Here you can see the day's top weather forecasts, stories and expert insights from the most trusted source in weather. Based on these NESIS values, there are five categories of winter storms, somewhat analogous to theSaffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale: Building off the work of Kocin and Uccellini, scientists at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) developed theRegional Snowfall Index (RSI)to rate snowstorms in other regions, mainly east of the Rockies, including the Midwest and South dating to 1900. Locations from Oklahoma to southernMissouri, southern Illinois, Kentucky, northern Tennessee, northeast Georgia and the Carolinas were impacted byfreezing rain, sleet and snow. This 1988 snowstorm was considered the heaviest snowstorm of the 20th century for the state of Arkansas. A foot or more snow fell from Kentucky and southern Ohio eastward to western North Carolina and northward into central New England. Snowdrifts covering parked cars on 110th Street after more than 20 inches of snow fell in two days in New York City in 1996. A whopping 25.9 inches of snow fell between December 16 and 18 that year. In February 2011, Super Bowl XLV was disrupted by a week-long snow/ice event in Arlington, Texas. Odds are a ruler won't cut it when measuring this one #mnwx #wiwx pic.twitter.com/rUgUd6vVFb. A three-day ice event ushering in 1961with not only freezing rain but also occasional freezing fog set a U.S. ice accumulation record of 8 inches in north-central Idaho. Estimated total losses in north Georgia: $48 million. Late on Thursday, Nov. 23, Olive moved through the Northeast with generally lighter snow and ice. 10 YEARS LATER: Many Superstorm Sandy victims in New Jersey are still paying for the storm. 2) Timing is not a factor. The week before Super Bowl XXXIV, an ice storm left half a million customers without power, some for more than a week. A powerful and menacing winter storm moved into Southern California on Friday, dumping heaps of rain and snow and prompting severe weather . 12, 1993, of the Superstorm of 1993. Did you know there is a system of rating winter storms, somewhat similar to theSaffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scaleand theEnhanced-Fujita scalefor tornadoes? Parts of the Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham metro areas were paralyzed for days. Sixteen inches of snow came to Portland on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, 1937, paralyzing traffic for . This was the snowstorm of record in Minneapolis/St. Over the past 150 years, the country has been pummeled with record-breaking blizzards. Necessities such as food and water were difficult to obtain and lines for gas were hours long. March 1-3, 2018 Winter Storm Riley: $2.2 billion, 8. Map of total snowfall from the Jan. 5-6, 1988 winter storm. Of the more than 310 weather and climate events with damages exceeding $1 billion since 1980, this storm is the country's second-most costly winter storm to date. The storm was so damaging that the National Weather Service in both Paducah and Louisville, Kentucky, rated it as the worst weather event of the decade for their respective areas. But when it comes to snowfall, this was a doozy. Here is a look at the Category 5 winter storms by region. The snow line will march back to its usual level above 4,000 feet by Saturday. A few spots clinched blizzard criteria, including Aberdeen, South Dakota. A winter storm is an event in which wind coincides with varieties of precipitation that only occur at freezing temperatures, such as snow, mixed snow and rain, or freezing rain. Others lost power for up to 10 days. At the time, this was the most destructive ice storm of record in New England. Days of freezing rain led to heavy ice accumulations of 1 to locally more than 2 inches in northern Arkansas and portions of Kentucky in late January 2009. 5 Storms (Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota; Iowa). Breaks in between bursts of snow across portions of the Midwest, including the Twin Cities, limited this storm from becoming a Top 10 snowstorm for the region as was originally forecast. Which City Is the Worst for Fall Allergies This Year? Accumulations of up to an inch were reported in central parts of the state. NWS released a warning that "extreme impacts" from the storm could hit the Twin Cities. In the Lower 48 states, blizzard conditions occur most frequently in the central and northern Plains. More than 2 million lost power. Title Description Type Air Time; AIRING NOW! Winter StormNeptuneand its associated wave of cold air affected the central and eastern United StatesFeb. 