List of major snow and ice events in the United States

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.

Note: A Blizzard is defined as having sustained winds of at least 35 mph for three hours or more.

Regional snowfall index (RSI) categories
Category	RSI value	Description
1	1–3	Notable
2	3–6	Significant
3	6–10	Major
4	10–18	Crippling
5	18.0+	Extreme

Season summaries

The following is a table that shows 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 calendar year, it is possible to have a winter storm in two different years.

Winter Year	Maximum accumulation	Number of events
2009–2010	053 53 inches (130 cm) (February 25–27, 2010)	005 5
2010–2011	041 40.5 inches (103 cm) (January 8–13, 2011)	007 7
2011–2012	N/A	007 3
2012–2013	040 40 inches (100 cm) (February 7–18, 2013)	007 8
2013–2014	058 58 inches (150 cm) (October 3–7, 2013)	014 14
2014–2015	088 88 inches (220 cm) (November 13–21, 2014)	016 16
2015–2016	051 51.3 inches (130 cm) (April 15–23, 2016)	015 15
2016–2017	058 58 inches (150 cm) (March 11–15, 2017)	016 16
2017–2018	N/A	N/A

18th – 19th century

Year	Date	Maximum accumulation	Lowest pressure	Type
1717^A	February 27 – March 7	N/A	N/A	Storm
1886	January 6–11	018 18.5 inches (47 cm)	N/A	Blizzard
1888	January 12–13	006 6 inches (15 cm)	N/A
1888	March 11–14	058 58 inches (150 cm)	982 982 hPa (29.0 inHg)
1899	February 10–14^[2]	N/A	N/A

20th century

The Great Blizzard of 1978 was the strongest storm of the 20th century.

Year	Date	Maximum accumulation	Lowest pressure	Type	Category (RSI)
1905	November 27–28^[3]	N/A	991 991 hPa (29.3 inHg)	Storm	N/A
1913	November 6–11	024 24 inches (61 cm)	969 968.5 hPa (28.60 inHg)	Blizzard	N/A
1920	March 15–18	N/A	N/A	Blizzard	N/A
1922	January 27–29	N/A	N/A	Blizzard	Category 5
1940	November 10–12	027 27 inches (69 cm)	971 971 hPa (28.7 inHg)	Blizzard	N/A
1947	December 25–26	026 26.4 inches (67 cm)	N/A	Blizzard	Category 3
1950	November 24–30	057 57 inches (140 cm)	978 978 hPa (28.9 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 5
1952	February 17–18	N/A	N/A	Storm	N/A
1956	March 18–19	N/A	N/A	Blizzard	N/A
1958	March 18–21	N/A	N/A	Storm	Category 3
1960	December 11–12	021 21.4 inches (54 cm)	966 966 hPa (28.5 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 2
1961	January 1–3	008 8 inches (20 cm)^B	N/A	Ice storm	N/A
1966	January 27–31	103 103 inches (260 cm)	N/A	Blizzard	Category 4
1967	January 26–27	023 23 inches (58 cm)	997 997 hPa (29.4 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 5
1969	February 8–10	N/A	970 970 hPa (29 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 2
	March 5–8	N/A	N/A	Storm	N/A
	December 25–28	N/A	976 976 hPa (28.8 inHg)	Storm	N/A
1973	December 16–17	001 1 inch (2.5 cm)^B	992 992 hPa (29.3 inHg)	Ice storm	N/A
1975	January 9–12	027 27 inches (69 cm)	961 961 hPa (28.4 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 3
1976	February 2	056 56 inches (140 cm)	957 957 hPa (28.3 inHg)	Blizzard	N/A
1977	January 28 – February 1	100 100 inches (250 cm)	N/A	Blizzard	N/A
1978	January 25–27	036 36 inches (91 cm)	956 955.5 hPa (28.22 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 5
1978	February 5–7	040 40 inches (100 cm)	N/A	Blizzard	Category 5
1979	January 13–14	021 21 inches (53 cm)	N/A	Blizzard	Category 4
1991	October 31 – November 3	037 37 inches (94 cm)	984 984 hPa (29.1 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 5
1992	December 10–12	048 48 inches (120 cm)	985 985 hPa (29.1 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 2
1993	March 12–15	069 69 inches (180 cm)	960 960 hPa (28 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 5
1995	February 2–6	020 20 inches (51 cm)	962 962 hPa (28.4 inHg)	Storm	Category 2
1996	January 6–10	048 48 inches (120 cm)	980 980 hPa (29 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 5
1997	March 31 – April 1	N/A	979 979 hPa (28.9 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 2
1997	October 24–26	N/A	N/A	Storm	N/A
1998	January 4–10	005 5 inches (13 cm)^B	N/A	Ice storm	N/A
1999	January 2–4	022 21.6 inches (55 cm)	N/A	Storm	Category 4
1999	January 14–15	N/A	N/A	Ice storm	N/A
2000	January 18–30	030 30 inches (76 cm)	N/A	Blizzard	Category 3
2000	December 27–31	030 30 inches (76 cm)	N/A	Storm	Category 2

