List of major snow and ice events in the United States

(Redirected from North American winter)

The following is a list of major snow and ice events in the United States that have caused noteworthy damage and destruction in their wake. The categories presented below are not used to measure the strength of a storm, but are rather indicators of how severely the snowfall affected the population in the storm's path. Some information such as snowfall amounts or lowest pressure may be unavailable due to a lack of documentation. Winter storms can produce both ice and snow, but are usually more notable in one of these two categories. The "Maximum accumulation" sections reflect the more notable category which is represented in inches of snow unless otherwise stated. Only category 1 and higher storms as defined by their regional snowfall index are included here.

  • Note: A blizzard is defined as having sustained winds of at least 35 mph for three hours or more.
Regional Snowfall Index
CategoryRSI valueDescription
Five 18.0+    Extreme  
Four  10–18    Crippling  
Three  6–10    Major  
Two  3–6    Significant  
One  1–3    Notable  
Zero  <1.0    Nuisance  

Seasonal summaries

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The following is a table that shows North American winter season summaries dating back to 2009. While there is no well-agreed-upon date used to indicate the start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, there are two definitions of winter which may be used. The first is astronomical winter, which has the season starting on a date known as the winter solstice, often on or around December 21. The season lasts until the spring equinox, which often occurs on or around March 20. The second has to do with meteorological winter which varies with latitude for a start date.[1] Winter is often defined by meteorologists to be the three calendar months with the lowest average temperatures. Since both definitions span the start of the calendar year, it is possible to have a winter storm occur two different years.

Winter SeasonMaximum accumulationNumber of RSI events
2009–2010053 53 inches (130 cm)
(February 25–27, 2010)
005 7
2010–2011041 50 inches (130 cm)
(January 16–20, 2012)
007 10
2011–2012053 53 inches (130 cm)
(February 25–27, 2010)
007 3
2012–2013040 40 inches (100 cm)
(February 7–18, 2013)
007 9
2013–2014058 58 inches (150 cm)
(October 3–7, 2013)
014 10
2014–2015088 88 inches (220 cm)
(November 13–21, 2014)
016 9
2015–2016051 51.3 inches (130 cm)
(April 15–23, 2016)
015 4
2016–2017058 58 inches (150 cm)
(March 11–15, 2017)
016 4
2017–2018039 39.3 inches (100 cm)
(March 1–3, 2018)
008 7
2018–2019052 52 inches (130 cm)
(March 8–16, 2019)
016 8
2019–2020114 114 inches (290 cm)
(Mid-March blizzard)
012 1
2020–2021107 107 inches (270 cm)
(January 25–February 3, 2021)
010 6
2021–20226060 inches (150 cm)
(December 13–18, 2021)
010 4
2022–20238181.2 inches (206 cm)
(November 16–20, 2022)
010 3

18th–19th century

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YearDateMaximum accumulationLowest pressureType
1717[a]February 27 – March 7Storm
1804October 4–11048 48 inches (120 cm)977 977 hPa (28.9 inHg)[b]Blizzard
1886January 6–11018 18.5 inches (47 cm)Blizzard
1888January 12–13006 6 inches (15 cm)
March 11–14058 58 inches (150 cm)982 982 hPa (29.0 inHg)
1899February 10–14[2]

