Winter storms of 2007–2008

Winter storms of 2007–2008 profiles the major winter storms, including blizzards, ice storms, and other winter events, from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008.

Events

July

July 1-4

A winter storm brushed the Antarctic Peninsula with hurricane force winds in early July 2007. The San Martin Base weather station reported winds gusting up to 90 mph (140 km/h) on the evening of July 1, and winds up to 110 mph (180 km/h) by July 3. The strong winds caused temperatures to drop to −10 °F (−23 °C) and did not rise until July 4. Other weather stations in the Antarctic Peninsula reported similar effects.

July 9

MODIS image of snowfall (shown in blue) in Argentina on July 10.

An interaction with an area of low pressure systems resulted in snowfall across Argentina's capital Buenos Aires. The snowfall was the first the capital city had seen since 1918. The snow came during a major cold snap which began in June 2007 and left at least 23 people dead.

November

November 3-4

Main article: Hurricane Noel (2007)

Hurricane Noel, which killed 115 people in the Caribbean Islands, affected most of Atlantic Canada, eastern Quebec and eastern New England as a post-tropical system with heavy rains and damaging winds in excess of 100 km/h (60 mph). The highest gust was recorded in the Wreckhouse area in Newfoundland and Labrador where gusts reached 180 km/h (110 mph). Nearly 200 000 customers in Atlantic Canada alone lost power during the height of the storm. In the northwestern most edge of the system, Noel produced a narrow swath of snow (thus the first major winter storm across those areas) which affected areas of Maine, as well as Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador and eastern Quebec from near Riviere-du-Loup to Sept-Iles including Rimouski, Amqui, Cap Chat, Port-Cartier and portions of Baie-Comeau and Forestville. Some areas in Quebec received over 8 inches (20 cm) of snow with the Murdochville area receiving as much as 16 inches (40 cm). 14 people were injured when an Orleans Express bus overturned on Route 132 in the Saint-Simon area. Nearly 20 000 Hydro-Quebec customers were without power mostly due to a damaged transmission line in the Minganie region. The storm prompted election director to extend the voting period for school board elections, which the storm disrupted.

November 5-7

The first lake-effect snow event around the Great Lakes occurred as cold air swept through the region. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan saw up to a foot of snow, while up to 8 inches (200 mm) of snow fell in northern Pennsylvania. Significant snow also fell in western New York in the typical snowbelt regions. Areas on the southern shores of Lake Superior and Georgian Bay in Ontario also received significant amount of snows in excess of 6 inches (15 cm). The low pressure disturbance continued eastward to produce significant snowfalls across the mountains of central Quebec in excess of 12 inches (30 cm), disrupting traffic in several areas.

November 7-8

Main article: 2007 North Sea flood

A European windstorm crosses over Scotland and plunges into the mouth of the North Sea, to the west of Norway, where its strong winds push large bodies of water Southeast, towards coastal regions in England and the Netherlands. The tidal surge puts both nations on red alert as the English evacuate some coastal villages and close the Thames Barrier. The Dutch close the Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier and the enormous Maeslant barrier in order to prevent massive flooding as the storm mimics the situation that caused the devastating North Sea flood of 1953. For the first time since 1976, the entire Dutch coastline is put on alert and is closely monitored by officials. The tidal surge turned out to be too weak to cause any significant damage to the strong Dutch coastal defenses. In England, only minor flooding occurred.

November 11-13

A powerful storm in the Black Sea sank or damaged 5-10 ships, one of them, the oil tanker MT Volganeft-139, broke apart spilling most of its 1.3 million gallons of crude oil into the sea. The storm killed 3 crew members and the resulting oil spill killed over 30,000 birds and an unknown number of fish. Several merchant ships carrying over 6,000 tons of sulphur also sank: the M/S Nekhichevan and Kovel followed by M/S Volnogorsk when it collided with the sunken Kovel; a Georgian cargo carrying steel products also sank.

Further to the west in southeastern Europe, the storm dumped exceptional amounts of snow over parts of Austria with local reports of over a meter of snow. Some meteorologists mentioned that the weather that took place in the Alps was a once in every 30 to 50 year occurrence. The storm contributed to the closure of several mountain roads and an increased risk of avalanches over the region. The country's avalanche warning system raised its alarm level to the second-highest.

