January 31 – February 2, 2011 North American winter storm
Encyclopedia
The January 31 – February 2, 2011 North American winter storm, also called the 2011 Groundhog Day Blizzard, was a powerful and historic winter storm
, situated around the US
and Canadian
holiday
Groundhog Day
. In the initial stages of the storm, some meteorologists predicted that the system would affect over 100 million people in the United States. The storm brought cold air, heavy snowfall, blowing snow
, and mixed precipitation on a path from New Mexico
and northern Texas
to New England
and Eastern Canada
. The Chicago
area saw between 1 and 2 feet of snow and blizzard conditions, with winds of over 60 mph. .With such continuous winds, the Blizzard kept going north and affected Eastern
and Atlantic Canada
. The most notable area affected in Canada was Toronto
and the Greater Toronto Area
. Blizzard
conditions affected many other large cities along the storm's path, including Tulsa
, Oklahoma City
, Kansas City
, St. Louis
, Springfield
, El Paso
, Las Cruces
, Des Moines
, Milwaukee, Detroit, Indianapolis
, Dayton
, Cleveland, New York
, New York's Capital District
, and Boston
. Many other areas not normally used to extreme winter conditions, including Albuquerque
, Dallas
and Houston
, experienced significant snowfall or ice accumulation. The National Weather Service in Central Illinois issued their 4th "Blizzard Warning" in the entire forecast office's 16 year history. Snowfall amounts of 20 to 28 inches were forecast for much of Northern and Western Illinois.
An ice storm
ahead of the winter storm's warm front
also brought hazardous conditions to much of the American Midwest and New England, and many areas saw well over 1 in (2.5 cm) of ice accumulation. Numerous power outage
s, flight cancellations, airport closures, road closures, rail and bus cancellations, mail stoppages, and school, government, and business closures took place ahead of and after the storm; many of these disruptions lasted several days. Several tornado touchdowns
were reported in Texas and a tornado watch was issued for parts of Alabama
, ahead of the cold front
in the warm sector of the storm. In addition, thundersnow
was recorded at some locations, increasing the overall snowfall rate. At least 24 deaths were reported to be related to the storm, many of them in shoveling or auto-related incidents. The total damages from the ice storm alone may exceed $1 billion USD.
containing cold air from the polar vortex
drifted across The Dakotas
, while a large Arctic high pressure system with a maximum pressure of 1052 millibars (31.1 inHg) followed behind it, moving across Montana
. A low pressure system from the Pacific Ocean
later came ashore over Northern California
and crossed the Rocky Mountains
, merging with the Alberta Clipper low and a developing Texas low drawing moisture from the northwestern Gulf of Mexico
. The storm later intensified, and moved northeast, developing a long warm front stretching toward the New England states, and moving northeast along this jet stream
track.
Lake effect snow events started over Lake Ontario
and Lake Michigan
from northeasterly winds. Following the predominant jet pattern, the storm developed a very rapid forward trajectory and began to migrate toward the lower Great Lakes. The heaviest snow fell in a wide swath from central Oklahoma to Illinois, Indiana
and the Ohio Valley. An official blizzard warning was issued in Southern Ontario
for the first time since 1993, although the Canadian definition changed in 2010.
, and winds up to some 50 km/h (31 mph) to some areas in eastern Canada, schools and businesses were closed on Thursday morning, the 3rd of February. Lower Sackville near Halifax received 38 cm (15 in) of snow.
.
. Hamilton saw more than 25 centimeters due to an intense Lake Effect band from the west end of Lake Ontario caused by an enhanced wind from the east-northeast, Toronto
was spared more than was forecasted with 15 centimeters and a winter storm warning in effect. Areas from the Lake Huron
shoreline east to London
and Hamilton
were under a Blizzard Warning
. There were reports of thundersnow
in Windsor, Ontario
when the storm began to hit the region Tuesday night on February 1; the city and nearby Chatham-Kent also declared a snow emergency, effectively enacting a parking ban to ease snowplow efforts, due to forecasted snow totals of 30+ centimeters, and the snow clean-up in the city is likely to cost $700,000 CAD
, about 1.5 times more than normal. The Toronto District School Board
and Toronto Catholic District School Board
closed all schools for the first time since 1999 during the North American blizzard of 1999, a controversial decision given the less than anticipated outcome and snowfall totals resulting from the storm. Schools were also closed in the Windsor area and elsewhere.
, Quebec involving a school bus and many other vehicles sent 29 people to hospital for injuries. All schools in the Eastern Townships School Board
near Sherbrooke were closed.
and Bonavista
, while schools in eastern parts of St. John's
were closed.
, which lies just across the border from El Paso, Texas
, in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, a regional state of emergency was declared Tuesday evening, just ahead of the cold weather system, with Mexican authorities urging citizens to stay indoors. Despite the snow and ice that developed across the borderland, the major International Bridges remained open during the blizzard. Additionally, to help ease the electricity crash across Texas due to the freezing weather, Mexican officials arranged for the transfer of 280 megawatts of power to the United States via utility hookups located in Nuevo Laredo
(across from Laredo, Texas
) and Piedras Negras, Coahuila
(near Eagle Pass, Texas
). The cold wave
behind the storm's cold front left temperatures plunging to -18°C in Ciudad Juárez, resulting in the deaths of at least six people in the coldest temperatures recorded in the area in at least half a century. In addition, 35 animals died at a zoo, and closures of schools and factories occurred in the city.
