the 11th. The track of the low was far enough north for warmer air to be drawn into the storm system above the surface.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in New York, January 10 to 11, 200927 eventsA developing low pressure system tracked northeast from the lower Ohio Valley on Saturday January 10th, into central Pennsylvania Saturday night, and then east to a position off the New England coast by Sunday morning, January 11th.
• Winter Weather in Virginia, January 10 to 11, 20095 eventsAn area of low pressure passed through the Mid-Atlantic on the 10th into the early morning hours of the 11th. The track of the low was far enough north for warmer air to be drawn into the storm system above the surface.
• Winter Weather in Maryland, January 10 to 11, 20094 eventsAn area of low pressure passed through the Mid-Atlantic on the 10th into the early morning hours of the 11th. The track of the low was far enough north for warmer air to be drawn into the storm system above the surface.
• Winter Weather in Connecticut, January 10 to 11, 20092 eventsA developing low pressure system tracked northeast from the lower Ohio Valley on Saturday January 10th, into central Pennsylvania Saturday night, and then east to a position off the New England coast by Sunday morning, January 11th.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Massachusetts, January 10 to 11, 20092 eventsA developing low pressure system tracked northeast from the lower Ohio Valley on Saturday January 10th, into central Pennsylvania Saturday night, and then east to a position off the New England coast by Sunday morning, January 11th.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Vermont, January 10 to 11, 20093 eventsA developing low pressure system tracked northeast from the lower Ohio Valley on Saturday January 10th, into central Pennsylvania Saturday night, and then east to a position off the New England coast by Sunday morning, January 11th.
• Winter Storm in Vermont, January 10 to 11, 2009$30,000 · 6 eventsLow pressure moved across the Ohio River Valley and south of Long Island on January 10th to a position just south of Cape Cod by the morning of January 11th.
• Heavy Snow in Massachusetts, January 10 to 11, 20097 eventsA low pressure system moved across the Ohio Valley off the shore of New Jersey and south of Southern New England, spreading snow across the area.
• Heavy Snow in New Hampshire, January 10 to 11, 20093 eventsA low pressure system moved across the Ohio Valley off the shore of New Jersey and south of Southern New England, spreading snow across the area.
• Heavy Snow in New Hampshire, January 10 to 11, 200910 eventsAn area of low pressure located over the Ohio Valley on the morning of the 10th moved east to off the New England coast by the morning of the 11th. The low brought from 4 to 8 inches of snow to much of the state. Highest amounts were in the southern part of the state.
• Heavy Snow in Maine, January 11, 20092 eventsAn area of low pressure located over the Ohio Valley on the morning of the 10th moved east to off the New England coast by the morning of the 11th. The low brought from 4 to 8 inches of snow to York County with generally 3 to 6 inches across the remainder of western Maine.
• Blizzard in North Dakota, January 11 to 12, 20098 eventsTwo to 5 inches of snow fell from just west of Devils Lake down into the southern Red River Valley. The most snow, 4 to 5 inches, fell over western Barnes County, Ransom County, and western Sargent County.
• Blizzard in Minnesota, January 11 to 12, 20092 eventsTwo to 5 inches of snow fell from just west of Devils Lake down into the southern Red River Valley. The most snow, 4 to 5 inches, fell over western Barnes County, Ransom County, and western Sargent County.
• Blizzard in North Dakota, January 11 to 12, 200936 eventsA significant winter storm impacted all of western and central North Dakota beginning Sunday evening, January 11th, and lasting through the morning hours of Monday, January 12th.
• Blizzard in South Dakota, January 11 to 12, 200924 eventsA vigorous and fast moving upper level system moved through the region and brought 1 to 5 inches of snow along with very strong northwest winds. The snow combined with winds gusting over 60 mph brought widespread blizzard conditions.
• Winter Storm in Wyoming, January 11 to 12, 20092 eventsA deep low pressure system moved south out of Canada and into the Western Dakotas. Northwest winds behind the low produced strong upslope flow over the Big Horn Mountains and portions of Sheridan County resulting in accumulating snowfall.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 12, 20091 eventA northwest flow behind a cold front triggered snow showers across eastern West Virginia along and west of the Allegheny front. The snow fell during the early morning hours of the 12th.
• Winter Weather in Colorado, January 12, 20097 eventsBeulah (Pueblo County)...and Monument (El Paso County) noted 6 inches of snow...while 9 inches of snow was measured around Cuchara (Huerfano County).
• Winter Storm in Minnesota, January 12, 20095 eventsA strong low pressure system over eastern South Dakota moved quickly east into western Wisconsin during the afternoon and evening hours on January 12th. This spread a band of heavy snow across portions of southeast Minnesota.
• Winter Storm in Iowa, January 12, 20091 eventA strong storm system and arctic cold front led to several inches of snow followed by sharp northwest winds, blowing snow, and extreme cold during the middle part of the month. Many schools were closed or had delays.
• Heavy Snow in Indiana, January 12 to 13, 20094 eventsA clipper system tracked east-southeast across the region late January 12th into January 13th. System snow late on January 12th quickly transitioned into heavy lake-effect snow showers on January 13th as cold air moved in over relatively warm lake waters.
• Winter Weather in Michigan, January 12 to 13, 20093 eventsLake effect snow showers fell over portions of west and central Upper Michigan on the 12th and 13th in the wake of an Arctic cold front. North wind gusts near 35 mph accompanying the front also caused considerable blowing and drifting of snow.