14-20, 2015. A steep change in pressure over a relatively short distance, because of a high-pressure zone over Southeast Canada, allowed extreme wind to develop, with gusts in excess of 100 mph in Newark; Hartford, Conn.; and Concord, N.H. All of that wind pulled plentiful moisture into the low, leading to flooding rain, destructive icing, and, along the spine of the Appalachians, more than 60 inches of snow. New York Citys transportation system took a particularly harsh beating, with passengers stranded in subway cars for up to nine hours and abandoned buses scattering the unplowed streets. Extensive damage totaling $3 billion was reported in portionsTexas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. The most destructive ice storms bring heavy ice accumulation, sometimes on the order of several inches. During the intermission, the theaters flat roof gave way under the weight of the wet snow, and concrete, bricks and metal rained down onto the audience. What made this storm particularly memorable was the aftermath. The snow really ramped up as an arctic cold front swept southward through the Rockies, Great Basin and Sierra on Feb. 21. Winter storms can unleash an array of hazardous weather, causing destruction that sometimes amounts to billions of dollars in damage. Known as the Cleveland Superbomb, the epic storm killed more than 70 people and shut down infrastructure across the region. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Roads from the teams' hotel to the Georgia Dome were too hazardous. A woman walks through drifting snow in Cambridge, Mass., Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015. This series was originally intended to premiere on June 7, 2020, but due to live coverage of Tropical Storm Cristobal, the premiere was instead set to June 14. The channel names storms alphabetically based on two criteria: if there is a National Weather Service . Many roads were blocked as well, making travel nearly impossible in some areas. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. "We will see very heavy snow falling at rates of 1 to, in some places, maybe even 2 inches per hour," DePodwin told Newsweek, adding that wind gusts could reach up to 40 miles per hour. All dollar amounts are adjusted for inflation. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. While some parts of the US see snow much of the year, other states are about to enter their frostiest season. The snowstorm in Washington, DC, on February 5-6, 2010 was dubbed "Snowmageddon," with 17.8 inches of snow. DC's largest snowstorm on record, dubbed the "Knickerbocker Storm" occurred from January 27 to January 29, 1922. In addition to impaired travel conditions, "life-saving actions may be needed" throughout the storm. At least 12 people have died in multiple states due to severe weather across the country as a powerful storm system that brought golf ball-sized hail and tornadoes to the South continues to march . At the time, one Arkansas official called it the most destructive ice storm he'd seen to the electrical utility infrastructure, there. Near 80 percent of Maine's population lost electrical service. Portions of southern Michigan and southern Wisconsin reported more than half an inch of ice. Throughout human history, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis and o. David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe/Getty Images. Despite that, its RSI index placed it as a Category 4 winter storm in the upper Midwest, though it was the only Category 4 April snowstorm of record in NCEI's upper Midwest region dating to 1900. Brighton, Utah picked up over two feet of snow from the storm. Two main rounds of snow. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. Accumulating freezing rain in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan caused major tree damage and power outages. As snow winds down in Virginia, North Carolina, be cautious of. Kansas: One person died in a crash, the Kansas Highway Patrol told CNN on Friday. AccuWeather Director of Forecast Operations Dan DePodwin told Newsweek that the worst conditions in Minnesota will be experienced Wednesday afternoon to Thursday morning. The Arctic Top Ten Worst Flash Floods (9/18/2016) 10: 2010, Albert Pike Campground, AR 9: 2015, Utah/Arizona border This storm that hit New York City Feb. 11, 2006, covered a smaller area than other major snowstorms and didn't have high winds. Two thousand residents were treated for injuries from vehicle accidents, falls on ice and frostbite. Below we lay out the 10 most costly winter storms since 1980, according to NOAA. One of the most prominent ice storm alleys in the U.S. is the interior Northeast, from northern Pennsylvania into central and upstate New York and New England. That goes to show just how epic this week really could be. Remember, the calculations take into account only snowfall and population, not necessarily severity of impact and, of course, not wind. . Sophisticated computer models allowed the National Weather Service to issue a severe storm warning two days in advance. Over 500,000 in northern New England lost power. Kentucky Gov. Prepare your home: If theres a snow storm coming your way, heres how to get your home ready for extreme cold. Much of cities of Texarkana, Hot Springs and Little Rock, Ark. Travel was paralyzed for days. Heavy snow buried Boston, adding to the hefty snowpack already in place from earlier storms. After a stretch of rainy but unseasonably mild weather, temperatures plunged and vicious winds kicked up, blanketing the East Coast in snow and creating drifts up to 50 feet high. Of all the states affected, Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama saw the worst impacts. In Mississippi, 3.7 million acres of commercial forests were damaged severely. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider This was widely considered to be the worst winter storm to have affected this area so late in the season. In the United States, the new decade came in like a lion with not one, not two, but three blizzardsall within a span of 20 snowy days. More than 2 million lost power. severe winter storm starting Monday night, 2 feet of snow accompanied by dangerous winds, "life-threatening" for stranded motorists, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. A three-day ice event ushering in 1961featuring not only freezing rain, but also occasional freezing fog set a U.S. record ice accumulation of eight inches in north-central Idaho, according to Weather Underground's Christopher Burt (blog). AccuWeather Winter Storm Piper Continues East Meteorologist Heather Tesch takes a look at Winter Storm Piper and shares the latest forecast. Some freezing rain coated cars and roads in western and northern New York. Great Appalachian Storm (Nov. 21-29, 1950): 34.693, Groundhog Blizzard 2011 (Jan. 31 - Feb. 3): 21.99, Chicago Blizzard of 1967 (Jan. 24-28): 18.128, Halloween Storm (Oct. 30-Nov. 3, 1991): 30.175. In his book, Extreme Weather, Weather Underground's Christopher Burt cites a paper in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society stating "ice on the side of any dense, unbroken evergreen tree 50 feet high and on average 20 feet wide would have weighed five tons" due to the weight of accumulated ice. T his system has been named Winter Storm Quest by The Weather Channel. On the Atlantic seaboard, hurricane-force winds stirred up mammoth swells, and more than 15 homes were swept out to sea on the eastern shore of Long Island. Others lost power for up to 10 days. The vehicle landed upside down in a creek and sunk into the frozen water, officials said. Over 200,000 customers lost power in Louisville and it took as long as 10 days to get all customers back online. were without power. 10 Day Weather - Boxford, MA As of 3:13 pm EDT Today 60/ 34 2% Sat 29 | Day 60 2% SSE 6 mph Abundant sunshine. The snow fall, according to the Weather Channel, is the second largest snowfall . Ice accumulations of up to two inches reported on power lines and tree limbs. There have been many ice storms in Texas history. Led by Michael Squires, the NCEI team realized they needed to adjust snow thresholds by region. December 18-22, 1887. Some residents in Mississippi were without power a month after the storm. This means most of this weekend's showers will actually help chip away at some of the ice and snow in Northern . The extensive power outages lasted for days and, in some cases, weeks. You can certainly vouch for grumpy moods around Christmas 2000 in parts of the South. Northeast Region (Maryland to Maine) RSI Cat. Find out how they delivered her. Punishing wind chills as low as minus-50 degrees and up to a foot of powdery snow overwhelmed the region; where the Great Lakes were near enough to add moisture to the air, as many as three feet of snow accumulated. The Blizzard of 1888 (March 11-14, 1888) The blizzard by which all others are measured. Heres how wind chill works and how its calculated. Read more: 13 vintage photos of major US snowstorms that'll make you want to hibernate. Steve Beshear described it as the biggest natural disaster the state had experienced in modern history. A low-pressure area intensified while sliding north along a stalled Mid-Atlantic front, and sustained winds above 50 mph pulled frigid air into the cities of the Northeast. Nashville recorded a low temperature of minus 13on Feb. 2. After the collapse of the theater's roof, the city's building codes were updated to require steel I-beams and better supports. Trees fell on homes and cars and blocked roads. Here are our tips for staying warm when its super cold and some ideas for picking the best winter coat. Southern and central Minnesota are expected to see the worst of the snow with up to 2 feet. It was Kentucky's largest power outage in history at the time, with 609,000 homes and businesses in the dark. The flooding destroyed roads and bridges and forced 200,000 to flee their homes. Which City Is the Worst for Fall Allergies This Year? It hit Bangladesh in 1970, taking 500,000 lives. Days of freezing rain led to heavy ice accumulations of one to locally more than two inches in northern Arkansas and portions of Kentucky in late January of 2009. Dangerous travel conditions also could be experienced in Denver, Colorado, during the day on Wednesday as the city receives anywhere from 3 to 6 inches of snow. Two main periods of heavy snow expected are expected: late Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning & Wednesday afternoon through Thursday. Massive snowdrifts trapped families in their homes and workers in their offices. More than 145 miles of high-voltage transmission lines were downed in southeastern Missouri. Contents 1 Episode Details Rapid ice accumulations from Jan. 7-9, 1998, downed millions of trees and caused widespread destruction of