20th century

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The Great Blizzard of 1978 was the most intense storm of the 20th century.
YearDateMaximum accumulationLowest pressureTypeCategory
(RSI)
1905November 27–28[3]991 991 hPa (29.3 inHg)Storm
1913November 6–11024 24 inches (61 cm)969 968.5 hPa (28.60 inHg)Blizzard
1920March 15–18Blizzard
1922January 27–29BlizzardCategory 5
1940November 10–12027 27 inches (69 cm)971 971 hPa (28.7 inHg)Blizzard
1944December 10-13027 36 inches (91 cm)StormCategory 3
1947December 25–26026 26.4 inches (67 cm)BlizzardCategory 3
1950November 24–30057 57 inches (140 cm)978 978 hPa (28.9 inHg)BlizzardCategory 5
1952February 17–18Storm
1956March 18–19Blizzard
1958March 18–21StormCategory 3
1960December 11–12021 21.4 inches (54 cm)966 966 hPa (28.5 inHg)BlizzardCategory 2
1961January 1–3008 8 inches (20 cm)[c]Ice storm
1963October 25–30048 48 inches (120 cm)948 948 hPa (28.0 inHg)[d]Storm
1966January 27–31103 103 inches (260 cm)BlizzardCategory 4
1967January 26–27023 23 inches (58 cm)997 997 hPa (29.4 inHg)BlizzardCategory 5
1969February 8–10970 970 hPa (29 inHg)BlizzardCategory 2
March 5–8Storm
December 25–28976 976 hPa (28.8 inHg)Storm
1971March 3–5Blizzard
1973December 16–17001 1 inch (2.5 cm)[c]992 992 hPa (29.3 inHg)Ice storm
1975January 9–12027 27 inches (69 cm)961 961 hPa (28.4 inHg)BlizzardCategory 3
1976February 2056 56 inches (140 cm)957 957 hPa (28.3 inHg)Blizzard
1977January 28 – February 1100 100 inches (250 cm)Blizzard
1978January 25–27036 36 inches (91 cm)956 955.5 hPa (28.22 inHg)BlizzardCategory 5
February 5–7040 40 inches (100 cm)BlizzardCategory 5
1979January 13–14021 21 inches (53 cm)BlizzardCategory 4
1991October 31 – November 3037 37 inches (94 cm)984 984 hPa (29.1 inHg)BlizzardCategory 5
1992December 10–12048 48 inches (120 cm)985 985 hPa (29.1 inHg)BlizzardCategory 2
1993March 12–15069 69 inches (180 cm)960 960 hPa (28 inHg)BlizzardCategory 5
1995February 2–6020 20 inches (51 cm)962 962 hPa (28.4 inHg)StormCategory 2
1996January 6–10048 48 inches (120 cm)980 980 hPa (29 inHg)BlizzardCategory 5
1997March 31 – April 1979 979 hPa (28.9 inHg)BlizzardCategory 2
October 24–26Storm
1998January 4–10005 5 inches (13 cm)[c]Ice storm
1999January 2–4022 21.6 inches (55 cm)StormCategory 4
January 14–15Ice storm

21st century

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The 2016 United States winter storm is the latest "Category 5" (Extreme) storm to hit the United States as classified by NOAA.

2000s

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YearDateMaximum accumulationLowest pressureTypeCategory
(RSI)
2000January 18–30030 30 inches (76 cm)BlizzardCategory 3
December 27–31030 30 inches (76 cm)StormCategory 2
2002January 29–31003 3 inches (7.6 cm)[c]Ice stormCategory 2
February 7994 994 hPa (29.4 inHg)Storm
December 4–5Ice storm
2003February 14–19044 44 inches (110 cm)999 999 hPa (29.5 inHg)BlizzardCategory 4
December 5–8036 35.6 inches (90 cm)992 992 hPa (29.3 inHg)BlizzardCategory 3
2004December 21–24059 39 inches (99 cm)984 984 hPa (29.1 inHg)StormCategory 4
December 24–28018 18 inches (46 cm)[e]964 964 hPa (28.5 inHg)Storm
2005January 20–23041 40.5 inches (103 cm)BlizzardCategory 4
December 14–16001 0.75 inches (1.9 cm)[c]Ice storm
2006February 11–13030 30.2 inches (77 cm)971 971 hPa (28.7 inHg)BlizzardCategory 2
October 11–13024 24 inches (61 cm)980 980 hPa (29 inHg)Storm
November 20–24005 5 inches (13 cm)[f]944 944 hPa (27.9 inHg)Storm
November 26 – December 1Storm
December 20–31032 32 inches (81 cm)[a]Blizzard
2007January 11–24004 4 inches (10 cm)[c]961 961 hPa (28.4 inHg)Ice stormCategory 2
February 12–20048 48 inches (120 cm)970 970 hPa (29 inHg)BlizzardCategory 3
April 13–17023 23 inches (58 cm)969 969 hPa (28.6 inHg)StormCategory 1
November 29 – December 4014 14 inches (36 cm)[a]952 952 hPa (28.1 inHg)Storm
November 29 – December 5044 44 inches (110 cm)976 976 hPa (28.8 inHg)Storm
December 8–18024 24 inches (61 cm)[a]974 974 hPa (28.8 inHg)Various
2008January 3–11956 956 hPa (28.2 inHg)Blizzard
March 6–10029 28.5 inches (72 cm)984 984 hPa (29.1 inHg)Blizzard
December 11–12Ice storm
December 19–25Storm
2009January 25–30003 2.5 inches (6.4 cm)[c]999 999 hPa (29.5 inHg)Ice storm
October 13–20023 23 inches (58 cm)966 966 hPa (28.5 inHg)Blizzard
December 16–20026 26.3 inches (67 cm)968 968 hPa (28.6 inHg)BlizzardCategory 4
December 22–28040 40 inches (100 cm)985 985 hPa (29.1 inHg)BlizzardCategory 5