On Wednesday, authorities in Juárez announced that convoys would be traveling out to remote regions and slum areas to ensure that citizens are warm and have the supplies they need to get through the next few days. On Thursday, Mexican officials suspended energy exports to Texas, citing cold weather damage at five power stations across Mexico that resulted in a total loss of 1,000 megawatts of electricity in Northern Mexico. Power stations in Mexico were able to meet the resulting energy demands in Northern Mexico, but could not spare additional electricity to aid Texas. In Juarez, overnight temperatures in the single digits left 90% of the city without water service due to frozen pipes, and the failure of thermoelectric generators at a power station in Samalayuca, 30 miles south of Juarez, left citizens without power for roughly five hours.
experienced up to 10 inches of snow and 3/4 inch ice accumulations, resulting in widespread tree damage and power outages. The additional snow and ice accumulation on top of several feet of snow prior to the storm led to roof collapses in Bethany
, Waterbury
, and Middletown
. The West Rock Tunnel on the Wilbur Cross Parkway
was closed for several hours due to accidents caused by slippery conditions, while service was disrupted on the Metro-North Railroad and at Bradley International Airport
. The heavy snow caused at least 136 roof collapses of barns, greenhouses and other farm structures.
, in anticipation of the imminent blizzard
conditions, 1,300 flights were canceled at O'Hare
and Midway
airports. By 4:30pm, CST (22:30 GMT
), the storm reached blizzard status with sustained winds exceeding 35 miles per hour (56.3 km/h), with white-out conditions
being reported by spotters in the Old Town
neighborhood on the city's North Side. while Lake Shore Drive
was temporarily shut down due to impassible conditions. City officials said on February 2, that at least 900 cars and busses were stranded on Lake Shore Drive, with their drivers and passengers being trapped in some cases for as long as 12 hours, but that closing the roadway earlier could have resulted in disastrous traffic conditions and possible accidents on other Chicago area streets. Tow trucks began pulling cars off of Lake Shore Drive on the evening of February 2, moving the cars to six temporary lots for motorists who abandoned their vehicles to arrive and claim. The city of Chicago did not keep track of the license plates of each vehicle, leading to complaints from many drivers and once they found their vehicles, many were not able to retrieve them from the lots due to them being parked bumper-to-bumper.; on February 3, the City of Chicago reopened Lake Shore Drive to traffic before rush hour.
The Chicago Public Schools
announced, on February 1, that public schools would be closed on the following day (Wednesday, February 2), which marked the first cancellation of classes district wide since the Blizzard of 1999. Heavy snow and high sustained winds gusting in excess of 50 miles per hour (80.5 km/h), caused rail switches to freeze on the CTA
's Red Line
and blew a portion of the roof off Wrigley Field
. Northwestern University
and the University of Chicago
canceled classes Wednesday for the first time in over a decade due to the weather. Over 39,000 state workers were ordered not to come into work due to the weather; this was the largest figure since a blizzard in 1978. Mail service was stopped on Wednesday for six post office regions in Northern Illinois
. Amtrak
train service out of Chicago was also canceled across Illinois on Wednesday.
In the central part of the state, several municipalities were all but shut down by the storm. On Monday, residents rushed to the stores to stock up on groceries, and several stores reported record sales. On Tuesday, several school districts and universities pre-emptively canceled classes for Tuesday evening and all-day Wednesday. Many school districts planned to close a second day in a row, on Thursday. About 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) of snow fell Monday night. Tuesday afternoon brought heavy snowfall and sustained 40 miles per hour (64.4 km/h) winds, with gusts of over 50 miles per hour (80.5 km/h). Local government officials encouraged all businesses to close down, and local hospitals braced for the storm by preparing living and sleeping areas for essential personnel. Flights from area airports were canceled, and local officials repeatedly urged residents not to travel, as due to the whiteout conditions, snow plows had been taken off the roads. Interstate 80
was closed Tuesday night between Morris
and Princeton
. On Wednesday, Interstate 290
and Illinois Route 53
were shut down from Lake Cook Road
in Arlington Heights
to St. Charles Road in Elmhurst
. 40 vehicles were abandoned on Route 53. Parts of Interstate 57
were also shut down. The state police described most expressways as "impassable". 50 motorists stranded on Illinois Route 47
south of Huntley
received assistance from a snowmobile club, while dozens of motorists had to be rescued on Illinois Route 72
, west of Hampshire
. During the storm's peak on Tuesday night, more than 100,000 customers were without power across the state, including 79,000 ComEd customers across Northern Illinois and 35,800 Ameren
customers in Central Illinois
. Several charities set up shelters for the homeless and those stranded by the blizzard, and Illinois governor Pat Quinn
mobilized 500 Illinois National Guard
troops to help rescue stranded motorists. Hundreds of motorists had been rescued off Interstates 290, 55
, 57, and 80. In addition, over 80 traffic accidents were reported.
11 snow-related deaths had been reported in Illinois by February 3. The body of an individual was recovered from Lake Michigan
by Chicago Police
. The pedestrian had reportedly been walking on the lakefront pathway and had been blown into the lake by strong winds. In Grayslake
, a man was killed in a crash while driving through the storm, while a woman in Mundelein
died of cold exposure in her car. A man in Chicago was also found dead in his home, which had no heat. In Barrington
, a teacher died of a heart attack while leaving school on Tuesday. Five cardiac-related deaths due to shoveling snow occurred in Lyons
, Downers Grove
, Mount Prospect
, Carol Stream
, and Glendale Heights
. In rural LaSalle County, a man died while trying to walk through the storm after his car was stranded on a rural road.
21.2 inches of snow fell at Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, making this the third largest total snowfall in Chicago history, after the infamous Chicago Blizzard of 1967
, and the Blizzard of 1999. 24 Inches fell at the 1 N Abingdon mesonet site in Knox County which is in Northwestern Illinois. This was the largest snowfall in the history of the mesonet. Drifts of 10 to 15 feet also occurred. Snowfall rates exceeded 4 inches per hour for a few hours on Tuesday evening as well along with thunder and lightning.