November 15-17

A cold front pushed through eastern North America early on the 15th, bringing lake-effect snow to the typical snowbelt regions, dropping up to a foot of snow in the snow belts. The snow continued into the 17th, with snow developing across the northern Appalachians, central and eastern Quebec and northern Maine. Poor weather conditions were responsible for at least 2 deaths due to traffic accidents in Quebec on Route 175 south of Saguenay and on Highway 20 in Rimouski. Further east, significant rainfalls affected portions of the Gaspesie region with the towns of Matane, Cap-Chat and Sainte-Anne-des-Monts declaring disaster areas due to extensive flooding.

November 20-23

A series of low pressure systems traveled across the central and eastern sections of North America, the Great Lakes and eastern Canada. While some of the systems dumped several inches of snow across portions of eastern Ontario and central Quebec on the 20th and 21st, the strongest storm produced the first major winter storm for southern Ontario and southern Quebec while also affecting portions of central and eastern Quebec and northern New Brunswick. It produced a wide swath of heavy snow in excess of 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) (with areas receiving as much as 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) ) across many regions including Ontario's Cottage country, the Ottawa region and the St Lawrence River Valley in Quebec with some snow affected portions of the Midwest United States from Nebraska to Michigan. Freezing rain and ice pellets affected areas along Highway 401 from east of London to Brockville as well as areas just east of Montreal.

Several flights coming out of Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa were affected. At one point during Ontario Provincial Police reported on average one motor-vehicle accident every minute. Activities surrounding the Canadian Football League's Grey Cup Match in Toronto had to be brought indoors or canceled due to the poor conditions.The storm is responsible for at least two death in Ontario including west of Renfrew on Highway 17 and on Highway 400 in Toronto. Sûreté du Québec reported well over a hundred vehiclus running off the road only around Montreal and Montérégie, and a dozen more serious accidents in Mauricie. 20 000 Hydro-Quebec were affected in total by power outages, with the most of them east of Montreal

December

November 30-December-2

Preceding the large winter storm, a significant winter storm affected portions of the Canadian Maritimes and Newfoundland and Labrador on December 2. Initially a weak disturbance, it produced significant lake-effect snows across the traditional snow belts on the southern shores of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron and Ontario as well as Georgian Bay. The disturbance intensified over the Maritimes and dumped heavy amounts of snow across Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador where accumulations of 8 to 20 inches (20-50 cm) were reported over central parts of the province. The storm registered a minimum of 957 mb off the Atlantic Coast two days later. Due to heavy snow, strong winds, sleet and freezing rain, over 100,000 customers in Newfoundland lost power, with a large portion of the capital St. John's being blacked out for several hours. In the Bonavista Peninsula, several transmission lines and support structures collapsed and telephone service was also disabled for a certain period including cellphone coverage. Some residents remained without power for over a week.

December 1-5 (eastern and central North America)

Main article: Early December 2007 North American winter storm

Radar shot of the stom on December 1 as the worst of the ice event was underway across the Midwestern United States. Courtesy of NWS Twin Cities, Minnesota

A low-pressure system developed across the southwestern United States moved across the central parts of North America on December 1, becoming a Colorado Low with an initial between moving from Nebraska to northern Ontario and into the Middle Atlantic Coast near New York City. A second band originating from a band of thunderstorms across Missouri then traveled across the Great Lakes and the Northeast. A newly formed low pressure off the coast of New Jersey then moved across Maine and the Canadian Maritimes.

Areas of the Middle Plains and the lower Great Lakes including Des Moines, Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit and Toronto received a significant wintry mix of precipitation before changing to rain and thunderstorms on December 1 and 2. Des Moines International Airport was shutdown for several hours due to the icing conditions on runways and an American Airlines flight with 44 passengers slipped out of a taxiway while another skidded out of a runway at Madison, Wisconsin's Dane County Regional Airport. Numerous passengers were stranded for several hours at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport where 400 flights were canceled on December 1 alone. About 140,000 customers in Illinois alone lost power.

Portions of Wisconsin, Minnesota and northern Ontario received several inches of snow while the mountain regions of Colorado received as much as four feet of snow (1.2 m), resulting in the postponement of the men's Super-G alpine skiing event in Beaver Creek, Colorado, where 15 inches (380 mm) was reported.