2010s

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YearDateMaximum accumulationLowest pressureTypeCategory
(RSI)
2010February 5–6038 38.3 inches (97 cm)978 978 hPa (28.9 inHg)BlizzardCategory 4
February 9–10028 27.5 inches (70 cm)969 969 hPa (28.6 inHg)BlizzardCategory 2
February 25–27053 53 inches (130 cm)972 972 hPa (28.7 inHg)BlizzardCategory 4
March 12–16993 993 hPa (29.3 inHg)Storm
October 23–28009 9 inches (23 cm)955 955.2 hPa (28.21 inHg)Blizzard
December 5–29036 36 inches (91 cm)960 960 hPa (28 inHg)BlizzardCategory 2
2011January 8–13041 40.5 inches (103 cm)BlizzardCategory 2
January 25–27BlizzardCategory 1
January 31 – February 2027 27 inches (69 cm)996 996 hPa (29.4 inHg)BlizzardCategory 5
October 28 – November 1032 32 inches (81 cm)971 971 hPa (28.7 inHg)BlizzardCategory 1
November 8–10006 6.4 inches (16 cm)943 943 hPa (27.8 inHg)Blizzard
2012January 16–20050 50 inches (130 cm)992 992 hPa (29.3 inHg)Blizzard
October 29 – November 2036 36 inches (91 cm)940 940 hPa (28 inHg)[g]Storm
November 7–10014 13.5 inches (34 cm)984 984 hPa (29.1 inHg)StormCategory 1
December 17–22015 15.2 inches (39 cm)971 971 hPa (28.7 inHg)BlizzardCategory 2
December 25–28027 27 inches (69 cm)968 968 hPa (28.6 inHg)BlizzardCategory 1
2013February 7–18040 40 inches (100 cm)968 968 hPa (28.6 inHg)BlizzardCategory 3
March 1–10036 36 inches (91 cm)986 986 hPa (29.1 inHg)BlizzardCategory 2
October 3–5058 58 inches (150 cm)999 999 hPa (29.5 inHg)BlizzardCategory 3
November 22-27048 48 inches (120 cm)N/A N/AStorm
December 19–23014 14 inches (36 cm)997 997 hPa (29.4 inHg)Storm
2014December 30 – January 6024 23.8 inches (60 cm)936 936 hPa (27.6 inHg)StormCategory 2
January 19–24018 18.3 inches (46 cm)962 962 hPa (28.4 inHg)BlizzardCategory 1
January 27–31010 10 inches (25 cm)999 999 hPa (29.5 inHg)BlizzardCategory 1
February 11–24028 27.5 inches (70 cm)968 968 hPa (28.6 inHg)BlizzardCategory 4
November 7–13Blizzard
November 13–21088 88 inches (220 cm)961 961 hPa (28.4 inHg)Storm
2015January 23–30036 36 inches (91 cm)970 970 hPa (29 inHg)BlizzardCategory 3
January 31 – February 2024 24.1 inches (61 cm)978 978 hPa (28.9 inHg)BlizzardCategory 3
February 12–17027 27.4 inches (70 cm)958 958 hPa (28.3 inHg)BlizzardCategory 1
March 1–6055 54.6 inches (139 cm)993 993 hPa (29.3 inHg)Blizzard
November 24–27002 1.5 inches (3.8 cm)[c]994 994 hPa (29.4 inHg)Ice storm
December 26–30041 41 inches (100 cm)989 989 hPa (29.2 inHg)Blizzard
2016January 21–24042 42 inches (110 cm)983 983 hPa (29.0 inHg)BlizzardCategory 5
January 29 – February 7041 41 inches (100 cm)BlizzardCategory 2
February 7–10011 11 inches (28 cm)976 976 hPa (28.8 inHg)Blizzard
February 23–24017 17 inches (43 cm)Storm
March 21–25033 32.5 inches (83 cm)989 989 hPa (29.2 inHg)Blizzard
April 15–23051 51.3 inches (130 cm)999 999 hPa (29.5 inHg)Blizzard
2017January 4–8056 56 inches (140 cm)987 987 hPa (29.1 inHg)BlizzardCategory 2
January 7–13, 19–24
February 8–22
Storm
January 10–17001 1 inch (2.5 cm)[c]999 999 hPa (29.5 inHg)Ice storm
February 6–10024 24 inches (61 cm)969 969 hPa (28.6 inHg)BlizzardCategory 1
February 12–15040 40 inches (100 cm)968 968 hPa (28.6 inHg)Blizzard
March 11–15058 58 inches (150 cm)974 974 hPa (28.8 inHg)BlizzardCategory 4
October 29-3108.4 8.4 inches (21 cm)975 975 hPa (28.8 inHg)Storm
December 8-1025 25 inches (64 cm)StormCategory 2
2018January 2–4022 22 inches (56 cm)949 949 hPa (28.0 inHg)BlizzardCategory 1
March 1–3039.3 39.3 inches (100 cm)974 974 hPa (28.8 inHg)BlizzardCategory 1
March 6–8036 36 inches (91 cm)986 986 hPa (29.1 inHg)BlizzardCategory 1
March 20–22020.1 20.1 inches (51 cm)988 988 hPa (29.2 inHg)StormCategory 2
April 13–15033 33 inches (84 cm)985 985 hPa (29.1 inHg)StormCategory 4
2019January 16–21052 52 inches (130 cm)StormCategory 1
February 11–13026.5 26.5 inches (67 cm)Blizzard
March 8–16052 52 inches (130 cm)968 968 hPa (28.6 inHg)BlizzardCategory 1
April 10–14030 30 inches (76 cm)982 982 hPa (29.0 inHg)BlizzardCategory 3
November 26 – December 3973 973 hPa (28.7 inHg)BlizzardCategory 2