Additional official snowfall totals included 20.9 inches at Chicago-Midway International Airport, 16.4 inches at the National Weather Service office in Romeoville
, and 14.3 inches at Chicago Rockford International Airport. The storm's highest total of 27 inches was reported in north suburban Antioch
. Peak gusts during the blizzard included 61 mph at O'Hare and 67 mph along the lakefront.
, a teenage boy and a hitchhiker he picked up were killed during the blizzard when a semi crashed into the compact car they were driving in. Central Indiana saw ice, followed by snow and high winds, which gusted over 50 mph. A peak of 50,000 Duke Energy
customers were without power due to the storm, including nearly half of the Purdue University
campus at one point. A 57-year-old South Haven
resident collapsed and died after clearing snow from his driveway. The city of Indianapolis received nearly a half inch of ice from the blizzard, effectively crippling the city and leaving many without power.
saw up to 18.5 inches of snow. The heaviest snow fell in the eastern half of the state. Des Moines
fared slightly better, where only 6.5 inches fell. Some roads remained closed on Wednesday night, and over the course of the storm, state troopers responded to 151 accidents and assisted 428 motorists.
received freezing rain during the day on 1 February, which was expected to change to rain as temperatures rose on 2 February, and the overall icing in that region was less than expected.
man was killed in a vehicle crash. Universities that closed due to the snow include Western Michigan University
, Kendall College of Art and Design
, Michigan State University
, University of Michigan Flint, University of Michigan Dearborn, Wayne State University
and Central Michigan University
.
, a state of emergency was declared by Governor Jay Nixon
, who activated the Missouri National Guard. On February 1st, Interstate 70
, which runs east-west from St. Louis to Kansas City
, the entire width of Missouri, was closed by the Missouri Department of Transportation due to white-out conditions and increasing snowfall. It was the first time in Missouri history that any interstate was closed across the entire state.
Kansas City was under a blizzard warning for only the 2nd time since 1980, and only the 3rd time in its entire history. Columbia experienced the town's first blizzard warning with this storm in their history.
Many local school districts canceled classes, the University of Missouri
shut down for an unprecedented three successive days. The University of Central Missouri
in Warrensburg, Missouri
(which received 23 inches of snow, which in turn broke the all time record for the town for snowfall in one day) was closed an unprecedented three days as well. A scheduled St. Louis Blues hockey game on February 1st was postponed until the 22nd. Areas of Missouri also reported significant sleet accumulation. In St. Louis, some MetroLink service was suspended due to ice on the rails. Several malls were closed due to ice in the parking lots. One person in central Missouri was killed during the storm.
, snow, rain and ice were all problems. In central New Jersey Ice storm warning
s were put into effect. In portions of northern New Jersey, the forecast called for 1'+ of snow and over 1" of ice. The roads were slippery and it was hard for cars to manuveur on the roadways.
, and the Central Mountain Chain of New Mexico, while up to 6 inches fell in the Albuquerque Metro Area
. The heaviest snowfall totals were 23 inches at the Santa Fe Ski Area, and 20 inches at Sandia Peak
east of Albuquerque, Bonito Lake in Lincoln County
, and Tres Ritos in Taos County
. A 180-mile stretch of Interstate 25
was closed between Las Cruces
and Belen
due to strong winds and blowing snow. On Thursday evening, Governor Susana Martinez
declared a state of emergency across southern New Mexico, due to the steadily decreasing natural gas supply brought about by the catastrophic failure of the El Paso Electric Company's power grid.
to be either delayed or curtailed entirely. One Long Island resident was killed by a fire sparked by cooking fuel during the storm.
area received a Winter Storm Warning from the NWS Cleveland Field Office for snow and freezing rain. On Monday night 3-6 inches of snow fell due a pre-frontal warm front. During the overnight hours of February 1–2, as the center of low pressure moved from Missouri to lower Indiana, it carried a warm front, with warm air advection and a shallow cold air pool at the bottom. This led to freezing rain in parts of Northeast Ohio. In Canton
ice accretion ranged from 0.5 to 0.75 inch, which led to powerlines and trees crashing, leaving almost 40,000 people without power. In the Greater Cleveland area, there was 0.1 inch of ice accretion and scattered outages in the Cleveland suburbs of North Royalton
, where 2,000 people lost power, and also in parts of Garfield Heights
and Maple Heights
. Scattered outages were reported in other parts of the area.
The temperatures overnight went from 25 °F (-3.9 °C) at 7:00PM to 42 °F (5.6 °C) at 5:00 AM turning the freezing rain to liquid rain, and the NWS canceled the Winter Storm Warning earlier at 5:00. On Wednesday morning as the low moved to New England, cold air advected behind the low and temperatures had plummeted to the middle-20s Fahrenheit by 4:00 PM with Cleveland receiving 1-2 inches of snow and breezy conditions.
In the Dayton
area, an Ohio Highway Trooper
and his wife died from carbon monoxide poisoning
from a running generator that built up gas in their home after the home lost power.
and the Texas panhandle on the evening of January 31, with a state of emergency declared by Governor Mary Fallin
earlier that day. As a result of the emergency declaration, a state law prohibiting price increases of more than 10 percent on most goods and services during and for 30 days after an emergency declaration went into effect, and will remain in effect for 180 days after the declaration order for prices of repairs, remodeling and construction. The Salvation Army
of Central Oklahoma opened three shelters and one warming station for those stranded by the storm outdoors, the homeless, and those who lost power during the storm; two in Oklahoma City
, one in Norman
and one in El Reno
, with teams from the Oklahoma chapter of the American Red Cross
placed on standby. Will Rogers World Airport
in Oklahoma City and Tulsa International Airport
were closed, with Will Rogers remaining closed for 20 hours; I-44 from Stroud to the Missouri state line, Interstate 40 near Okemah
and westbound lanes of I-40 east of Henryetta
were among many major highways closed, and the Indian Nation
, Creek
and Muskogee turnpikes
were all either closed entirely or in stretches.
