December 2010 North American blizzard
Encyclopedia
The December 2010 North American blizzard was a major nor'easter
and historic blizzard
affecting the United States
from portions of northern Florida
to Maine
and portions of Canada
on December 26–27, 2010. It was the first significant winter storm of the 2010-11 winter season and the fourth North American blizzard of 2010. The storm affected the northeast megalopolis
, which includes major cities such as Norfolk
, Philadelphia, New York City
, Hartford
, Providence
, and Boston
. The storm brought between 12 and 32 in (30.5 and 81.3 cm) of snow in many of these areas.
and an ample amount of southern stream energy; as a result, the storm carried a fairly large amount of moisture influx from the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic Ocean. The core of the storm eventually moved southeast into the Gulf of Mexico
then abruptly turned sharply northeastward into the Florida panhandle and state of Georgia as it merged with an upper-level low pressure system located near Virginia. As it became a stacked low pressure system, the storm system began a period of rapid intensification off the North Carolina coast while tracking along the coast of the Northeast and Newfoundland.
The storm had many similarities to North American blizzard of 2006
. The storm also generated a rare meteorological phenomenon known as thundersnow
in which thunder and lightning occur concurrently with the falling snow. On December 27, 2010, the storm had deepened to 961 mb, equal in pressure to that found in a Category 3 hurricane. Several synoptic factors
contributed to the intensity of this blizzard.
The global American and European weather models encountered exceptional difficulty in portraying the path of the storm. The main issue that the models were trying to resolve was whether or not the upper-level low pressure system from Central Canada was going to phase in time with the southern stream energy, thereby revealing if the resulting storm would come up the Eastern Seaboard or simply continue to move east out to sea in the Atlantic Ocean. The latter solution would have only caused the storm to affect the Mid-Atlantic states of Virginia and North Carolina with a modest winter storm instead of the entire Eastern coastline up to Atlantic Canada. As such, it was only 24 hours prior to the storm's arrival in the Northeastern states when all the European and American models were in agreement that the storm would turn up the entire coastline. The National Weather Service's Hydrometeorological Prediction Center
and many other private forecasters were skeptical of the storm impacting the Northeastern states until about 24 hours of the storm's arrival as well; although, some models depicted the storm delivering a full-blown blizzard to the New York City metropolitan area as early as a week in advance. The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center even issued a statement on Christmas Eve, 48 hours prior to the storm, that they suspected the American models of having model initialization errors; thus, they believed these errors may have forced the storm to be erroneously modeled to come up the Northeastern coast.
and parts of southern New Jersey
were expected to receive snowfalls of 20 inches (50.8 cm) or more. Wind gusts were expected to reach between 40 and 50 mph (64.4 and 80.5 km/h).
Areas in eastern North Carolina
and south eastern Virginia
saw upwards of 12 inches (30.5 cm) of snow.
Areas in and around New York City, which were most impacted by the storm, reported between 12 and 32 in (30.5 and 81.3 cm) of snowfall by Monday morning. Measurement was made difficult due to 4 feet (121.9 cm) snow drifts caused by the winds. Central Park's reported 20 inches (50.8 cm) of snow from the storm is the sixth-largest snowfall on record for that location.
Areas to the east of New York City received 10 to 20 inches while 20 to 30 inches of snow fell across the New York City, Northeast and Central New Jersey and Lower Hudson Valley. Areas receiving the most snow are between New Brunswick
and Elizabeth
and between Brick and Atlantic City
in New Jersey
. This was because multiple convective bands of heavy snow fed in off the ocean into the large stationary very heavy snow band (with occasional lightning) over the areas that received 20 to 30 inches. These areas received snowfall totals over 24 inches (61 cm). A secondary heavy snow/rain band formed across Eastern Massachusetts the night of December 26. Southern New England
including Boston
saw more than 1 feet (30.5 cm) of snow. Even areas of coastal Virginia saw more than 1 feet (30.5 cm) of snow, and North Carolina
received more than 6 inches (15.2 cm).
Washington, D.C.
and Baltimore
and their environs were largely spared this storm, receiving little accumulation despite large snowfall totals further east on the Delmarva Peninsula
.
. A wind gust of 94.4 miles per hour (42.2 m/s) was recorded in Grand Etang, Nova Scotia. The Greater New York area had sustained winds of 30-45 MPH with gusts to over 60 MPH during the afternoon and night of December 26. High winds caused near zero visibilities and treacherous travel conditions in many areas. The strong easterly winds also piled up water along the eastern coast of Massachusetts, leading to major coastal flood damage.
announced that the National Weather Service
had issued blizzard warnings for northern and parts of central New Jersey, New York City
, Long Island
and coastal southern New England
. WABC-TV
also offered information on the blizzard warning that was posted throughout the New York City region.
