The snowstorm of October 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

126

Deaths

0

Injuries

0

Damage

$10,000

Episodes

19

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 Washington, October 26 to 27, 20093 eventsA Pacific frontal system brought heavy snow to all three mountain zones. The heaviest amounts (up to 16 inches) occurred near Stevens Pass, helped by the Puget Sound Convergence Zone. The was the first major mountain snowfall of the season.
• Winter Storm and High Wind in Utah, October 27 to 29, 200957 kt wind · 5 eventsA cold Pacific storm system and the associated cold front moved through the state of Utah, bringing heavy snow to some of the higher terrain and strong winds to the deserts.
• Heavy Snow in Montana, October 27 to 28, 200914 eventsA vigorous late autumn storm brought heavy snow and cold temperatures to a portion of North central Montana. Snow amounts exceeded 20 inches at some mountain locations.
• Heavy Snow in Nebraska, October 27 to 30, 200920 eventsA strong Pacific storm brought cold air and abundant moisture to the area. A long duration upslope flow created favorable conditions for heavy snow. This storm produced dangerous winter storm conditions over a wide area of southeast Wyoming and western Nebraska.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Colorado, October 27 to 30, 200916 eventsA significant early season snowstorm occurred across north central and northeast Colorado. Storm totals ranged from 20 to 46 inches in the Front Range Mountains and Foothills, 12 to 26 inches across the Urban Corridor, and 4 to 12 inches over the Northeast Plains of Colorado.
• Winter Storm in Nebraska, October 28 to 30, 200920 eventsA potent upper level low pressure system brought heavy snow to much of western and north central Nebraska beginning on October 28th and persisting through October 30th. Snowfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches fell across the eastern Panhandle on October 28th and 29th.
• Heavy Snow in New Mexico, October 28 to 29, 200911 eventsSnow blanketed much of northern and western New Mexico over a 2 day period in late October. A slow moving storm system dove south across Utah and Arizona before slowing down and moving east across the Land of Enchantment.
• Heavy Snow and High Wind in New Mexico, October 28 to 29, 200963 kt wind · 2 eventsAn unseasonably cold upper low moved across the southern Rockies producing heavy snow in the Sacramento Mountains. In addition, strong winds aloft mixed down to the surface resulting in wind gusts to greater than 70 mph.
• Winter Storm and Winter Weather in South Dakota, October 28 to 29, 200913 eventsA strong winter storm moved across the region, bringing snow and gusty winds to southwestern South Dakota. Four to seven inches of snow fell over the plains.
• Winter Storm in Wyoming, October 28 to 29, 20091 eventA strong winter storm crossed the region, bringing snow to much of northeastern Wyoming. The heaviest snow fell across the higher elevations of the Wyoming Black Hills, where five to ten inches of snow accumulated. The highest amount reported was ten inches southeast of Hulett.
• Heavy Snow in Alaska, October 28 to 31, 20092 eventsA 972 mb low in the Northeast Gulf of Alaska Combined with a 1028 mb high near the Brooks Range to produce heavy upslope snow across the north slopes of the Eastern Alaska Range and in portions of the Upper Tanana Valley south of the Alaska Highway.
• Winter Weather in Texas, October 29, 20091 eventA potent upper air storm system passed over west Texas early on the 29th. A relatively cold air mass was in place over the region, and some of the precipitation during the morning hours fell as a wintry mix over much of the western and central South Plains, and as light snow…
• Heavy Snow in Colorado, October 29 to 30, 20091 eventA slow-moving low pressure area brought six to ten inches of snow across extreme northwest Kansas, southwest Nebraska and eastern Yuma county Colorado. Winds of 15 to 25 mph produced occasional blowing snow and reduced visibility.
• Heavy Snow in Kansas, October 29 to 30, 2009$10,000 · 3 eventsA slow-moving low pressure area brought six to ten inches of snow across extreme northwest Kansas, southwest Nebraska and eastern Yuma county Colorado. Winds of 15 to 25 mph produced occasional blowing snow and reduced visibility.
• Heavy Snow in Nebraska, October 29 to 30, 20093 eventsA slow-moving low pressure area brought six to ten inches of snow across extreme northwest Kansas, southwest Nebraska and eastern Yuma county Colorado. Winds of 15 to 25 mph produced occasional blowing snow and reduced visibility.
• Heavy Snow in Nebraska, October 29 to 30, 20091 eventA strong upper level low pressure system deepened across the desert southwest, eventually shifting northeast out of the southern Rocky Mountains and across the Central Plains.
• Winter Weather in South Dakota, October 30, 20095 eventsWidespread rain changed to wet snow over much of southeast south Dakota. Snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches were reported in an area north of Interstate 90 from Plankinton to De Smet to Brookings during the morning and early afternoon.
• Winter Weather in Minnesota, October 30, 20091 eventRain changed to wet snow in part of southwest Minnesota. Snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches were reported in Lincoln County Minnesota, including the Hendricks area, during the morning and early afternoon. A few vehicles slid off roads into roadside ditches.
• Heavy Snow in Minnesota, October 30, 20094 eventsA strong low pressure system moved out of the Four Corners region into the upper Midwest. Ahead of the low, abundant moisture streamed northward. As cold air was drawn into the system during the late morning and early afternoon of the 30th, the rain changed over to snow.

The snowstorm of October 21 to 24, 2009The snowstorm of November 12 to 17, 2009Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

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