Most school districts in the state including the Oklahoma City
and Tulsa public school districts
, as well as most Oklahoma City government offices were shut down a day in advance of the storm. The U.S. Postal Service released a statement saying that it was attempting to make deliveries across the state but that "some areas may be undeliverable", due to the heavy snow and very low visibility; mail delivery in Oklahoma City did not occur in most areas due to the conditions. Temperatures across the state on February 1st and 2nd hovered in the single digits to mid-teens. Winds gusted to near 60 miles per hour (96.6 km/h) at times creating ground blizzard conditions across the eastern half of the state; wind chill values dropped as low as -36 °F in Boise City
, the lowest recorded wind chill in the state since the deployment of the Oklahoma Mesonet
. Heavy snow caved in the roof of a building on the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino complex in Tulsa containing a poker room and electronic casino games, the damage was confined to an area that was part of the original structure built in 1992. There was no one injured as a result of the roof collapse as no people were in the affected area at the time; the hotel towers, a concert venue, a convention center, and retail operations at the complex were unaffected and remained open. The Tulsa World
newspaper canceled its print editions on February 2, 3 and 4, citing the heavy snowfall and hazardous road conditions that could compromise the safety of their newspaper carriers, making it the first time in the newspaper's 111-year history that the print edition had to be canceled; however, the newspaper did continue to publish its electronic editions on its website. A section of a boat dock at the Tera Miranda Marina Resort on the Monkey Island arm of Grand Lake collapsed due to significant snow accumulations on its roof, destroying four boats valued at about $450,000.
Will Rogers World Airport recorded an estimated 11.6 inches of snow, smashing the all-time daily snowfall record for the month of February for Oklahoma City (the previous record was 6.5 inches on February 7, 1986). Tulsa also set an all-time snowfall record for the storm for February 1 and the month of February, as the Tulsa International Airport received 14 inches of accumulated snowfall (the previous February snowfall record for the city of Tulsa was 10.5 inches in February 2003, and the previous record for snowfall in a single 24-hour period in Tulsa was 12.9 inches on March 8–9, 1994). Ironically days earlier on January 29, wildfires had burned parts of central and south-central Oklahoma, and ten central and south-central Oklahoma counties were placed under a burn ban due to very dry, wildfire-prone conditions. State Insurance Commissioner John Doak issued an emergency order to allow licensed claims adjustors outside of Oklahoma to help assess damages and losses from the storm for 90 days. On February 2, Governor Fallin asked the White House
to approve an emergency disaster declaration request for all 77 Oklahoma counties. In a statement by Fallin, state and local governments would receive 75% reimbursement for expenses associated with responding to the storm if the declaration is approved, including overtime costs, costs associated with operating shelters and clearing snow and ice-covered roads. That evening, President Barack Obama
granted Fallin's federal emergency request, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA
to coordinate disaster relief efforts in the state of Oklahoma.
The storm system has caused at least three deaths in Oklahoma, one in a sledding accident and two in an auto crash. On February 1, a 20-year-old Oklahoma City woman died due to injuries suffered in a sledding accident near Lake Stanley Draper
, in which the sled being pulled by a vehicle veered off the road, flinging the woman into a guardrail; she was pronounced dead at the scene. Two days later as slick road conditions continued across parts of the state, a truck carrying eight people ran off of a bridge and fell into the Spring River
(which had been covered in ice), on I-44 in Ottawa County
near Miami
, killing two people; one of two westbound lanes of I-44 was reopened to traffic the previous evening after blizzard conditions made it impassible.
that were north of Philadelphia, Ice storm warning
s were put into effect.
and Love Field. Rolling blackouts were instituted across the state as high demand for electricity left the power grid overloaded and unable to handle the demand. Governor Rick Perry
asked for citizens to conserve as much electricity as they can to help ease the overloaded power grids. ERCOT, the governing body responsible for most of the electricity distribution in Texas, reported that more than 75% of the state was affected by rolling blackouts on February 2nd; at one point demand for energy was so great that utility companies began to purchase electricity off the national grids to meet the demand. Parts of Texas were expected to experience additional rolling blackouts Wednesday and Thursday as workers labor to get the electric systems back up and running.
Throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, multiple large school districts were closed for a record-setting 5 days in a row, letting students out a whole week because of road hazards due to ice and snow. An ice storm affected areas as far south as Houston behind the main storm front, while three men were killed near Houston in traffic accidents. The storm adversely affected activities in the week leading up to Super Bowl XLV
, which was played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas
.
The storm caused a failure at a water treatment plant near Donna, Texas
, prompting officials to issue a boil water advisory
.
In El Paso, Texas
, the storm left major roadways slippery with ice and snow, and the abrupt demands placed on El Paso's utility services resulted in sporadic reports of loss of water and natural gas
capability. Freezing tempetures resulted in the total failure of both of the city's natural gas power plants, resulting in rolling blackouts across the city. The loss of power had a ripple effect across the region, as the power failure left water and gas utility without the power needed to operate pumps to move the water and natural gas to customers. This resulted in the complete cancellation of activities at all area independent school districts and institutions of higher education on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and the following Monday. In total, nearly 200,000 El Paso Electric customers have gone without power at some point as a result of the storm, while 1,200 Texas Gas Service customers have gone without gas. Over 157 water main breaks due to cold temperatures have been reported to the El Paso Water Utilities, which when combined with the frozen water pumping equipment and abnormally high demand for water left El Paso water reservoirs dangerously low. Stage 2 mandatory water restrictions, which permit the use of water for drinking only were, were implemented Monday night as the water utility worked to raise the water levels in the reservoirs, and on Wednesday the water restrictions were lifted. That same Wednesday it was announced that Federal and State officials would conduct an investigation into El Paso Electric as a result of the spectacular failure of the utility during the blizzard.