Portions of the Northeast including most of northern and eastern Ontario and central and southern Quebec received 8 to 16 inches (410 mm) of snow from the second band of precipitation while freezing rain was reported south of the Great Lakes across New York and Pennsylvania. Portions of Maine and the Maritimes affected by the coastal low received as much as 18 inches (45 cm) of snow.

The storm was responsible for at least 16 deaths including three in Quebec, one in New York, one in Maine, one in Indiana, three in Wisconsin, two in Illinois, three in Michigan, one in Utah, and one in Colorado.

December 1-5 (Pacific Northwest to Middle-Atlantic)

Main article: Great Coastal Gale of 2007

Additionally, on December 1, a large storm off the Pacific Coast brought heavy snow to portions of British Columbia, including the South Coast and Vancouver Island, with amounts in higher elevations exceeding 16 inches (40 cm) and significant accumulations also for the Greater Vancouver Area. Another large storm called a Pineapple Express brought torrential rains to the same areas on December 3 with very strong winds across portions of Oregon and Washington states, freezing rain into valley areas of central British Columbia, and heavy snow of up to 2 feet (0.61 m) across mountainous areas. The heavy rains caused a mudslide inside Stanley Park which closed its seawall which had just recently re-opened in November after it was heavily damaged during a major wind storm in December 2006. Extensive flooding was reported across many areas of Washington and Oregon after heavy rains with amounts of up to 10 inches (250 mm) were reported. Coast Guard helicopters had to evacuate and saved over 100 residents who were trapped by the high water levels. The town of Vernonia, Oregon was completely cut-off by the water and mudslides. Wind gusts locally exceeded 100 mph (160 kph) with the highest gust registered at 129 mph (208 km/h) recorded in Bay City, Oregon. Over 100,000 customers from northern California to Washington lost electricity while 40,000 lost power in British Columbia. In addition, Amtrak service between Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, British Columbia was disrupted for at least two days.

The storm was responsible for at least 10 deaths, including five in a single vehicle crash near Prince George, British Columbia where there was snow-covered roads. Three people were killed in Washington and two in Oregon. From the perspective of Chicago, the storm was viewed as an Alberta clipper with the potential for heavy snowfall. During the evening of December 2, the storm was reported to have a central pressure of 949 mb. (or 28.02"), pressures associated with a Category 3 hurricane.

The same storm entered the Upper Midwest as an Alberta Clipper, which brought light to moderate snowfall over much of the Midwest on December 4 and early December 5, and overspread the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic states on December 5. The Minneapolis-St. Paul, Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago metropolitan areas saw upwards of 4 to 8 inches (200 mm) of snow from the storm system, with areas further south and east receiving less.

December 9-17

Main article: Mid-December 2007 North American Winter storms

Extensive tree damage was common across most of Oklahoma including the Tulsa region during the December 9-10 ice storm (Courtesy of NWS Tulsa, Oklahoma)

A series of winter storms impacted widespread areas of North America over a nine-day period. From December 8 to December 11, another major ice storm impacted the midsection of the United States from Texas, northeast through the Midwest, through the Mid-Atlantic States, and into southern New England. At least 38 people were killed by the ice storms, including 23 in Oklahoma, four in Kansas, three in Missouri, and one in Nebraska. Most of the fatalities were the result of traffic accidents caused by the icy weather, including four people in a single accident on Interstate 40 west of Okemah, Oklahoma. The storm caused the largest power outage in Oklahoma history, where 600,000 homes and businesses lost power, while 350,000 customers were also without power in other states, including 100,000 in both Missouri and Kansas, and scattered power outages in Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois. Overall, over 1.5 million customers lost power throughout the Central United States with some being without electricity for over one week. The storms caused widespread school and flight cancellations with Chicago O'Hare International Airport cancelling at least 560 flights, while Tulsa International Airport was forced to halt flights on the 10th after losing power for 10 hours.

The energy of the second ice storm produced significant snows over the northeastern part of the US and the Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario on December 13 and dumped as much as 12 inches (30 cm) of snow in parts of New England and New York state. A large system crossed the Central and Eastern part of the continent from December 15 to December 17 dumping as much as 20 inches (510 mm) over parts of Ontario and New England with mixed precipitation south of the heavy snow bands. The snow storm was responsible for at least 17 deaths across five states and three Canadian provinces as well as numerous flights and school cancellations from Michigan to the Canadian Maritimes.