On December 26, several closures were announced on KYW-1060
(the all-news radio station in Philadelphia), including the Please Touch Museum
and Independence National Historical Park
. Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter declared a snow emergency
beginning at 2:00 p.m. local time.
The NFL
game between the Minnesota Vikings
and the Philadelphia Eagles
at Lincoln Financial Field
in Philadelphia, scheduled for Sunday, December 26, was postponed until Tuesday, December 28. Ironically, it was scheduled to be played Sunday afternoon, but flexed to the primetime slot, displacing the San Diego Chargers
-Cincinnati Bengals
game to the afternoon.
Boston declared a State of Emergency Sunday afternoon with an expected accumulation of over 20 inches (50.8 cm).
Delaware had declared a State of Emergency on Sunday evening.
Amtrak
's Acela Express
and regular Northeast Regional service was shut down completely between Boston and New York.
was declared due to the storm. Snow totals in the state ranged from less than 1 to 10 in (2.5 to 25.4 cm) in the east, from 5 to 12 in (12.7 to 30.5 cm) in the central part of the state, and from 3 to 15 in (7.6 to 38.1 cm) in the west.
had recorded 20 inches (50.8 cm) of snow. A combination of heavy snow and strong winds led to massive transportation lockdowns across the city. Hundreds of buses were stuck in the snow. More than 400 passengers were stranded on the A train
on the IND Rockaway Line
for seven hours starting shortly before 1 a.m. One train did not open its doors when it stopped at the station. Dozens of LIRR
trains were frozen onto the platforms. Hundreds of plows were on the road. NYC's major airports, Kennedy
, Newark
and LaGuardia
were shut down until 6:00 p.m. Monday evening. The MTA ran on a limited schedule, even on Tuesday morning, with many above ground subway lines not functioning. By Wednesday, only the Sea Beach Line
, Franklin Avenue Line
, and Greenport Branch remained suspended. The subway resumed full service on Thursday, the LIRR Friday morning.
Residents of the city were complaining to Mayor Michael Bloomberg
about the slowness of the snowplows attempting to reach their areas. By the late afternoon on Tuesday, snowplows had reached the minor streets in Brooklyn
. Many residents of Staten Island
, however, had yet to see one. Many plows became stuck in the snow that had accumulated on the streets and several could not get through as many residents had simply abandoned their cars in the middle of roads once it became too hazardous or impossible to move. These cars became stuck as the snow accumulated around them, creating roadblocks for the plows. Both Mayor Bloomberg and the chief of the sanitation department were urging residents to stay indoors and not shovel snow back onto the streets that had already been plowed. State Senator Carl Kruger
called the response a "Colossal Failure".
Multiple explanations have been proposed for the relatively slow response of the snow cleanup in the New York City metropolitan area. For example, the local media did not fully alert the general public until Christmas Day about the impending storm due to the complexity and lateness of the forecast models predicting the storm; thus, public awareness was delayed. Another possible cause was that Mayor Bloomberg had previously laid off 400 New York City Sanitation workers due to budget cuts; therefore, fewer plows were at work. In addition, some city workers who are responsible for managing the snow removal process had taken the day off from work during the storm due to the Christmas holiday. Also, a snow emergency
was not declared, contributing to the number of abandoned cars on the streets.
On December 30, the New York Post reported that several sanitation workers confessed that cleanup was intentionally slowed down to protest the aforementioned budget cuts. On January 3, 2011, WCBS-TV
reported that prosecutors had obtained a video of two sanitation trucks driving down 155th Street in Whitestone, Queens
after the blizzard with their plows raised so as not to remove the snow. Allegations were also made that sanitation workers slept on the job, hung out at a doughnut shop for 11 straight hours while on the job, and drank beer for six or seven hours while on the job. Claims were also made that supervisors encouraged such work stoppages. However, a month later, the New York Times reported that the allegations of a slowdown remained unsubstantiated and that Councilman Daniel Halloran, who had originally reported the confessions, had not named his sources.
A man who attempted suicide by jumping from a ninth-story window was saved when he landed on a huge pile of garbage that had accumulated during the blizzard.