, Governor Scott Walker
declared a state of emergency
in 29 Wisconsin counties due to the snowstorm and deployed 75 Wisconsin National Guard
soldiers. Early on February 2, the state's emergency management agency issued a Civil Danger Warning warning drivers completely off the roads at the risk of being stranded due to dangerous conditions forcing county plows, law enforcement and salters off the roads, a declaration distributed via NOAA Weather Radio
's Emergency Alert System
and local media outlets, and otherwise only issued for other major events such as terrorist attacks and water contamination emergencies. The same warning was issued hours later completely disallowing travel within Lake County, Illinois
. Interstate 94
and Interstate 43
south of Milwaukee to the state line were both closed for a time due to dangerous conditions and many stranded vehicles.
Nearly all government buildings, schools, and public facilities were closed for February 2, 2011 in the southeastern region of the state, including Milwaukee, Waukesha
, Racine
, Kenosha
, Sheboygan
, and Madison
, with Racine and Kenosha receiving the largest amount of snow, just shy of 24 inches. Three people died of cardiac-related illnesses while clearing snow in Milwaukee.
-force winds were expected in many areas, especially places northwest of the Appalachian Mountains.
east to the Mississippi Valley and Florida Panhandle
experienced or were to experience rapid drops in temperature and flash freeze events after the squall line
moved through.
and lakeshore flooding.
.
was declared in several American states, including Illinois, Oklahoma, and Missouri.
, as over 1,100 flights were canceled there. A less severe but still a major impact was at Toronto Pearson International Airport
in Toronto where about 300 of its 1,400 daily flights were canceled.
By the end of February 2, at least 13,000 individual flight cancellations took place across North America.
. Snow falling from the roof of Cowboys Stadium caused several injuries.
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...
, situated around the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canadian
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...
holiday
Holiday
A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations...
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2 in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter-like weather will soon end...
. In the initial stages of the storm, some meteorologists predicted that the system would affect over 100 million people in the United States. The storm brought cold air, heavy snowfall, blowing snow
Blowing snow
Blowing snow is snow lifted from the surface by the wind, at a height of 8 feet or more, that will reduce visibility. Blowing snow can come from falling snow or snow that already accumulated on the ground but is picked up and blown about by strong winds. It is one of the classic requirements for a...
, and mixed precipitation on a path from New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and northern Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
to 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...
and Eastern Canada
Eastern Canada
Eastern Canada is generally considered to be the region of Canada east of Manitoba, consisting of the following provinces:* New Brunswick* Newfoundland and Labrador* Nova Scotia* Ontario* Prince Edward Island* Quebec...
. The Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
area saw between 1 and 2 feet of snow and blizzard conditions, with winds of over 60 mph. .With such continuous winds, the Blizzard kept going north and affected Eastern
Eastern Canada
Eastern Canada is generally considered to be the region of Canada east of Manitoba, consisting of the following provinces:* New Brunswick* Newfoundland and Labrador* Nova Scotia* Ontario* Prince Edward Island* Quebec...
and Atlantic Canada
Atlantic 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 most notable area affected in Canada was Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and the Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
. 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...
conditions affected many other large cities along the storm's path, including Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Springfield
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
, El Paso
El Paso
El Paso, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Mexico.El Paso may also refer to:-Geography:Colombia:* El Paso, CesarSpain:*El Paso, Santa Cruz de TenerifeUnited States:...
, Las Cruces
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
, Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, Milwaukee, Detroit, Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, Cleveland, New York
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...
, New York's Capital District
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
, 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...
. Many other areas not normally used to extreme winter conditions, including Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
, Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
and Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, experienced significant snowfall or ice accumulation. The National Weather Service in Central Illinois issued their 4th "Blizzard Warning" in the entire forecast office's 16 year history. Snowfall amounts of 20 to 28 inches were forecast for much of Northern and Western Illinois.
An ice storm
Ice storm
An ice storm is a type of winter storm characterized by freezing rain, also known as a glaze event or in some parts of the United States as a silver thaw. The U.S. National Weather Service defines an ice storm as a storm which results in the accumulation of at least of ice on exposed surfaces...
ahead of the winter storm's warm front
Warm front
A warm front is a density discontinuity located at the leading edge of a homogeneous warm air mass, and is typically located on the equator-facing edge of an isotherm gradient...
also brought hazardous conditions to much of the American Midwest and New England, and many areas saw well over 1 in (2.5 cm) of ice accumulation. Numerous power outage
Power outage
A power outage is a short- or long-term loss of the electric power to an area.There are many causes of power failures in an electricity network...
s, flight cancellations, airport closures, road closures, rail and bus cancellations, mail stoppages, and school, government, and business closures took place ahead of and after the storm; many of these disruptions lasted several days. Several tornado touchdowns
Tornadoes of 2011
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 2011. Extremely destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the U.S., Bangladesh and Eastern India, but they can occur almost anywhere under the right conditions...
were reported in Texas and a tornado watch was issued for parts of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, ahead of the cold front
Cold front
A cold front is defined as the leading edge of a cooler mass of air, replacing a warmer mass of air.-Development of cold front:The cooler and denser air wedges under the less-dense warmer air, lifting it...
in the warm sector of the storm. In addition, 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...
was recorded at some locations, increasing the overall snowfall rate. At least 24 deaths were reported to be related to the storm, many of them in shoveling or auto-related incidents. The total damages from the ice storm alone may exceed $1 billion USD.
