The snowstorm of March 27 to 30, 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

491

Deaths

21

Injuries

32

Damage

$24 million

Episodes

59

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 Winter Storm in Wyoming, March 26, 20096 eventsA strong spring storm developed over eastern Colorado and produced snow and strong winds over far southeastern Wyoming.
• Winter Storm in Colorado, March 26 to 27, 20097 eventsAt Denver International Airport, hundreds of flights were canceled. In addition, schools throughout the region were shut down and many roads closed due to multiple accidents.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Colorado, March 26 to 27, 20096 eventsIn the Northeast Plains storm totals included: 10.5 inches, 6 miles south of New Raymer; 10 inches at Hugo, 8 inches, 6 miles north-northeast of Woodrow; 7.5 inches, 10 miles northwest of Yuma, 7 inches, 4 miles east of Akron and at Karval; and 6 inches at Fort Morgan.
• Blizzard in Alaska, March 26 to 27, 20091 eventA 975 mb low in the northern Gulf of Alaska combined with a 1048 mb high across central Russia to produce strong winds and blizzard conditions along portions of the Chukchi Sea coast from the early morning hours on the 26th through the morning hours on the 27th.
• Blizzard in Nebraska, March 26, 20091 eventA strong low pressure system over eastern Colorado produced blizzard conditions over parts of Kimball county. Interstate 80 was closed for a time due to many accidents.
• Blizzard in Colorado, March 26 to 27, 200913 eventsA blizzard impacted the I-25 corridor and the southeast plains of Colorado with snow amounts up to 20 inches...wind gusts in excess of 50 mph...and visibilites near zero at times.
• Blizzard in Colorado, March 26 to 27, 20093 eventsA slow-moving winter storm produced heavy snow and blizzard conditions across the eastern Colorado plains and western Kansas. Snow amounts of 6-12 inches in Colorado combined with 30-50 mph winds resulted in low visibility and significant drifting.
• Winter Storm in Kansas, March 26 to 27, 20096 eventsA slow-moving winter storm produced heavy snow and near-blizzard conditions across the eastern Colorado plains and western Kansas. Snow amounts of 4-8 inches in Kansas combined with 30-40 mph winds resulted in low visibility and significant drifting.
• Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in New Mexico, March 26 to 27, 20091 death · 13 eventsA storm from the Pacific Northwest slowly advanced toward New Mexico on the 25th, reached the Four Corners Region late on the 26th and inched across the state on the 27th. A strong cold front also backed down the eastern plains with strong and gusty winds.
• Blizzard in Texas, March 26 to 28, 2009$800,000 · 19 eventsA vigorous low pressure system in the upper atmosphere moved just south of the Texas Panhandle and produced blizzard conditions across all but the extreme southeast Texas Panhandle.
• Blizzard in Oklahoma, March 26 to 28, 2009$450,000 · 3 eventsA vigorous low pressure system in the upper atmosphere moved just south of the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles and produced widespread heavy snow...strong and gusty winds...and low visibilities.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Oklahoma, March 27 to 28, 20092 deaths · 5 injured · $1.9 million · 42 eventsA strong, late-season winter storm moved through parts of Oklahoma, producing record setting snowfall over western and northwest Oklahoma.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Kansas, March 27 to 28, 20093 deaths · 14 injured · $17 million · 26 eventsA late season winter storm of record breaking proportions struck central, south-central and southeast Kansas March 27-28, 2009. Heavy snow with blizzard conditions affected much of central and south-central Kansas, with accumulations exceeding 18 inches for some locations.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Texas, March 27, 2009$100,000 · 9 eventsA dangerous blizzard struck portions of the U.S. Southern Plains on the 27th. The storm resulted in numerous road closures and other serious public impacts as between 25 and 30 inches of wind blown snow blanketed portions of the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles, southwestern…
• Blizzard in Kansas, March 27 to 28, 200936 eventsA historic blizzard impacted much of southwest Kansas with record or near record snowfall recorded in some areas. There was a strip from southeast Clark county to Pratt county that had 28 to 31 inches of snow and 10 to 15 foot drifts.
• Winter Storm in Kansas, March 27 to 28, 20093 eventsA winter storm brought a variety of winter weather to extreme southeast Kansas into west central Missouri from the afternoon of January 27th into January 28th. A mix of freezing drizzle, freezing rain and sleet transitioned to a period of snow.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, March 27 to 28, 20091 eventA winter storm brought a variety of winter weather to extreme southeast Kansas into west central Missouri from the afternoon of January 27th into January 28th. A mix of freezing drizzle, freezing rain and sleet transitioned to a period of snow.
• Winter Storm in Kansas, March 27 to 28, 200911 eventsA complex weather event took shape over northeast Kansas, with the expected type of accumulating hydrometeor at the forefront of the challenge. Originally, the airmass over northeast Kansas looked capable of supporting snow through the duration of the winter weather event.