Two casualties were reported as the result of emergency workers being unable to reach those in need: a newborn baby and an elderly woman.
declared a State of Emergency on Sunday, December 26. They were affected the hardest because of its high winds and snow. Over 20 inches (50.8 cm) of snow was estimated in some counties such as Union County
. Interstate 78
, Interstate 80
, and Interstate 280
experienced congestion, closures, and accidents. New Jersey Transit
suspended all bus service, North Jersey Coast Line
service, and Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
Service. River Line
service had partial closures and the Newark Light Rail
was delayed for 20–30 minutes. Many people in the state were stranded on roadways and only emergency vehicles were allowed on the roads.
The highest amount recorded was in Brick, New Jersey, where 36 inches of snow accumulated. The visibility was near 0 miles. Central and Northeastern New Jersey were hit the hardest with snow totals of 1 to 2.5 ft (30.5 to 76.2 cm). Edison
got 32.5 inches (82.6 cm), Lyndhurst
got 29 inches (73.7 cm) and Elizabeth
had one of the highest totals of snow of any city affected by this storm, 31.8 inches (80.8 cm) of heavy snow. Blizzard Warnings were prompted for eastern New Jersey, while Winter Storm Warnings were issued in the western portion. Blowing and drifting snow was a big problem on December 26 and 27.
Newark Liberty International Airport
in Newark
had received 7 inches (17.8 cm) of snowfall in about three hours, an instance of very heavy snow in a short time. Snow drifts as high as seven feet were spotted in portions of eastern New Jersey. The NJ Transit was shut down on late December 26 due to blizzard conditions occurring in the area. Cape May
was one of many southern New Jersey towns that were affected by snow bands containing four-inch per hour snowfall rates. When the storm was off the coast of New Jersey, bands of heavy snow formed one after another, increasing already-hefty snowfall amounts even further. There were reports of snow plows getting stuck in the snow late at night on December 26 and the early morning of the 27th. On the 26th, visibilities in some towns were less than 0.1 miles. This caused whiteout
conditions in towns along the Raritan River
and the Atlantic coastline.
Cape May had reported nearly 15 inches of snow after the storm had moved out to sea. The town had lesser snow amounts due to a break in the southern half of the snow bands pivoting toward New Jersey. The snow totals were only expected to reach 10 to 15 inches at the highest. Instead, the highest amount was in Brick, New Jersey where 36 inches fell, nearly 3 feet of snow fell. I-95 Northbound was mostly covered in layers of snow, which was dangerous for some drivers.
The higher snowfall amounts occurred in central and northern coastal areas of New Jersey. The blustery winds in New Jersey gusted as high as 65 mph. The fact of the high winds caused the blizzard warnings to be issued by the Mount Holly, New Jersey (Philadelphia, PA area) National Weather Service officials.
Snow fell so fast that traffic came to a complete halt. Motorists had to be rescued the following day as snow continued to pile up and trap them on interstates and local streets, which themselves became completely impassable. Citizens began calling in to news stations asking for help and giving reports, while plows and other emergency personnel became stuck everywhere. Newark
Mayor Cory Booker
notably used Twitter
to help stranded residents and assure citizens.
, and widespread tree damage and power outages throughout the state. Service on the Metro-North New Haven Line and its branches was suspended on Monday due to equipment and switch failures caused by the storm. The greatest snow totals were in the western part of the state, with Wilton
receiving 18 inches of snow. North Canaan
reported 16.1 inches, and 13.9 inches of snowfall was reported at Bradley International Airport
.
The blizzard was nicknamed Winter Storm "Adrienne" by WFSB-TV Channel 3. The local CBS affiliate has unofficially named local winter storms since 1971.
at the Sugarloaf ski resort derailed, causing several skiers to receive injuries after falling to the ground, sending seven to the hospital.
.
, the nor'easter was the fourth major winter storm
to hit the area in four weeks. Blizzard conditions forced numerous road closures and resulted in the death of a minivan driver on December 27 near Fredericton, Prince Edward Island
. Wind gusts approached 150 km/h (93.2 mph), and up to 40 cm (15.7 in) of snow fell in New Brunswick
, while Nova Scotia
was hit by heavy rain and unseasonably warm temperatures and rain continued in eastern Newfoundland
.
Nor'easter
A nor'easter is a type of macro-scale storm along the East Coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada, so named because the storm travels to the northeast from the south and the winds come from the northeast, especially in the coastal areas of the Northeastern United States and Atlantic Canada...
and historic blizzard
Blizzard
A blizzard is a severe snowstorm characterized by strong winds. By definition, the difference between blizzard and a snowstorm is the strength of the wind. To be a blizzard, a snow storm must have winds in excess of with blowing or drifting snow which reduces visibility to 400 meters or ¼ mile or...
affecting the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from portions of northern Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
and portions of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on December 26–27, 2010. It was the first significant winter storm of the 2010-11 winter season and the fourth North American blizzard of 2010. The storm affected the northeast megalopolis
Northeast megalopolis
The Northeast megalopolis or Boston–Washington megalopolis is the heavily urbanized area of the United States stretching from the the northern suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts to the southern suburbs of Washington, D.C. On a map, the region appears almost as a perfectly straight line. As of 2000,...