Meteorological synopsis
By the end of January, an Alberta ClipperAlberta clipper
An Alberta clipper is a fast moving low pressure area which generally affects the central provinces of Canada and parts of the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes regions of the United States. Most clippers occur between December and February, but can also occur occasionally in the month of November...
containing cold air from the polar vortex
Polar vortex
A polar vortex is a persistent, large-scale cyclone located near one or both of a planet's geographical poles. On Earth, the polar vortices are located in the middle and upper troposphere and the stratosphere...
drifted across The Dakotas
The Dakotas
The Dakotas is a collective term that refers to the U.S. states of North Dakota and South Dakota together. The term has been used historically to describe the Dakota Territory, and is continued to be used to describe the collective heritage, culture, geography, fauna, sociology, the economy, and...
, while a large Arctic high pressure system with a maximum pressure of 1052 millibars (31.1 inHg) followed behind it, moving across Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. A low pressure system from the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
later came ashore over Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
and crossed the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
, merging with the Alberta Clipper low and a developing Texas low drawing moisture from the northwestern 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...
. The storm later intensified, and moved northeast, developing a long warm front stretching toward the New England states, and moving northeast along this jet stream
Jet stream
Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow air currents found in the atmospheres of some planets, including Earth. The main jet streams are located near the tropopause, the transition between the troposphere and the stratosphere . The major jet streams on Earth are westerly winds...
track.
Lake effect snow events started over Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
and Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
from northeasterly winds. Following the predominant jet pattern, the storm developed a very rapid forward trajectory and began to migrate toward the lower Great Lakes. The heaviest snow fell in a wide swath from central Oklahoma to Illinois, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
and the Ohio Valley. An official blizzard warning was issued in Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
for the first time since 1993, although the Canadian definition changed in 2010.
Nova Scotia
Because the storm dumped some 40 centimetres (15.7 in) of snow in parts of Nova ScotiaNova 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...
, and winds up to some 50 km/h (31 mph) to some areas in eastern Canada, schools and businesses were closed on Thursday morning, the 3rd of February. Lower Sackville near Halifax received 38 cm (15 in) of snow.
New Brunswick
Numerous school, bus and flight cancellations occurred in the province in preparation for the biggest winter storm during the winter of 2010–2011. A barn roof collapsed during the storm in the community of Baie VerteBaie Verte, New Brunswick
Baie Verte is a community in Westmorland County in the Canadian province of New Brunswick.The community is situated near the Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island and is surrounded by a large area of salt marsh. It is home to the Winegarden Estate vineyard and the Waterfowl Village....
.
Ontario
The storm dropped 20-30 centimeters of snow over Southern OntarioSouthern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
. Hamilton saw more than 25 centimeters due to an intense Lake Effect band from the west end of Lake Ontario caused by an enhanced wind from the east-northeast, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
was spared more than was forecasted with 15 centimeters and a winter storm warning in effect. Areas from the Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
shoreline east to London
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
and Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
were under a Blizzard Warning
Blizzard warning
A Blizzard Warning is an advisory issued by the National Weather Service of the United States which means sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph / 15 m/s or greater with heavy snow is forecast for a period of 3 hours or more. A blizzard tends to reduce visibilities to 1/4 of a mile or...
. There were reports of 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 Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
when the storm began to hit the region Tuesday night on February 1; the city and nearby Chatham-Kent also declared a snow emergency, effectively enacting a parking ban to ease snowplow efforts, due to forecasted snow totals of 30+ centimeters, and the snow clean-up in the city is likely to cost $700,000 CAD
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
, about 1.5 times more than normal. The Toronto District School Board
Toronto District School Board
Toronto District School Board, also known by the acronym TDSB, is the English-language public school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
and Toronto Catholic District School Board
Toronto Catholic District School Board
The Toronto Catholic District School Board is the publicly-funded Catholic school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada, headquartered in North York. It is one of the two English boards of education in the City of Toronto, serving the former municipalities of Scarborough, North York, York, East York,...
closed all schools for the first time since 1999 during the North American blizzard of 1999, a controversial decision given the less than anticipated outcome and snowfall totals resulting from the storm. Schools were also closed in the Windsor area and elsewhere.
Quebec
A traffic pile-up stretching three kilometres near MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec involving a school bus and many other vehicles sent 29 people to hospital for injuries. All schools in the Eastern Townships School Board
Eastern Townships School Board
The Eastern Townships School Board, also known as the Commission Scholaire Eastern Townships, is an anglophone school board covering the Eastern Townships in the Canadian province of Quebec. As of 2010, it oversees twenty elementary schools, three high schools, and a learning center.-External links:*...
near Sherbrooke were closed.
Newfoundland
Wind speeds exceeding 50 km/h (31.1 mph) hit areas near ClarenvilleClarenville
Clarenville is a Canadian town on the east coast of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Clarenville was incorporated in 1951 and is located in the Shoal Harbour valley fronting an arm of the Atlantic Ocean called Random Sound....
and Bonavista
Bonavista Peninsula
The Bonavista Peninsula is a large peninsula on the east coast of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador....
, while schools in eastern parts of St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
were closed.
Chihuahua
Northern Mexico suffered widespread infrastructure damage from the storm, and several weather-related deaths . In Chihuahua City, the temperature dropped to 1 degree below zero Fahrenheit . Ciudad JuárezCiudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez , officially known today as Heroica Ciudad Juárez, but abbreviated Juárez and formerly known as El Paso del Norte, is a city and seat of the municipality of Juárez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Juárez's estimated population is 1.5 million people. The city lies on the Rio Grande...
, which lies just across the border from El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, a regional state of emergency was declared Tuesday evening, just ahead of the cold weather system, with Mexican authorities urging citizens to stay indoors. Despite the snow and ice that developed across the borderland, the major International Bridges remained open during the blizzard. Additionally, to help ease the electricity crash across Texas due to the freezing weather, Mexican officials arranged for the transfer of 280 megawatts of power to the United States via utility hookups located in Nuevo Laredo
Nuevo Laredo
Nuevo Laredo is a city located in the Municipality of Nuevo Laredo in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. The city lies on the banks of the Río Grande, across from the United States city of Laredo, Texas. The 2010 census population of the city was 373,725. Nuevo Laredo is part of the Laredo-Nuevo...