21st century

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

2000s

Year	Date	Maximum accumulation	Lowest pressure	Type	Category (RSI)
2002	January 29–31	003 3 inches (7.6 cm)^B	N/A	Ice storm	Category 2
	February 7	N/A	994 994 hPa (29.4 inHg)	Storm	N/A
	December 4–5	N/A	N/A	Ice storm	N/A
2003	February 14–19	044 44 inches (110 cm)	999 999 hPa (29.5 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 4
2003	December 5–8	036 35.6 inches (90 cm)	992 992 hPa (29.3 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 3
2004	December 21–24	059 59 inches (150 cm)	984 984 hPa (29.1 inHg)	Storm	Category 4
2004	December 24–28	018 18 inches (46 cm)^C	964 964 hPa (28.5 inHg)	Storm	N/A
2005	January 20–23	041 40.5 inches (103 cm)	N/A	Blizzard	Category 4
2005	December 14–16	001 0.75 inches (1.9 cm)^B	N/A	Ice storm	N/A
2006	February 11–13	030 30.2 inches (77 cm)	971 971 hPa (28.7 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 2
	October 11–13	024 24 inches (61 cm)	980 980 hPa (29 inHg)	Storm	N/A
	November 20–24	005 5 inches (13 cm)^D	944 944 hPa (27.9 inHg)	Storm	N/A
	November 26 – December 1	N/A	N/A	Storm	N/A
	December 20–31	032 32 inches (81 cm)^E	N/A	Blizzard	N/A
2007	January 11–24	004 4 inches (10 cm)^B	961 961 hPa (28.4 inHg)	Ice storm	Category 2
	February 12–20	048 48 inches (120 cm)	970 970 hPa (29 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 3
	April 13–17	023 23 inches (58 cm)	969 969 hPa (28.6 inHg)	Storm	Category 1
	November 29 – December 4	014 14 inches (36 cm)^F	952 952 hPa (28.1 inHg)	Storm	N/A
	November 29 – December 5	044 44 inches (110 cm)	976 976 hPa (28.8 inHg)	Storm	N/A
	December 8–18	024 24 inches (61 cm)^F	974 974 hPa (28.8 inHg)	Various	N/A
2008	January 3–11	N/A	956 956 hPa (28.2 inHg)	Blizzard	N/A
	March 6–10	029 28.5 inches (72 cm)	984 984 hPa (29.1 inHg)	Blizzard	N/A
	December 11–12	N/A	N/A	Ice storm	N/A
	December 19–25	N/A	N/A	Storm	N/A
2009	January 25–30	003 2.5 inches (6.4 cm)^B	999 999 hPa (29.5 inHg)	Ice storm	N/A
	October 13–20	023 23 inches (58 cm)	966 966 hPa (28.5 inHg)	Blizzard	N/A
	December 16–20	026 26.3 inches (67 cm)	968 968 hPa (28.6 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 4
	December 22–28	040 40 inches (100 cm)	985 985 hPa (29.1 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 5