, which includes major cities such as Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, Philadelphia, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. The storm brought between 12 and 32 in (30.5 and 81.3 cm) of snow in many of these areas.
Meteorological history
The main storm formed in Western Texas; however, its moisture was traced to a remnant storm that brought significant rain, snow, and mudslides to much of Southern California and the Desert Southwest. This system interacted with an upper-level low pressure system that dropped down from central CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and an ample amount of southern stream energy; as a result, the storm carried a fairly large amount of moisture influx from the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic Ocean. The core of the storm eventually moved southeast into the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
then abruptly turned sharply northeastward into the Florida panhandle and state of Georgia as it merged with an upper-level low pressure system located near Virginia. As it became a stacked low pressure system, the storm system began a period of rapid intensification off the North Carolina coast while tracking along the coast of the Northeast and Newfoundland.
The storm had many similarities to North American blizzard of 2006
North American blizzard of 2006
The Blizzard of 2006 was a nor'easter that began on the evening of February 11, 2006. It dumped heavy snow across the Northeast United States from Virginia to Maine through the early evening of February 12 and ended in Atlantic Canada on February 13...
. The storm also generated a rare meteorological phenomenon known as thundersnow
Thundersnow
Thundersnow, also known as a winter thunderstorm or a thunder snowstorm, is a relatively rare kind of thunderstorm with snow falling as the primary precipitation instead of rain. It typically falls in regions of strong upward motion within the cold sector of an extratropical cyclone...
in which thunder and lightning occur concurrently with the falling snow. On December 27, 2010, the storm had deepened to 961 mb, equal in pressure to that found in a Category 3 hurricane. Several synoptic factors
Synoptic scale meteorology
The synoptic scale in meteorology is a horizontal length scale of the order of 1000 kilometres or more. This corresponds to a horizontal scale typical of mid-latitude depressions...
contributed to the intensity of this blizzard.
The global American and European weather models encountered exceptional difficulty in portraying the path of the storm. The main issue that the models were trying to resolve was whether or not the upper-level low pressure system from Central Canada was going to phase in time with the southern stream energy, thereby revealing if the resulting storm would come up the Eastern Seaboard or simply continue to move east out to sea in the Atlantic Ocean. The latter solution would have only caused the storm to affect the Mid-Atlantic states of Virginia and North Carolina with a modest winter storm instead of the entire Eastern coastline up to Atlantic Canada. As such, it was only 24 hours prior to the storm's arrival in the Northeastern states when all the European and American models were in agreement that the storm would turn up the entire coastline. The National Weather Service's Hydrometeorological Prediction Center
Hydrometeorological Prediction Center
The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center is one of nine service centers under the umbrella of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction , a part of the National Weather Service, which in turn is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the U.S. government...
and many other private forecasters were skeptical of the storm impacting the Northeastern states until about 24 hours of the storm's arrival as well; although, some models depicted the storm delivering a full-blown blizzard to the New York City metropolitan area as early as a week in advance. The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center even issued a statement on Christmas Eve, 48 hours prior to the storm, that they suspected the American models of having model initialization errors; thus, they believed these errors may have forced the storm to be erroneously modeled to come up the Northeastern coast.
Snowfall
WCAU-TV in Philadelphia forecast a snowfall of between 10 and 20 in (25.4 and 50.8 cm) in Philadelphia itself (which received 12.2 inches (31 cm)), while nearby Trenton, New JerseyTrenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
and parts of southern New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
were expected to receive snowfalls of 20 inches (50.8 cm) or more. Wind gusts were expected to reach between 40 and 50 mph (64.4 and 80.5 km/h).
Areas in eastern North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and south eastern Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
saw upwards of 12 inches (30.5 cm) of snow.
Areas in and around New York City, which were most impacted by the storm, reported between 12 and 32 in (30.5 and 81.3 cm) of snowfall by Monday morning. Measurement was made difficult due to 4 feet (121.9 cm) snow drifts caused by the winds. Central Park's reported 20 inches (50.8 cm) of snow from the storm is the sixth-largest snowfall on record for that location.