(across from Laredo, Texas
Laredo, Texas
Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,...
) and Piedras Negras, Coahuila
Piedras Negras, Coahuila
-Natural Resources:This region generates a large amount of the national production of coal, one of the most economically important non-metallic minerals in the state.-Tourism:Piedras Negras' main tourist attractions are:...
(near Eagle Pass, Texas
Eagle Pass, Texas
Eagle Pass is a city in and the county seat of Maverick County The population was 27,183 as of the 2010 census.Eagle Pass borders the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, which is to the southwest and across the Rio Grande. The Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras Metropolitan Area is one of six...
). The cold wave
Cold wave
A cold wave is a weather phenomenon that is distinguished by a cooling of the air. Specifically, as used by the U.S. National Weather Service, a cold wave is a rapid fall in temperature within a 24 hour period requiring substantially increased protection to agriculture, industry, commerce, and...
behind the storm's cold front left temperatures plunging to -18°C in Ciudad Juárez, resulting in the deaths of at least six people in the coldest temperatures recorded in the area in at least half a century. In addition, 35 animals died at a zoo, and closures of schools and factories occurred in the city.
On Wednesday, authorities in Juárez announced that convoys would be traveling out to remote regions and slum areas to ensure that citizens are warm and have the supplies they need to get through the next few days. On Thursday, Mexican officials suspended energy exports to Texas, citing cold weather damage at five power stations across Mexico that resulted in a total loss of 1,000 megawatts of electricity in Northern Mexico. Power stations in Mexico were able to meet the resulting energy demands in Northern Mexico, but could not spare additional electricity to aid Texas. In Juarez, overnight temperatures in the single digits left 90% of the city without water service due to frozen pipes, and the failure of thermoelectric generators at a power station in Samalayuca, 30 miles south of Juarez, left citizens without power for roughly five hours.
Connecticut
ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
experienced up to 10 inches of snow and 3/4 inch ice accumulations, resulting in widespread tree damage and power outages. The additional snow and ice accumulation on top of several feet of snow prior to the storm led to roof collapses in Bethany
Bethany, Connecticut
Bethany is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,040 at the 2000 census. Bethany was first settled in 1717 but it was not until May 1832 that Bethany separated from Woodbridge to become incorporated as a town. This slightly remote, sparsely populated,...
, Waterbury
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
, and Middletown
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
. The West Rock Tunnel on the Wilbur Cross Parkway
Wilbur Cross Parkway
The Wilbur Cross Parkway is a limited access road in Connecticut, comprising the portion of Route 15 between Milford and Meriden. It is named after Wilbur Lucius Cross, a former governor of the state...
was closed for several hours due to accidents caused by slippery conditions, while service was disrupted on the Metro-North Railroad and 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 heavy snow caused at least 136 roof collapses of barns, greenhouses and other farm structures.
Illinois
In ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, in anticipation of the imminent 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...
conditions, 1,300 flights were canceled at O'Hare
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
and Midway
Midway Airport
Chicago Midway International Airport , also known simply as Midway Airport or Midway, is an airport in Chicago, Illinois, United States, located on the city's southwest side, eight miles from Chicago's Loop...
airports. By 4:30pm, CST (22:30 GMT
Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is arguably the same as Coordinated Universal Time and when this is viewed as a time zone the name Greenwich Mean Time is especially used by bodies connected with the United...
), the storm reached blizzard status with sustained winds exceeding 35 miles per hour (56.3 km/h), with white-out conditions
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...
being reported by spotters in the Old Town
Old Town, Chicago
Old Town is a neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, bounded by the Ogden Ave. right-of-way on the northwest, Larrabee Street on the west, Clybourn Avenue on the southwest and Division Street on the south and Clark Street on the east and northeast. It spans across eastern parts of the community areas...
neighborhood on the city's North Side. while Lake Shore Drive
Lake Shore Drive
Lake Shore Drive is a mostly freeway-standard expressway running parallel with and alongside the shoreline of Lake Michigan through Chicago, Illinois, USA. Except for the portion north of Foster Avenue , Lake Shore Drive is designated as part of U.S...
was temporarily shut down due to impassible conditions. City officials said on February 2, that at least 900 cars and busses were stranded on Lake Shore Drive, with their drivers and passengers being trapped in some cases for as long as 12 hours, but that closing the roadway earlier could have resulted in disastrous traffic conditions and possible accidents on other Chicago area streets. Tow trucks began pulling cars off of Lake Shore Drive on the evening of February 2, moving the cars to six temporary lots for motorists who abandoned their vehicles to arrive and claim. The city of Chicago did not keep track of the license plates of each vehicle, leading to complaints from many drivers and once they found their vehicles, many were not able to retrieve them from the lots due to them being parked bumper-to-bumper.; on February 3, the City of Chicago reopened Lake Shore Drive to traffic before rush hour.
The Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools, commonly abbreviated as CPS by local residents and politicians and officially classified as City of Chicago School District #299 for funding and districting reasons, is a large school district that manages over 600 public elementary and high schools in Chicago, Illinois...
announced, on February 1, that public schools would be closed on the following day (Wednesday, February 2), which marked the first cancellation of classes district wide since the Blizzard of 1999. Heavy snow and high sustained winds gusting in excess of 50 miles per hour (80.5 km/h), caused rail switches to freeze on the CTA
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago Transit Authority, also known as CTA, is the operator of mass transit within the City of Chicago, Illinois and some of its surrounding suburbs....