power lines and power poles. High winds from a line of thunderstorms that developed from southwest Louisiana to central Mississippi and northern?Alabama combined with the glazing of ice to result in widespread tree and powerline damage. This region had the most Category 5 storms, some of which occurred after Easter. Dallas Area Storms Cause Power Transformer To Explode, Cold Or Flu? A number have been powerful and deadly enough to become among the most memorable United States weather disasters. In Arkansas, Mel Coleman, CEO of North Arkansas Electric Cooperative described the scene:"In all of my years I have never seen anything that compares to the damage this storm has caused. As you can see, there are two storms that show up in all the extreme winter storm lists above. Accumulating snow also affected parts of the Middle Atlantic and Northeast. One of the deadliest in Washingtons history, the disaster claimed 98 lives and gave the storm its name. Winter Storm Remains on Track Tuesday through Thursday: We'll see a burst of snow this morning, but the main system will bring a band of snow on Tuesday, but more widespread heavy snow late Wednesday to Thursday. Warm air crusaded northward from the Lower Mississippi Valley into the southern Great Lakes causing precipitation to turn to a mess of freezing rain, sleet and even some heavy rain as far north as Chicago during the afternoon hours. 32K views, 22 likes, 0 loves, 9 comments, 41 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from The Weather Channel Originals: 2017 was a brutal year of weather. An estimated 100 people perished in this crushing noreaster. More than 80,000 utility poles were pulled down by the weight of the ice. Area schools were closed for up to a week. Atacama Desert 6. Sixteen lives were lost in the U.S. and an additional 28 deaths related to the ice storm were reported in Canada. were also down. The worst destruction was a major mudslide at La Conchita in Ventura County, which destroyed 15 homes and killed 10 people. Downed trees and limbs caused widespread damage to homes, businesses and vehicles. Low visibility can also lead to deadly car crashes. One of the most prominent ice storm alleys in the U.S. is the interior Northeast, from northern Pennsylvania, central and upstate New York into New England. Barbara Alper/Getty Images. Baxter St., New York City during the Blizzard of 1888. In March 1888, the Great Blizzard of 1888 hit the Atlantic coast. The blizzard of Jan. 6-8, 1996 paralyzed cities from Washington, D.C. to Boston. Over 200,000 lost power in Louisville and it took as long as 10 days to get all customers back online. A more than 100-mile wide swath from Louisiana to West Virginia was affected by a severe ice storm from Jan. 29-Feb. 2 in 1951. Sign Up for the Morning Brief - a weekday newsletter infused with your forecast, fun facts, articles and bite-sized nuggets to energize your day. Drifts were over the tops of some homes. The storm affected at least 26 U.S. states and much of eastern Canada, reaching as far south as Jacksonville, Florida. Jan. 5-9, 1998 Northeast Ice Storm: $2.2 billion, 9. How to prepare your home before a blizzard and freezing temperatures. For Kentucky, it was the largest power outage in history with 609,000 homes and businesses in the dark. The storm pummeled gridlocked highways, forcing drivers and passengers to abandon their cars or be buried along with them. The heavy icing caused widespread damage to trees, power lines and power poles. and much of the region is now under a Winter Storm Warning. At least 600,000 customers were without power. Barbara Buckner looks over her home that was destroyed by a tornado in Norman, Oklahoma, Feb. 27, 2023. Of all the states affected, Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama saw the worst impacts. Wind gusts over 70 mph and hail measuring 1 inch in diameter were reported in Oklahoma City . The storm was so damaging that the National Weather Service in both Paducah, Ky. and Louisville, Ky. rated it as the worst weather event of the decade for their respective areas. Strong winds swept through much of the Southwest during the day. As the storm moves across the states, sleet and freezing rain are expected to develop. A winter storm is spreading snow and strong winds across New England as we head into the weekend. To see the entire NCEI list of historical snowstorms dating to 1900, visitthe NCEI Regional Snowfall Index page. In the decade that followed, partly in response to the 1888 storm and the massive gridlock it wrought, New York and Boston broke ground on the countrys first underground subway systems. Heavy snow continued to fall for nearly two days as the storm stalled near Long Island. Natural disasters can be more powerful and destructive than all other forces on the planet. Widespread damage to trees and power lines was reported. Area schools were out for up to a week. By the time it subsided, it had deposited between 17 and 30 inches of wind-driven snow on every city along the Eastern seaboard. Analogous to hurricanes, winter storms are rated in the U.S. At least nine deaths related to direct or indirect impacts from the storm.