2010s

Year	Date	Maximum accumulation	Lowest pressure	Type	Category (RSI)
2010	February 5–6	038 38.3 inches (97 cm)	978 978 hPa (28.9 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 4
	February 9–10	028 27.5 inches (70 cm)	969 969 hPa (28.6 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 2
	February 25–27	053 53 inches (130 cm)	972 972 hPa (28.7 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 4
	March 12–16	N/A	993 993 hPa (29.3 inHg)	Storm	N/A
	October 23–28	009 9 inches (23 cm)	955 955.2 hPa (28.21 inHg)	Blizzard	N/A
	December 5–29	036 36 inches (91 cm)	960 960 hPa (28 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 2
2011	January 8–13	041 40.5 inches (103 cm)	N/A	Blizzard	Category 2
	January 25–27	N/A	N/A	Blizzard	Category 1
	January 31 – February 2	027 27 inches (69 cm)	996 996 hPa (29.4 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 5
	October 28 – November 1	032 32 inches (81 cm)	971 971 hPa (28.7 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 1
	November 8–10	006 6.4 inches (16 cm)	943 943 hPa (27.8 inHg)	Blizzard	N/A
2012	January 16–20	050 50 inches (130 cm)	992 992 hPa (29.3 inHg)	Blizzard	N/A
	October 29 – November 2	036 36 inches (91 cm)	940 940 hPa (28 inHg)^G	Storm	N/A
	November 7–10	014 13.5 inches (34 cm)	984 984 hPa (29.1 inHg)	Storm	Category 1
	December 17–22	015 15.2 inches (39 cm)	971 971 hPa (28.7 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 2
	December 25–28	027 27 inches (69 cm)	968 968 hPa (28.6 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 1
2013	February 7–18	040 40 inches (100 cm)	968 968 hPa (28.6 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 3
	March 1–10	036 36 inches (91 cm)	986 986 hPa (29.1 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 2
	October 3–5	058 58 inches (150 cm)	999 999 hPa (29.5 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 3
	December 19–23	014 14 inches (36 cm)	997 997 hPa (29.4 inHg)	Storm	N/A
2014	December 30 – January 6	024 23.8 inches (60 cm)	936 936 hPa (27.6 inHg)	Storm	Category 2
	January 19–24	018 18.3 inches (46 cm)	962 962 hPa (28.4 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 1
	January 27–31	010 10 inches (25 cm)	999 999 hPa (29.5 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 1
	February 11–24	028 27.5 inches (70 cm)	968 968 hPa (28.6 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 4
	November 7–13	N/A	N/A	Blizzard	N/A
	November 13–21	088 88 inches (220 cm)	961 961 hPa (28.4 inHg)	Storm	N/A
2015	January 23–30	036 36 inches (91 cm)	970 970 hPa (29 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 3
	January 31 – February 2	024 24.1 inches (61 cm)	978 978 hPa (28.9 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 3
	February 12–17	027 27.4 inches (70 cm)	958 958 hPa (28.3 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 1
	March 1–6	055 54.6 inches (139 cm)	993 993 hPa (29.3 inHg)	Blizzard	N/A
	November 24–27	002 1.5 inches (3.8 cm)^B	994 994 hPa (29.4 inHg)	Ice storm	N/A
	December 26–30	041 41 inches (100 cm)	989 989 hPa (29.2 inHg)	Blizzard	N/A
2016	January 21–24	042 42 inches (110 cm)	983 983 hPa (29.0 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 5
	January 29 – February 7	041 41 inches (100 cm)	N/A	Blizzard	Category 2
	February 7–10	011 11 inches (28 cm)	976 976 hPa (28.8 inHg)	Blizzard	N/A
	February 23–24	017 17 inches (43 cm)	N/A	Storm	N/A
	March 21–25	033 32.5 inches (83 cm)	989 989 hPa (29.2 inHg)	Blizzard	N/A
	April 15–23	051 51.3 inches (130 cm)	999 999 hPa (29.5 inHg)	Blizzard	N/A
2017	January 4–8	056 56 inches (140 cm)	987 987 hPa (29.1 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 2
	January 7–13, 19–24 February 8–22	N/A	N/A	Storm	N/A
	January 10–17	001 1 inch (2.5 cm)^B	999 999 hPa (29.5 inHg)	Ice storm	N/A
	February 6–10	024 24 inches (61 cm)	969 969 hPa (28.6 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 1
	March 11–15	058 58 inches (150 cm)	974 974 hPa (28.8 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 4
2018	January 2–4	022 22 inches (56 cm)	949 949 hPa (28.0 inHg)	Blizzard	Category 1

Notes

A.^ The 1717 weather event was made up of a series of snowstorms

B.^ Freezing rain

C.^ This storm was significant for its snow impact on Texas

D.^ 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.

E.^ The 2006 Colorado Holiday Blizzards were made up of two different storms.

F.^ This event included multiple storms.

G.^ Hurricane Sandy caused a major snow event.

References

↑ "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.
↑ Griffin, Melissa (February 11, 2015). "The Great Blizzard of 1899". WeatherSTEM.
↑ 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.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[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.

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