• Winter Weather in Texas, March 28, 20092 eventsA strong, late-season storm system moved through parts of western north Texas. A cold front moved through western north Texas during the morning hours of the 27th, dropping temperatures into 30s.
• Heavy Snow and High Wind in Oregon, March 28 to 29, 200973 kt wind · 3 eventsA small, quick moving shortwave and associated frontal system brought strong winds to the coast of northwest Oregon and a quick dose of heavy snow to the north Oregon Cascades.
• Winter Storm in Oklahoma, March 28, 200911 eventsA strong upper level low pressure system translated from northwestern Texas across southeastern Oklahoma into northeastern Arkansas. Rain associated with this system changed to snow during the morning of the 28th and continued into the evening.
• Heavy Snow in Washington, March 28 to 29, 20091 eventA Pacific frontal system brought heavy snow to the Central Cascades, mainly in the Mt Rainier area.
• Heavy Snow in Washington, March 28 to 29, 20091 eventA small, quick moving shortwave and associated frontal system brought a quick dose of heavy snow to the south Washington Cascades.
• Winter Storm in Kansas, March 28, 2009$2,000 · 5 eventsA strong early winter storm system, brought snow, sleet, and freezing rain, to extreme east central Kansas, on March 28, 2009.
• Winter Storm in Missouri, March 28, 200910 eventsA strong early spring storm system, brought a variety of wintry weather|to the area on March 28, 2009. Freezing rain, sleet, and snow was|observed, from the Kansas City Metropolitan area, extending northeast|to Trenton.
• Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, March 28 to 30, 200964 kt wind · 6 eventsAn intense storm moved into the Eastern Bering Sea Saturday. This storm packed high wind and snow as it moved across the Alaska Peninsula to the Bering Sea coast. Strong wind peaked at 100 KT at Saint George in the midst of the Blizzard on the 28th.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Iowa, March 28 to 29, 20099 eventsAn intense low pressure system in southwest Missouri tracked to northern Indiana on March 28-29, 2009. This produced a band of heavy snow in portions of eastern Iowa, with 4 to 7 inches of accumulation common. The most snow observed was 7 inches in the Cedar Rapids area.
• Winter Storm in Illinois, March 28 to 29, 20092 eventsA winter storm moved northeast across northern Illinois on March 28th and 29th, producing heavy wet snow which accumulated several inches.
• Winter Storm in Wisconsin, March 28 to 29, 20096 deaths · 4 injured · 10 eventsStrong low pressure tracked northeast from southeast Missouri to southeast Lower Michigan during the night of March 28th into the morning of March 29th. Maximum snowfall totals of 6 to 8 inches were recorded over Racine, Kenosha, and far southern Milwaukee counties.
• Winter Weather in Wisconsin, March 28 to 29, 20093 deaths · 2 injured · 8 eventsStrong low pressure tracked northeast from southeast Missouri to southeast Lower Michigan during the night of March 28th into the morning of March 29th. Maximum snowfall totals of 4 inches were recorded over Fond Du Lac, Iowa and northern Lafayette counties.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Idaho, March 28 to 30, 20096 eventsNine inthes to two feet of snow were common in high elevations and winds with the heavy snow caused road closures on both interstate 15 and interstate 84.
• Heavy Snow in Washington, March 28 to 29, 20091 eventUp to 6 inches of snow fell in the Cascade foothills, mainly between Eatonville and Enumclaw.
• Winter Storm in Montana, March 28 to 30, 200916 eventsA Pacific storm system along with associated surface low pressure over Wyoming brought heavy snow and gusty winds to a large portion of North Central Montana. Snowfall amounts in excess of 6 inches along with wind gusts greater than 25 mph were reported.
• Heavy Snow in Michigan, March 29, 20096 eventsAn occluding low pressure system moved from Missouri to Lake Huron, producing a burst of wintry precipitation across Northern Michigan, centered on daybreak of the 29th.
• Winter Weather in Illinois, March 29, 20094 eventsAn area of low pressure tracked form the lower Mississippi River Valley into the eastern Great Lakes on March 29th, bringing a swath of snow across west-central Illinois.
• Winter Weather in Michigan, March 29, 20092 eventsA low pressure system from the southern Plains lifted north through the Lower Great Lakes bringing moderate snow to portions of eastern Upper Michigan on the 29th.
• Extreme Cold in Alaska, March 29, 20091 eventTemperatures of 25 to 30 below combined with a northeast wind of 20 to 30 mph to produce wind chills as low as 64 below at Point Lay and 61 below at Atqasuk during the morning and early afternoon hours on the 29th.
• Winter Storm and High Wind in Utah, March 29 to 30, 2009$125,000 · 66 kt wind · 9 eventsA strong winter storm produced heavy snowfall over the Wasatch Range, while the associated cold front brought strong winds to much of the state of Utah.
• Blizzard and Heavy Snow in North Dakota, March 29 to 31, 200929 eventsA significant and complex spring storm impacted southwest and south central North Dakota beginning Sunday, March 29th, and lasting into Tuesday, March 31st. Winter storm warnings and blizzard warnings were posted well in advance of the storm.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Wyoming, March 29 to 30, 20092 eventsA second major snowstorm and blizzard within a weeks time brought heavy snow and strong winds to portions of Southern Montana and Northern Wyoming. This storm impacted areas that were hit hard by the March 23-24 storm.