December 18

After a mild start to the cold season, a large area of Spain was hit by its first winter storm of the season which brought heavy snow and rain as well as strong winds and much colder temperatures. In the eastern part of the country, several roads were closed due to high amounts of snow. Portions of a key road link between Madrid and Barcelona was also shut down due to the weather.

December 21-24

A new winter storm affected most of Central North America from the Texas Panhandle to northern Ontario while heavy rains, areas of freezing rain, very strong winds and warm temperatures affected most of Eastern North America. Blizzard warnings were issued at one point over southwestern Kansas and locally a foot of snow fell in some regions with several regions registering wind gusts of over 50 mph (80 km/h). Up to a foot of snow fell across much of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, and freezing rain was also reported in many areas. Parts of Michigan's Upper Peninsula saw upwards of 15 inches (380 mm) of snow. The storm also prodcued strong winds, including wind gusts of 88 mph (142 km/h) across Lake Michigan, and gusts ranging from 50-68 mph across the Chicago area. The winds caused 300 flights to be canceled at Chicago-O'Hare International Airport. Also in Chicago, crews reported that 170 signals had been knocked out and more than 500 reports of fallen limbs had been attributed to the storm. 11,000 customers in Wisconsin, 92,000 in Michigan and 225,000 in Illinois lost power. The storm was responsible for at least 25 deaths across seven US states and one Canadian province, including eight in Minnesota, three in Indiana, three in Wyoming, five in Wisconsin, one in Texas, one in Kansas, one in Michigan, and three in New Brunswick. In Texas, the fatal crash included 50 vehicles on Interstate 40 while in Kansas and Missouri crashes on Interstate 70 and Interstate 29 respectively also involved several vehicles. Lake-effect snows across the traditional snow belt region in the Great Lakes also fell on Christmas Eve.

January

December 30-January 2

Winter Storm in New York

A series of moderate to intense low pressure systems affected most of eastern North America particularly the Canadian Maritimes with repeated heavy snow, mixed precipitation, rain and wind. The initial storm dumped over a foot of snow over parts of Newfoundland and Labrador on December 30 while a second storm gave a foot of snow over Prince Edward Island and several inches of snow across New Brunswick and portions of New England and Ontario on December 30-31 while Nova Scotia received a mix of snow, rain and ice pellets. Several New Year's Eve festivities including Charlottetown's main event as well as the fireworks show in St. John's were cancelled due to weather conditions.

As part of a third storm, a burst of snow, some of it lake enhanced, affected the The Great Lakes from mid-afternoon New Years Eve until mid-afternoon New Years Day. Particularly hit hard were the cities of Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland. 3 to 6 inches (150 mm) of snow fell in many areas, with many parts of Michigan seeing over a foot of snow, including Capac, Michigan, which reported 16 inches (410 mm) of snow. 36,000 people lost power in southeastern Michigan, and 10,000 lost power in Northeast Ohio. Detroit Metropolitan Airport and Chicago-O'Hare International Airport both reported numerous delays and 145 flights were canceled at O'Hare alone. There were no serious injuries or fatalities reported, but many spinouts and other accidents occurred. This same system is expected to bring over a foot of snow to parts of Northern New England, many parts of which received over three to four feet of snow on December 30-31. 6 inches of snow or more also fell across most of southern and eastern Ontario, southern Quebec and the Canadian Maritimes.

January 2-3

A major winter storm event took place across portions of central Europe including Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania and southwestern Russia as well as areas near the Black Sea. The storm was responsible for the sinking of the M/S Vanessa, a Bulgarian cargo ship on the Kerch Strait, killing at least 4 sailors. Up to 2 feet (0.61 m) of snow fell across portions Bulgaria and Romania severely disrupting transportation including the closure of Bucharest's two main airports as well several ports around the Black Sea were also shut down. Electricity was also cut in about 300 towns and villages in Bulgaria and deliveries of food and water were also delayed.