Areas to the east of New York City received 10 to 20 inches while 20 to 30 inches of snow fell across the New York City, Northeast and Central New Jersey and Lower Hudson Valley. Areas receiving the most snow are between New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
and Elizabeth
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
and between Brick and Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. This was because multiple convective bands of heavy snow fed in off the ocean into the large stationary very heavy snow band (with occasional lightning) over the areas that received 20 to 30 inches. These areas received snowfall totals over 24 inches (61 cm). A secondary heavy snow/rain band formed across Eastern Massachusetts the night of December 26. Southern New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
including Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
saw more than 1 feet (30.5 cm) of snow. Even areas of coastal Virginia saw more than 1 feet (30.5 cm) of snow, and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
received more than 6 inches (15.2 cm).
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and their environs were largely spared this storm, receiving little accumulation despite large snowfall totals further east on the Delmarva Peninsula
Delmarva Peninsula
The Delmarva Peninsula is a large peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by most of Delaware and portions of Maryland and Virginia...
.
High winds
Wind gusts routinely over 50 miles per hour (22.4 m/s) were widespread during the blizzard in coastal areas. Hurricane-strength wind gusts of 80 miles per hour (35.8 m/s) were recorded along coastal portions of Eastern MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. A wind gust of 94.4 miles per hour (42.2 m/s) was recorded in Grand Etang, Nova Scotia. The Greater New York area had sustained winds of 30-45 MPH with gusts to over 60 MPH during the afternoon and night of December 26. High winds caused near zero visibilities and treacherous travel conditions in many areas. The strong easterly winds also piled up water along the eastern coast of Massachusetts, leading to major coastal flood damage.
Impact
Late on December 25, WPVI-TVWPVI-TV
WPVI-TV, channel 6, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. WPVI has its studios located on the border between Philadelphia and Bala Cynwyd, and its transmitter is located in the...
announced that the National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
had issued blizzard warnings for northern and parts of central New Jersey, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
and coastal southern New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. WABC-TV
WABC-TV
WABC-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company located in New York City. The station's studios and offices are located on the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, adjacent to ABC's corporate headquarters, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State...
also offered information on the blizzard warning that was posted throughout the New York City region.
On December 26, several closures were announced on KYW-1060
KYW (AM)
KYW is a class A AM radio station on 1060 kHz licensed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. KYW is owned by the CBS Radio unit of CBS Corporation, and has broadcasted an all-news format since 1965. The station's studios are located on Market Street in Center City Philadelphia, and it transmitters...
(the all-news radio station in Philadelphia), including the Please Touch Museum
Please Touch Museum
The Please Touch Museum is a children's museum located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The museum focuses on teaching children through interactive exhibits and special events, mostly aimed at children seven years old and younger.-History:...
and Independence National Historical Park
Independence National Historical Park
Independence National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park in Philadelphia that preserves several sites associated with the American Revolution and the nation's founding history. Administered by the National Park Service, the park comprises much of the downtown historic...
. Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter declared a snow emergency
Snow emergency
A Snow Emergency is the term used to indicate the active response plan when a snow storm severely impacts a city, county or town in the United States or Canada. Schools, universities, government offices, airports and public buildings may close during a Snow Emergency. The precise meaning of "snow...
beginning at 2:00 p.m. local time.
The NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
game between the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
at Lincoln Financial Field
Lincoln Financial Field
Lincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. It has a seating capacity of 68,532 . It is located in South Philadelphia on Pattison Avenue between 11th and 10th streets, also aside I-95 as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
in Philadelphia, scheduled for Sunday, December 26, was postponed until Tuesday, December 28. Ironically, it was scheduled to be played Sunday afternoon, but flexed to the primetime slot, displacing the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
-Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
game to the afternoon.
Boston declared a State of Emergency Sunday afternoon with an expected accumulation of over 20 inches (50.8 cm).
Delaware had declared a State of Emergency on Sunday evening.
Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Acela Express
Acela Express
The Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York...
and regular Northeast Regional service was shut down completely between Boston and New York.
North Carolina
North Carolina was one of six US states where a state of emergencyState of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
was declared due to the storm. Snow totals in the state ranged from less than 1 to 10 in (2.5 to 25.4 cm) in the east, from 5 to 12 in (12.7 to 30.5 cm) in the central part of the state, and from 3 to 15 in (7.6 to 38.1 cm) in the west.