2020s

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YearDateMaximum accumulationLowest pressureTypeCategory
(RSI)
2020January 15–18037 37 inches (94 cm)979 979 hPa (28.9 inHg)Blizzard
February 2–5023.5 23.5 inches (60 cm)943 943 hPa (27.8 inHg)[h]Storm
February 9–13013 13 inches (33 cm)920 920 hPa (27 inHg)[i]Blizzard
October 29–3006.5 6.5 inches (17 cm)970 970 hPa (29 inHg)[j]Storm
November 29–December 2024 24 inches (61 cm)989 989 hPa (29.2 inHg)Storm
December 4–6018 18 inches (46 cm)976 976 hPa (28.8 inHg)Blizzard
December 14–18044 44 inches (110 cm)985 995 hPa (29.4 inHg)StormCategory 2
December 30–January 2, 2021024 24 inches (61 cm)1001 1,001 hPa (29.6 inHg)StormCategory 1
2021January 25–February 3036.1 36.1 inches (92 cm)985 984 hPa (29.1 inHg)BlizzardCategory 3
February 6–8014 14 inches (36 cm)960 960 hPa (28 inHg)Storm
February 13–17026 26 inches (66 cm)960 960 hPa (28 inHg)BlizzardCategory 3
February 15–20024 24 inches (61 cm)948 948 hPa (28.0 inHg)StormCategory 3
March 10–16052.5 52.5 inches (133 cm)980 980 hPa (29 inHg)BlizzardCategory 3
March 16–1706.2 6.2 inches (16 cm)997 997 hPa (29.4 inHg)Blizzard
April 15–17014 14 inches (36 cm)988 988 hPa (29.2 inHg)Storm
2022January 3-4015.5 15.5 inches (39 cm)980 980 hPa (29 inHg)Storm
January 14–17027.5 27.5 inches (70 cm)981 981 hPa (29.0 inHg)StormCategory 2
January 28–30030.4 30.4 inches (77 cm)969 969 hPa (28.6 inHg)BlizzardCategory 1
February 1–5047 37 inches (94 cm)1004 1,004 hPa (29.6 inHg)StormCategory 2
February 22-26047 12.2 inches (31 cm)N/A N/AStorm
April 11-13037 47 inches (120 cm)983 983 hPa (29.0 inHg)Storm
November 16–20081.6 81.6 inches (207 cm)N/AStorm
December 21–26043 56.5 inches (144 cm)963 963 hPa (28.4 inHg)BlizzardCategory 4
2023January 31 - February 2NA N/A1016 1,016 hPa (30.0 inHg)Storm
February 21-28N/A N/AN/A N/ABlizzardCategory 2
March 9-15043 42.1 inches (107 cm)N/A N/AStormCategory 2
2024January 7-10021 21 inches (53 cm)N/A N/AStormCategory 1
January 12-18049 49.5 inches (126 cm)983 983 hPa (29.0 inHg)StormCategory 1
February 10-13015 15.7 inches (40 cm)956 956 hPa (28.2 inHg)Storm

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d This event included multiple different storms.
  2. ^ The 1804 New England hurricane caused a major snow event.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Freezing rain
  4. ^ Hurricane Ginny caused a major snow event.
  5. ^ This storm was significant for its snow impact on Texas.
  6. ^ While this nor'easter was not a major snow event, it was notable for the earliest snowfall ever recorded in Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia.
  7. ^ Hurricane Sandy caused a major snow event.
  8. ^ Storm Ciara caused a major snow event.
  9. ^ Storm Dennis caused a major snow event.
  10. ^ Hurricane Zeta caused a moderate snow event.

References

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  1. ^ "Winter's Been Here Despite What the Calendar Says". NOAA Magazine. 22 December 2003. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  2. ^ Griffin, Melissa (February 11, 2015). "The Great Blizzard of 1899". WeatherSTEM.
  3. ^ C.P. Labadie. "Famous for all the wrong reasons". Duluth Seaway Port Authority. Archived from the original on June 8, 2010. Retrieved December 8, 2017.