January 4-9

Main article: January 2008 Western North American super storm

Heavy snow battered the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains from three massive storms. The heaviest snow occurred in the mountains south of Lake Tahoe, with Kirkwood Mountain Resort receiving a remarkable 11 feet (3.4 m) of snow. Sierra-at-Tahoe and Heavenly Ski Resort both received up to 8 feet (2.4 m) of snow, as well, with widespread snow amounts of at least 5 feet (1.5 m) reported. This was combined with wind gusts exceeding 100 mph (160 km/h), creating blizzard and white-out conditions in the Sierra Nevada. The highest reported wind gust was 163 mph (265 km/h) on Ward Mountain. Widespread reports of 3-6 inches of rain were received, and at the height of the storm approximately 2 million people were without power in California. About 3,000 people in Orange County, California were forced to evacuate their homes due to mudslide concerns in recent burn areas. These storms continued through the Intermountain West and into the Rocky Mountains. Heavy snow of 2-4 feet occurred in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, with a maximum of 50 inches (1,300 mm) reported at the Silverton Mountain Resort. Six snowmobilers who were stranded by the storm in southern Colorado found shelter in a cabin. However, there are still 3 people missing; one hiker in the San Bernardino Mountains in southern California, and two skiers in Colorado near Wolf Creek Pass. At least three people have been confirmed killed in the storm. A woman died when she drove her car across a flooded road in Chino, California, 1 person was killed by a falling branch in Sacramento, and 1 person was also killed by a falling tree in Central Point,Oregon. Two bodies discovered in Sacramento near a homeless camp are also being investigated as possibly weather-related. Perhaps the most unusual damage from the storm was in Fernley, Nevada, where an irrigation ditch burst and flooded 290 homes with up to 8 feet (2.4 m) of water; the cold weather then caused the water freeze. In southeastern Utah, 9 people were killed and 20 injured after a charter bus returning from a ski trip in Telluride, Colorado ran off the road north of Mexican Hat. However, it is unknown if slick roads were the primary cause of the crash. Additional snow accumulations of 1-2 feet are expected in the Cascades and northern Sierra Nevada by the morning of the 9th.

January 5-7

A major snowstorm that dropped the heaviest snow in more than a decade in northern Iran killed at least 21 people and injured at least 88, with some people freezing to death, others dying in avalanches, and some dying after their cars overturned on snow-covered roads. Anywhere from 15-50cm (6-20 inches) of snow were recorded in Tehran, while about 90cm (3 ft) of snow fell in the Caspian Sea town of Bandar-e Anzali in Gīlān Province in northwestern Iran, usually a warm, damp place in winter. "Heavy" sea-effect snow also fell in Baku, Azerbaijan.

January 13-14

Radar loop of the January 13 nor'Easter

A Nor'easter developed along the Mid-atlantic coast, and moved northward. It affected the northeastern United States, eastern Quebec and the Canadian Maritimes with heavy snow, and high winds along the coast.Several areas across Maine, New Brunswick received snow amounts in excess of 1-foot (0.30 m) with as much as 20 inches (510 mm) locally across the Gaspe region.

January 24-31

A rapid-fire series of major winter storms affected the western United States over the last week of January. The storms focused on California at first, bringing heavy rain and snow to the state. Up to 6 feet (1.8 m) of snow fell in the Sierra Nevada mountains early on, with 2-5 inches of rain falling in the lowlands of California and up to 8 inches (200 mm) in the foothills. The heaviest rains occurred around Santa Barbara. Many areas of southern California received more rain during these storms than what they saw the entire previous water year. Heavy snow periodically closed Interstate 5 over the Grapevine (north of Los Angeles) due to the snow, as well as jackknifed tractor trailers, which stranded about 300 motorists for several hours. Heavy snow pounded all of the mountains of California, and 3 skiers were killed by avalanches on January 24 in the San Gabriel Mountains, where locally 5 feet (150 cm) of snow fell in the storm. Several mudslides and flash floods were reported in Orange County and in Los Angeles, while several residents were forced to be evacuated from their homes in Marin County. A Metrolink commuter train in Los Angeles hit mud and rocks that partially covered the tracks, causing it to be stranded along with its hundreds of passengers for over 2 hours before another train pulled it out from the debris. Wind gusts of 40-50mph also affected areas of southern California. Combined with the heavy wind and rain in the region, widespread though spotty power outages were reported.