New York City
By the storm's end, weather stations in Central ParkCentral Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
had recorded 20 inches (50.8 cm) of snow. A combination of heavy snow and strong winds led to massive transportation lockdowns across the city. Hundreds of buses were stuck in the snow. More than 400 passengers were stranded on the A train
A (New York City Subway service)
The A Eighth Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. Its route bullet is colored blue on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map since it runs on the IND Eighth Avenue Line in Manhattan....
on the IND Rockaway Line
IND Rockaway Line
The IND Rockaway Line is a rapid transit line of the IND Division of the New York City Subway. It branches from the IND Fulton Street Line at Rockaway Boulevard, extending over the Jamaica Bay, into the Rockaways.-History:...
for seven hours starting shortly before 1 a.m. One train did not open its doors when it stopped at the station. Dozens of LIRR
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
trains were frozen onto the platforms. Hundreds of plows were on the road. NYC's major airports, Kennedy
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
, Newark
Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...
and LaGuardia
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
were shut down until 6:00 p.m. Monday evening. The MTA ran on a limited schedule, even on Tuesday morning, with many above ground subway lines not functioning. By Wednesday, only the Sea Beach Line
BMT Sea Beach Line
The BMT Sea Beach Line is a rapid transit line of the BMT division of the New York City Subway, connecting the BMT Fourth Avenue Line subway at 59th Street via a four-track wide open cut to Coney Island in Brooklyn...
, Franklin Avenue Line
BMT Franklin Avenue Line
The BMT Franklin Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the New York City Subway in Brooklyn, New York...
, and Greenport Branch remained suspended. The subway resumed full service on Thursday, the LIRR Friday morning.
Residents of the city were complaining to Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
about the slowness of the snowplows attempting to reach their areas. By the late afternoon on Tuesday, snowplows had reached the minor streets in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. Many residents of Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
, however, had yet to see one. Many plows became stuck in the snow that had accumulated on the streets and several could not get through as many residents had simply abandoned their cars in the middle of roads once it became too hazardous or impossible to move. These cars became stuck as the snow accumulated around them, creating roadblocks for the plows. Both Mayor Bloomberg and the chief of the sanitation department were urging residents to stay indoors and not shovel snow back onto the streets that had already been plowed. State Senator Carl Kruger
Carl Kruger
Carl Kruger is an American politician, a Democrat who represents District 27 in the New York State Senate, which comprises Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay, Gravesend, Bergen Beach, Mill Basin, and Midwood, among other neighborhoods found within his native Brooklyn...
called the response a "Colossal Failure".
Multiple explanations have been proposed for the relatively slow response of the snow cleanup in the New York City metropolitan area. For example, the local media did not fully alert the general public until Christmas Day about the impending storm due to the complexity and lateness of the forecast models predicting the storm; thus, public awareness was delayed. Another possible cause was that Mayor Bloomberg had previously laid off 400 New York City Sanitation workers due to budget cuts; therefore, fewer plows were at work. In addition, some city workers who are responsible for managing the snow removal process had taken the day off from work during the storm due to the Christmas holiday. Also, a snow emergency
Snow emergency
A Snow Emergency is the term used to indicate the active response plan when a snow storm severely impacts a city, county or town in the United States or Canada. Schools, universities, government offices, airports and public buildings may close during a Snow Emergency. The precise meaning of "snow...
was not declared, contributing to the number of abandoned cars on the streets.
On December 30, the New York Post reported that several sanitation workers confessed that cleanup was intentionally slowed down to protest the aforementioned budget cuts. On January 3, 2011, WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV, channel 2, is the flagship station of the CBS television network, located in New York City. The station's studios are located within the CBS Broadcast Center and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building, both in Midtown Manhattan....
reported that prosecutors had obtained a video of two sanitation trucks driving down 155th Street in Whitestone, Queens
Whitestone, Queens
Whitestone is a residential neighborhood in the northernmost part of the City of New York borough of Queens. Located between the East River to the north and 25th Avenue to the south. Whitestone is surrounded by College Point, Flushing, Bayside, Auburndale, Linden Hill, and Murray Hill...
after the blizzard with their plows raised so as not to remove the snow. Allegations were also made that sanitation workers slept on the job, hung out at a doughnut shop for 11 straight hours while on the job, and drank beer for six or seven hours while on the job. Claims were also made that supervisors encouraged such work stoppages. However, a month later, the New York Times reported that the allegations of a slowdown remained unsubstantiated and that Councilman Daniel Halloran, who had originally reported the confessions, had not named his sources.
A man who attempted suicide by jumping from a ninth-story window was saved when he landed on a huge pile of garbage that had accumulated during the blizzard.
Two casualties were reported as the result of emergency workers being unable to reach those in need: a newborn baby and an elderly woman.
New Jersey
New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
declared a State of Emergency on Sunday, December 26. They were affected the hardest because of its high winds and snow. Over 20 inches (50.8 cm) of snow was estimated in some counties such as Union County
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 536,499. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Elizabeth. Union County ranks 93rd among the highest-income counties in the United States. It also ranks 74th in...
