The snowstorm of October 2 to 7, 2013

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

73

Deaths

3

Injuries

0

Damage

$9.1 million

Episodes

9

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 Montana, October 2 to 4, 201319 eventsA mid-level low pressure center moved over the Montana/Idaho/Wyoming border bringing good synoptic lift and good moisture.
• Heavy Snow in Wyoming, October 3 to 4, 20132 eventsA strong early Fall storm system moved into the Northern Rockies bringing significant snow to portions of the Billings Forecast Area. Heavy snow fell mainly along and south of a Livingston-Billings-Miles City-Baker Montana line.
• Blizzard in South Dakota, October 3 to 5, 20133 deaths · 21 eventsA historic blizzard pounded western South Dakota with record-setting snowfall and strong winds for almost 48 hours from the evening of October 3 through the afternoon of October 5.
• Blizzard in Wyoming, October 3 to 5, 2013$1.1 million · 6 eventsA historic blizzard pounded northeastern Wyoming with heavy snow and strong winds. Snowfall ranged from six inches to more than two feet with blowing and drifting snow reducing visibility to near zero.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Nebraska, October 4 to 5, 20137 eventsA vigorous early season winter storm brought moderate to heavy snowfall and strong northerly winds to much of the western Nebraska Panhandle. Wind gusts to 50 mph created blizzard conditions across the northern Panhandle where visibilities were reduced to near zero.
• Winter Storm in Nebraska, October 4 to 5, 20133 eventsA winter storm brought heavy snow along with blowing and drifting snow to northwest Nebraska on October 4-5, 2013. Snowfall amounts were very heavy ranging to around 25 inches across far northwest Sheridan County with snow drifts up to 6 feet.
• Blizzard and Heavy Snow in North Dakota, October 4 to 5, 2013$8.0 million · 10 eventsAn intense very early winter storm October 4-5 impacted southwest and parts of south central North Dakota, bringing wind gusts over 45 mph and snowfall of twenty inches in some locations.
• Blizzard in South Dakota, October 4 to 5, 20134 eventsA very strong low pressure area moving across the region brought an early fall blizzard to most of the counties west of Missouri River on October 4th and 5th. The snowfall and blizzard conditions occurred mainly along the western parts of the counties.
• Cold in Oklahoma, October 6, 20131 eventCimarron County experienced a freeze during the early morning hours of the 6th. These subfreezing temperatures threatened sensitive vegetation during the growing season.

The snowstorm of April 30 to May 4, 2013The snowstorm of November 22 to 28, 2013Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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