Heavy snow has also spread into the Inland Empire of the Pacific Northwest. The Spokane, Washington and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho areas saw two powerful storms during this time period, with local amounts of more than 2 feet (0.61 m) in a storm from the 26th-27th, with 13.7 inches (35 cm) in Spokane and up to 6 inches (15 cm) in Eugene, Oregon. This storm caused numerous roofs to collapse near Coeur d'Alene. Another storm from late on the 30th to the 31st dropping up to 18 inches (46 cm) of snow in Pullman, Washington and Moscow, Idaho. Lewiston, Idaho recorded 6.1 inches (15 cm) inches, Pendleton, Oregon 9.3 inches (24 cm), and Spokane an additional 9.2 inches (23 cm). Numerous roads throughout the Spokane Valley, the Palouse, and the surrounding mountains were closed at various times during the storms. Several inches of snow even fell in Seattle and down to the Oregon coast (a very rare event). Local amounts of over 4 feet (1.2 m) of snow fell in the Cascades. Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass, which had seen snowfall approaching 3 feet (0.91 m), was hit by two avalanches in 3 days, the second of which buried 2 cars.

The mountains of Utah and Colorado also saw heavy snow of 2-4+ feet during this time. Three snowmobilers got lost in the mountains of Colorado; however, by the time rescuers arrived, 1 person had already died. The spate of late-month storms pushed Alta, Utah to a monthly total of 178.5 inches (453 cm) of snow, tying its January record first set in 1996.

January 29

A major snowfall event affected portions of the Middle East including Israel, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. One of the areas mostly affected was Jerusalem where schools (including the Hebrew University of Jerusalem), stores and transportation were shut down after 5 to 8 inches (200 mm) of snow fell. The main highway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem was also shortly closed because of the snow. The weather event had topped local headlines eclipsing a critical government report related to the 2006 Lebanon War and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

February

January 10-February 5

Main article: 2008 Chinese winter storms

Several days of heavy wet snow, frigid temperatures and ice struck several regions of central China during the country's peak Lunar New Year Travel Season. At least 63 people were killed by the storm which stranded several thousands of people, canceled numerous flights and damaged or destroyed several homes, power lines and crops which had raised concerns for food and water shortage a. Among the fatalities, 11 were killed by a bus accident in Anhui with flipped into a ditch on January 21.

The provinces of Hubei, Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu and Anhui were the hardest hit areas where some areas received their worst snow storm in 50 years. Snow persisted throughout the week with bitterly cold temperatures accompanying it. Tens of thousands of people were left stranded at several trains stations across southern China including Guangzhou Several main highways which also disrupted transportation of goods across several areas of the country.

Widespread power outages were also reported and at one point, 17 of the 31 provinces had to endured reduced power supplies. It was estimated that about 827 000 people were evacuated across 14 provinces. The country's civil affairs ministry estimated that the severe weather affected 67 million people and that the costs were estimated at about 3.8 billion British pounds or 54 billion Chinese yuan.

January 27-February 2

File:Nor'easter janurary 17-18 2008.jpg

Satellite image of the January 27, 2008 nor'easter

A series of low pressure systems affected the eastern portion of North America with various types of weather. On January 27, a low pressure system which developed just of Cape Cod, Massachusetts brought a major ice storm for portions of the Canadian Maritimes on January 28 after dumping a few inches of snow across coastal sections of Massachusetts and Maine, and up to 13 inches (30 cm) of snow on Cape Cod. Particularly hard hit was Prince Edward Island where about one-third of the island lost power while numerous power poles and lines were downed due to the weight of the ice. Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay offered the province help with the services of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Meanwhile, another powerful storm moved across the much of the continent bringing first blizzard conditions and frigid temperatures from Alberta to Manitoba and down towards the Dakotas where temperatures dropped locally 40 degrees below zero with much colder windchills. While approaching the eastern half of the continent, it intensified further and brought widespread damage wind some of them from thunderstorms. Winds exceeded locally as much as 120 km/h in some areas while blowing snow shut down many roads near the shorelines of Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. The cold front associated with the depression produced very rapid temperature drops in a short period from Iowa to southern Ontario. The storm killed at least 2 in Indiana due to an EF2 tornado.