. Interstate 78
Interstate 78
Interstate 78 is an Interstate Highway in the Northeast United States, running 144 miles from Interstate 81 northeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, through Allentown, Pennsylvania, and western and northern New Jersey to the Holland Tunnel and Lower Manhattan in New York City.I-78 is a major road...
, Interstate 80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
, and Interstate 280
Interstate 280 (New Jersey)
Interstate 280 is a Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It provides a spur from I-80 in Parsippany-Troy Hills, Morris County to Newark, and I-95 Interstate 280 (abbreviated I-280) is a Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It provides a spur from I-80 in...
experienced congestion, closures, and accidents. New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
suspended all bus service, North Jersey Coast Line
North Jersey Coast Line
The North Jersey Coast Line is a New Jersey Transit commuter rail service operating between New York Penn Station or Hoboken Terminal and Bay Head, New Jersey...
service, and Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
The Hudson–Bergen Light Rail is a light rail system in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Owned by New Jersey Transit and operated by the 21st Century Rail Corporation, it connects the communities of Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken, Weehawken, Union City , and North Bergen.The system began...
Service. River Line
River Line (New Jersey Transit)
The River Line is a diesel light rail system in New Jersey, United States, that connects the cities of Camden and Trenton, New Jersey's capital. It is operated for New Jersey Transit by the Southern New Jersey Rail Group , which originally included Bechtel Group and Bombardier...
service had partial closures and the Newark Light Rail
Newark Light Rail
The Newark Light Rail is a light rail system under New Jersey Transit Bus Operations serving Newark, New Jersey. The service consists of two segments, the original Newark City Subway, and the extension to Broad Street station...
was delayed for 20–30 minutes. Many people in the state were stranded on roadways and only emergency vehicles were allowed on the roads.
The highest amount recorded was in Brick, New Jersey, where 36 inches of snow accumulated. The visibility was near 0 miles. Central and Northeastern New Jersey were hit the hardest with snow totals of 1 to 2.5 ft (30.5 to 76.2 cm). Edison
Edison, New Jersey
Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township...
got 32.5 inches (82.6 cm), Lyndhurst
Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Lyndhurst is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 20,554.Lyndhurst was originally formed as Union Township on February 19, 1852 from portions of Harrison Township...
got 29 inches (73.7 cm) and Elizabeth
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
had one of the highest totals of snow of any city affected by this storm, 31.8 inches (80.8 cm) of heavy snow. Blizzard Warnings were prompted for eastern New Jersey, while Winter Storm Warnings were issued in the western portion. Blowing and drifting snow was a big problem on December 26 and 27.
Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...
in Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
had received 7 inches (17.8 cm) of snowfall in about three hours, an instance of very heavy snow in a short time. Snow drifts as high as seven feet were spotted in portions of eastern New Jersey. The NJ Transit was shut down on late December 26 due to blizzard conditions occurring in the area. Cape May
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States...
was one of many southern New Jersey towns that were affected by snow bands containing four-inch per hour snowfall rates. When the storm was off the coast of New Jersey, bands of heavy snow formed one after another, increasing already-hefty snowfall amounts even further. There were reports of snow plows getting stuck in the snow late at night on December 26 and the early morning of the 27th. On the 26th, visibilities in some towns were less than 0.1 miles. This caused whiteout
Whiteout (weather)
Whiteout is a weather condition in which visibility and contrast are severely reduced by snow or sand. The horizon disappears completely and there are no reference points at all, leaving the individual with a distorted orientation...
conditions in towns along the Raritan River
Raritan River
The Raritan River is a major river of central New Jersey in the United States. Its watershed drains much of the mountainous area of the central part of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay on the Atlantic Ocean.-Description:...
and the Atlantic coastline.
Cape May had reported nearly 15 inches of snow after the storm had moved out to sea. The town had lesser snow amounts due to a break in the southern half of the snow bands pivoting toward New Jersey. The snow totals were only expected to reach 10 to 15 inches at the highest. Instead, the highest amount was in Brick, New Jersey where 36 inches fell, nearly 3 feet of snow fell. I-95 Northbound was mostly covered in layers of snow, which was dangerous for some drivers.
The higher snowfall amounts occurred in central and northern coastal areas of New Jersey. The blustery winds in New Jersey gusted as high as 65 mph. The fact of the high winds caused the blizzard warnings to be issued by the Mount Holly, New Jersey (Philadelphia, PA area) National Weather Service officials.