• Winter Storm in Minnesota, March 29 to 31, 200917 eventsA Colorado Low took shape over northeast Colorado on Monday morning (30th), then tracked slowly to the northeast, reaching the arrowhead of Minnesota by Wednesday morning (April 1st).
• Winter Storm in North Dakota, March 29 to 31, 20097 eventsA Colorado Low took shape over northeast Colorado on Monday morning (30th), then tracked slowly to the northeast, reaching the arrowhead of Minnesota by Wednesday morning (April 1st).
• Blizzard in Alaska, March 29, 20091 eventA 964 mb low in Bristol Bay at 4 am on the 29th lifted to the north and weakened to 977 mb across the Yukon Delta by the evening hours of the 30th.
• Heavy Snow in Alaska, March 29, 20091 eventA strong low moves from the central Aleutain Islands to Southwest Alaska. The associated front band moved across the central gulf and swept into Southeast Alaska panhandle.
• Blizzard in South Dakota, March 30 to 31, 2009$3.3 million · 14 eventsThe second blizzard in a week brought heavy snow and strong winds to the western South Dakota plains. Northwest wind gusts to 50 mph produced significant blowing and drifting snow, reducing visibilities to near zero for many hours.
• Winter Storm in South Dakota, March 30 to 31, 2009$70,000 · 10 eventsThe second strong spring storm in a week brought heavy snow and gusty winds to the Black Hills and southwestern South Dakota plains. Snowfall across the plains and southern Black Hills was in the six to 12 inch range.
• Blizzard in South Dakota, March 30 to 31, 200926 eventsA major winter storm moved across the Northern Rockies and into the Northern Plains producing from 2 to 22 inches of snowfall along with widespread blizzard conditions. Most area schools and events were canceled. Travel was extremely difficult and not advised.
• Heavy Snow in Maine, March 30, 20092 eventsCold air wrapping around low pressure crossing the Gulf of Maine allowed rain to transition to snow across northern Aroostook county. The transition to snow occurred during the early morning hours of the 30th...with snow then continuing through the afternoon.
• Winter Storm in Wyoming, March 30 to 31, 20092 eventsThe second strong spring storm in a week brought heavy snow and gusty winds to the Wyoming Black Hills and adjacent plains. Snowfall amounts were six to 12 inches, with higher amounts over the Wyoming Black Hills.
• Winter Weather in Colorado, March 30, 20095 deaths · 5 injured · 3 eventsA band of heavy snow, induced by a strong upper level jetstream, wreaked havoc on the morning commute in Denver, as well as area north and east of the Denver area. The snow was heaviest on the east side of the Denver metro area where storm totals ranged from 2 to 5 inches.
• Winter Weather in New Mexico, March 30, 20091 death · 2 injured · 1 eventAn Illinois man died when two vehicles crashed on Interstate 40, 12 miles west of Gallup. The freeway was coated with slush and ice from an overnight light snow event.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Nebraska, March 30 to 31, 20096 eventsA strong spring storm system brought heavy snowfall of 3 to 8 inches along with strong northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts over 50 mph to portions of north central Nebraska.
• Blizzard and Winter Weather in South Dakota, March 30 to 31, 200921 eventsHeavy snow accompanied by winds gusting to over 40 mph produced blizzard conditions over southeast South Dakota away from the eastern border of the state. The blizzard began on the evening of March 30th and continued through the daytime hours of March 31st.
• Blizzard in Minnesota, March 30 to 31, 20092 eventsA major winter storm moved across the Northern Rockies and into the Northern Plains producing from 6 to 11 inches of snowfall across west central Minnesota along with widespread blizzard conditions. Most area schools and events were canceled.
• Heavy Snow in Washington, March 30 to 31, 20092 eventsA Pacific frontal system produced heavy snow in the Northern and Central Cascades. Snowfall was enhanced somewhat by a Puget Sound Convergence Zone.
• Winter Storm in Minnesota, March 31, 200913 eventsA broad and slow moving low pressure system brought a prolonged period of snow to northeast Minnesota. The snow began early in the morning and became heavy during the day, with snowfall rates of over 1 inch per hour.
• Winter Storm in Minnesota, March 31, 20099 eventsA very complex, but fast moving storm system provided a variety of weather elements across southern and central Minnesota late Monday night, and into Tuesday morning March 31.
• Winter Storm in Nebraska, March 31, 20092 eventsAn early spring storm brought strong winds and near-blizzard conditions to sections of northeast Nebraska the last day of March 2009.
• Winter Storm in Utah, March 31, 20092 eventsOne last winter storm arrived in Utah on the last day of March, bringing heavy snow and gusty winds to the Wasatch Mountains. Note that this episode continued into April.

The snowstorm of March 23 to 26, 2009The snowstorm of March 30 to April 2, 2009Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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