• Blizzard and Winter Weather in South Dakota, January 12, 200921 eventsStrong north to northwest winds, gusting to over 50 mph, combined with existing loose snow cover and 1 to 3 inches of new snow to produce blizzard conditions with widespread visibilities near zero over parts of southeast South Dakota during the day and early evening of January…
• Blizzard in Alaska, January 12, 20092 eventsA strong storm and associated front moved from the north Pacific toward the central Aleutians. Strong wind and snow in advance of the front produced blizzard conditions.
• Winter Storm in Nebraska, January 12, 20094 eventsHigh winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts to around 60 mph, combined with snow to create low visibilities in snow and blowing snow across eastern Cherry, Keya Paha, and Brown County during the late morning and early afternoon hours on January 12, 2009.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Minnesota, January 12, 20091 death · 20 eventsA fast moving, but intense Alberta Clipper system, brought light snowfall across much of southern and portions of west central Minnesota Monday January 12th. However, very strong winds developed as an area of low pressure intensified across central Minnesota.
• Blizzard and High Wind in Nebraska, January 12, 20092 injured · 50 kt wind · 16 eventsIntense low pressure that tracked from southeast South Dakota into Iowa brought strong winds...snow and areas of zero visibilities in blowing snow to much of eastern Nebraska.
• Blizzard and Winter Weather in Iowa, January 12, 20095 eventsIntense low pressure that tracked from southeast South Dakota into Iowa brought strong winds...snow and areas of poor visibilities in blowing snow to much of eastern Nebraska and parts of western Iowa.
• Blizzard and Winter Weather in Minnesota, January 12, 20098 eventsStrong north to northwest winds, gusting to over 50 mph, combined with existing loose snow cover and 1 to 3 inches of new snow to produce blizzard conditions with widespread visibilities near zero over much of southwest Minnesota during the day and early evening of January 12th.
• Blizzard and Winter Weather in Iowa, January 12, 200911 eventsStrong north to northwest winds, gusting to over 50 mph, combined with existing loose snow cover and 1 to 3 inches of new snow to produce blizzard conditions with widespread visibilities near zero over parts of northwest Iowa during the day and early evening of January 12th.
• Blizzard in Nebraska, January 12, 20092 eventsStrong north to northwest winds, gusting to over 50 mph, combined with existing loose snow cover and 1 to 2 inches of new snow to produce blizzard conditions with widespread visibilities near zero over extreme northeast Nebraska during the day and early evening of January 12th.
• Winter Weather in Wisconsin, January 12, 20091 death · 1 eventSeveral inches of snow led to difficult driving conditions across parts of western Wisconsin during the afternoon and evening of January 12th.
• Winter Weather in Wisconsin, January 12 to 13, 200920 eventsAn Alberta-clipper winter weather event affected south-central and southeast Wisconsin with new snow accumulations and gusty northwest winds that led to some blowing and drifting snow.
• Blizzard in Iowa, January 12 to 13, 20092 eventsA strong arctic front combined with newly fallen snow of 2 to 4 inches caused blizzard conditions across a small portion of northeast Iowa on January 12-13, 2009.
• Winter Storm in Michigan, January 12 to 13, 20095 eventsA low pressure system would strengthen as it crossed Southern Lower Michigan in the early morning hours of the 13th. A widespread 2 to 4 inches of snow fell in most of Northern Michigan, with some blowing and drifting due to gusty and shifting winds.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, January 12 to 13, 20092 eventsA clipper system tracked east-southeast across the region late January 12th into January 13th. System snow late on January 12th quickly transitioned into heavy lake-effect snow showers on January 13th as cold air moved in over relatively warm lake waters.
• Extreme Cold in Wisconsin, January 13 to 16, 20091 death · 8 eventsA strong cold front passed through northwestern Wisconsin during the late afternoon of the 12th. Arctic air became firmly entrenched after the frontal passage, and temperatures fell below zero and remained there through the morning of the 16th.
• Extreme Cold in Minnesota, January 13 to 16, 200915 eventsA strong cold front passed through northeastern Minnesota during the day on the 12th. Arctic air became firmly entrenched after the frontal passage, and temperatures fell below zero and remained there through the morning of the 16th.
• Cold in Wisconsin, January 13, 20099 eventsBitter cold arctic air poured into South-central and Southeast Wisconsin on January 13th in the wake of an Alberta Clipper low pressure. At sunrise air temperatures ranged from -3 to +5, however, by late morning air temperatures ranged from -2 to +7 across southern Wisconsin.
• Winter Weather in New York, January 13, 20091 eventAn arctic cold front approached the southwest Adirondacks from the west during Tuesday afternoon and evening on January 13th, and swept east of the region by early Wednesday morning January 14th.
• Cold in North Dakota, January 13 to 16, 200945 eventsVery cold arctic air sank into the Northern Plains in mid January 2009. The light winds of 5 to 15 mph at times caused wind chills to run 40 to 60 below zero across much of eastern North Dakota. Wind chills fell to 40 to 50 below zero Tuesday evening into Wednesday.
• Winter Weather in West Virginia, January 13 to 14, 20091 eventA northwest flow behind a cold front triggered snow showers across eastern West Virginia along and west of the Allegheny front. The snow fell during the afternoon of the 13th and lasted into the early morning hours of the 14th.
• Blizzard and Ice Storm in Alaska, January 13 to 16, 200912 eventsA 965 mb low across the eastern Aleutians re-developed across southwest Alaska on the evening of the 14th, and lifted north to northwest Alaska on the morning of the 15th. The low brought heavy snow and freezing rain to a large portion of northern Alaska.

The snowstorm of December 21 to 23, 2008The snowstorm of January 17 to 19, 2009Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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