Satellite image of the storm which affected the Eastern United States with ice and snow

A third strong storm developed across the Texas Panhandle on January 31 affected much of the Midwest and East with heavy snows from Northern Oklahoma to Quebec with significant ice across the Appalachians and the Ohio Valley and severe weather from southern Texas to the Middle Atlantic States. It brought massive amounts of snow to the midwest with some isolated reports of 11 inches (280 mm) of snow. Chicago saw its largest snowstorm this season as it dropped ten plus inches (203 mm) of snow in downtown building up traffic delays.[1] Across Ontario and Quebec it dumped about 8 inches of snow (20 cm) in Toronto, 13 to 14 inches (32-35 cm) in Ottawa, Gatineau and Quebec City and 11 inches (27 cm) in Montreal with higher amounts as much as 22 inches (55 cm) in the mountains north of Quebec City.It also brought severe weather to the deep south bringing several inches of rain. The storm has also produced heavy sleet and freezing rain in much of Pennsylvania and New York. The highest reported amount of ice accumulation was at State College, Pennsylvania, where 0.75 inches (19 mm) of ice fell, coupled with moderate wind gusts, has caused downed trees and powerlines there, and in much of the Northeast United States. The ice then moved into the Canadian Maritimes for several hours. While it disrupted air travel at various major airports along the path, the storm has been responsible for at least 15 deaths across three states and one Canadian province including one in Ontario, four in New York, six in Illinois, three in Texas and one in Oklahoma.

February 5-6

Main article: Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak of 2008

A major winter storm affected the Central United States and southern Ontario from February 5th into February 6th. The storm stretched from Wisconsin all the way south into Mississippi. Across eastern Iowa, southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, and lower Michigan, the storm dumped upwards of a foot or more of snow, with locally heavier amounts of 20 inches (51 cm) in some areas, particularly across southeast Wisconsin. In Ontario, 12 inches (30 cm) of snow fell in Toronto (with locally heavier amounts) with other areas of Ontario from Windsor to Ottawa receiving up to 12 inches (30 cm). Winds of up to 25 miles per hour (40 km/h) and heavy snowfall rates made for blizzard conditions in some areas, making travel nearly impossible. Many places throughout northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin were forced to close on February 6th, including schools, colleges, churches, health care centers, government buildings, businesses, and shopping malls. In addition, over 1000 flights were canceled at Chicago-O'Hare International Airport and 100 at Chicago-Midway International Airport while numerous flights were also cancelled at Toronto's Pearson International Airport. In the Milwuakee area, whiteout conditions forced the temporary closure of General Mitchell International Airport, where half of its flights were canceled for the day. In addition, numerous accidents were reported across the area, including one fatality. Several interstates and other roadways were closed throughout Wisconsin due to either whiteout conditions or accidents. The National Guard was brought in to assist over 2000 stranded motorists on a 19 mile stretch of I-90 between Janesville, WI, and Madison after several semi trailers lost traction and blocked the road.

The same storm system brought heavy rain across portions of the Ohio Valley, with severe thunderstorms further south. Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama all saw tornaodes from mid-afternoon February 5th to the early morning hours of February 6th. 33 people were killed in Tennessee, 14 in Arkansas, 7 in Kentucky, and 5 in Alabama. In all, at least 59 people have been killed by the tornadoes, making it the deadliest outbreak since the United States-Canadian Outbreak of 1985, which killed 88 people. In addition, over 100 people have been injured. The storm tore off the roof of a shopping mall in Memphis, trapped college students at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, ignited a gas fire near Nahsville, and demolished warehouses in Southaven, Mississippi, in addition to destroying numerous homes. Over 103 separate tornadoes have been reported so far. Several presidential candidates paused to remember victims during their speeches after the Super Tuesday primaries, with several tornadoes still occurring as they were speaking.

February 12-14

On February 11, a low pressure system moved out of the U.S. Plain States into the eastern half of the United States. The low pressure system began to strenghten, and slowly moved east. Snow began to fall in much of the Northeast United States and New England as the storm moved off the coast. It all but stalled, and the snow soon turned to ice for most of the affected area. After the ice storm, temperatures warmed to above freezing, and most of the precipitation turned to all rain for all areas other than the far northern fringes of the storm. The rain lasted for several hours in many places, with some areas receiving 3 inches (75 mm) of rain, which caused minor flooding in low-lying and urban areas. As the primary low pressure system moved away, a smaller low formed, which enhanced rainfall and extended precipitation for several more hours. By early on February 14, the storm had moved away.

See also

• Winter storm
• Winter storms of 2006-07