Snow fell so fast that traffic came to a complete halt. Motorists had to be rescued the following day as snow continued to pile up and trap them on interstates and local streets, which themselves became completely impassable. Citizens began calling in to news stations asking for help and giving reports, while plows and other emergency personnel became stuck everywhere. Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
Mayor Cory Booker
Cory Booker
Cory Anthony Booker is the Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Booker is a former Newark City Councilman...
notably used Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
to help stranded residents and assure citizens.
Connecticut
Heavy snow and winds of up to 60 miles per hour (96.6 km/h) caused a gas station roof to collapse in North HavenNorth Haven, Connecticut
North Haven is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut on the outskirts of New Haven, Connecticut.North Haven is less than ten miles from downtown New Haven and Yale University. It is near Sleeping Giant State Park and home the Quinnipiac University School of Health Sciences, the School of Nursing,...
, and widespread tree damage and power outages throughout the state. Service on the Metro-North New Haven Line and its branches was suspended on Monday due to equipment and switch failures caused by the storm. The greatest snow totals were in the western part of the state, with Wilton
Wilton, Connecticut
Wilton is a town nestled in the Norwalk River Valley in southwestern Connecticut in the United States. It is located in Fairfield County. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 18,062. In 2007, it was voted as one of CNN Money's "Best Places to Live" in the United States.Located along...
receiving 18 inches of snow. North Canaan
North Canaan, Connecticut
North Canaan is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,350 at the 2000 census. The town center is still called "Canaan" by local residents, being the main town center of the old Town of Canaan prior to North Canaan splitting off as its own town.The Union Depot...
reported 16.1 inches, and 13.9 inches of snowfall was reported at Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....
.
The blizzard was nicknamed Winter Storm "Adrienne" by WFSB-TV Channel 3. The local CBS affiliate has unofficially named local winter storms since 1971.
Maine
Blizzard conditions arrived in Maine on December 27. On December 28, a ski liftSki lift
The term ski lift generally refers to any transport device that carries skiers up a hill. A ski lift may fall into one of the following three main classes:-Lift systems and networks:...
at the Sugarloaf ski resort derailed, causing several skiers to receive injuries after falling to the ground, sending seven to the hospital.
Massachusetts
Coastal Massachusetts, along with coastal Maine, bore the brunt of the storm with a recorded wind gust of 153 km/h (95.1 mph) in Scituate, MassachusettsScituate, Massachusetts
Scituate is a seacoast town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on the South Shore, midway between Boston and Plymouth. The population was 18,133 at the 2010 census....
.
Atlantic Canada
In Atlantic CanadaAtlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
, the nor'easter was the fourth major winter storm
Winter storm
A winter storm is an event in which the dominant varieties of precipitation are formed that only occur at low temperatures, such as snow or sleet, or a rainstorm where ground temperatures are low enough to allow ice to form...
to hit the area in four weeks. Blizzard conditions forced numerous road closures and resulted in the death of a minivan driver on December 27 near Fredericton, Prince Edward Island
Fredericton, Prince Edward Island
Fredericton is a Canadian rural community in western Queens County, Prince Edward Island.Fredericton is situated west of Hunter River and is primarily an agricultural hamlet...
. Wind gusts approached 150 km/h (93.2 mph), and up to 40 cm (15.7 in) of snow fell in New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, while Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
was hit by heavy rain and unseasonably warm temperatures and rain continued in eastern Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
.
See also
- February 5–6, 2010 North American blizzard
- February 9–10, 2010 North American blizzard
- February 25–27, 2010 North American blizzard
- March 2010 North American winter stormMarch 2010 North American winter stormThe March 2010 North American winter storm was a powerful nor easter that impacted the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada from March 12–16, 2010, resulting in at least nine deaths. The slow-moving storm produced over of rain in New England, causing widespread flooding of urban and...
- January 31 – February 2, 2011 North American blizzard
- North American blizzard of 2009North American blizzard of 2009The North American blizzard of 2009 was a Category 2 nor'easter that formed over the Gulf of Mexico in December 2009 and became a major snowstorm for the East Coast of the United States and Canadian Atlantic provinces...
- North American blizzard of 2006North American blizzard of 2006The Blizzard of 2006 was a nor'easter that began on the evening of February 11, 2006. It dumped heavy snow across the Northeast United States from Virginia to Maine through the early evening of February 12 and ended in Atlantic Canada on February 13...
External links
- Timelapse Video – Sped-up footage of the blizzard
- December 26-27, 2010 Blizzard National Weather Service, New York, New York
- "The blizzard of 2010", The Boston Globe
- "December 26-27, 2010 Snowstorm", National Weather Service Eastern Region Headquarters
- "Neptune Digs Out", Asbury Park Press