's Red Line
Red Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The northern terminus of the Red Line is Howard Street in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago , on the City Limits farthest north. The Red Line extends southeasterly on an elevated embankment structure about a half-mile west of the lakefront to Touhy Avenue then turns south along Glenwood...
and blew a portion of the roof off Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
. Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
and the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
canceled classes Wednesday for the first time in over a decade due to the weather. Over 39,000 state workers were ordered not to come into work due to the weather; this was the largest figure since a blizzard in 1978. Mail service was stopped on Wednesday for six post office regions in Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois is a region generally covering the northern third of the U.S. state of Illinois.-Economics:Northern Illinois is dominated by the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Rockford, and the Quad Cities, which contain a majority of Illinois' population and economic activity, including...
. 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...
train service out of Chicago was also canceled across Illinois on Wednesday.
In the central part of the state, several municipalities were all but shut down by the storm. On Monday, residents rushed to the stores to stock up on groceries, and several stores reported record sales. On Tuesday, several school districts and universities pre-emptively canceled classes for Tuesday evening and all-day Wednesday. Many school districts planned to close a second day in a row, on Thursday. About 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) of snow fell Monday night. Tuesday afternoon brought heavy snowfall and sustained 40 miles per hour (64.4 km/h) winds, with gusts of over 50 miles per hour (80.5 km/h). Local government officials encouraged all businesses to close down, and local hospitals braced for the storm by preparing living and sleeping areas for essential personnel. Flights from area airports were canceled, and local officials repeatedly urged residents not to travel, as due to the whiteout conditions, snow plows had been taken off the roads. 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...
was closed Tuesday night between Morris
Morris, Illinois
Morris is a city in Grundy County, Illinois, United States. The population was 13,636 at the 2010 census.Morris is home to the Dresden Nuclear Power Plant, which provides a substantial portion of the electricity supply for the Chicago metropolitan area...
and Princeton
Princeton, Illinois
Princeton is a city in Bureau County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,501 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Bureau County.Princeton is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. On Wednesday, Interstate 290
Interstate 290
Interstate 290 may refer to the following Interstate Highways in the United States:*Interstate 290 , a highway from Chicago, Illinois, to Rolling Meadows, Illinois...
and Illinois Route 53
Illinois Route 53
Illinois Route 53 is an arterial north–south state highway in northeast Illinois. Route 53 runs south from Long Grove at Illinois Route 83 to Gardner at Interstate 55 west of old U.S. Highway 66, a distance of...
were shut down from Lake Cook Road
Lake Cook Road
Lake Cook Road is a major east–west highway in Cook, Lake, McHenry, and Kane Counties in Illinois. For much of its length, it marks the border between Cook and Lake Counties, hence the name of the road...
in Arlington Heights
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Arlington Heights is a village in Cook and Lake counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. A suburb of Chicago, it lies about 25 miles northwest of the city's downtown. The population was 75,101 at the 2010 census....
to St. Charles Road in Elmhurst
Elmhurst, Illinois
Elmhurst is a suburb of Chicago in DuPage and Cook Counties, Illinois. The population is 46,013 as of the 2008 US Census population estimate.-History:...
. 40 vehicles were abandoned on Route 53. Parts of Interstate 57
Interstate 57
Interstate 57 is an Interstate Highway in Missouri and Illinois that parallels the old Illinois Central rail line for much of its route. It goes from Miner, Missouri, at Interstate 55 to Chicago, Illinois, at Interstate 94. I-57 essentially serves as a shortcut route for travelers headed between...
were also shut down. The state police described most expressways as "impassable". 50 motorists stranded on Illinois Route 47
Illinois Route 47
Illinois Route 47 is a largely rural north–south state highway that runs from the Wisconsin state border at Highway 120 near Hebron, to Illinois Route 10, just south of Interstate 72 near Seymour. This is a distance of . Even though Route 47 is primarily rural, in several suburbs of Chicago,...
south of Huntley
Huntley, Illinois
Huntley is a rapidly-growing village in McHenry and Kane Counties, Illinois. In 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the village's population to be 22,923. As of the 2000 Census, the village had a mere 5,730 people, meaning the village's population has more than tripled in eight years...
received assistance from a snowmobile club, while dozens of motorists had to be rescued on Illinois Route 72
Illinois Route 72
Illinois Route 72 is an east–west state road in northeastern Illinois. It runs from the intersection with Illinois Route 73 north of Lanark east to Illinois Route 43 in Chicago...
, west of Hampshire
Hampshire, Illinois
Hampshire is a village in Kane County, Illinois, United States.-Geography:Hampshire is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
. During the storm's peak on Tuesday night, more than 100,000 customers were without power across the state, including 79,000 ComEd customers across Northern Illinois and 35,800 Ameren
Ameren
Ameren Corporation was created December 31, 1997 by the merger of Missouri's Union Electric Company and the neighboring Central Illinois Public Service Company . It is now a holding company for several power companies and energy companies. The company is based in St...
customers in Central Illinois
Central Illinois
Central Illinois is a region of the U.S. state of Illinois that consists of the entire central section of the state, divided in thirds from north to south. It is an area of mostly flat prairie. The western section was originally part of the Military Tract of 1812 and forms the distinctive western...
. Several charities set up shelters for the homeless and those stranded by the blizzard, and Illinois governor Pat Quinn
Pat Quinn (politician)
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Quinn III is the 41st and current Governor of Illinois. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Previously elected three times to statewide office, Quinn was the sitting lieutenant governor and became governor on January 29, 2009, when the previous governor, Rod Blagojevich,...
mobilized 500 Illinois National Guard
Illinois National Guard
The Illinois National Guard comprises both Army National Guard and Air National Guard components. The National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to function in a state status. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and...
troops to help rescue stranded motorists. Hundreds of motorists had been rescued off Interstates 290, 55
Interstate 55
Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
, 57, and 80. In addition, over 80 traffic accidents were reported.
11 snow-related deaths had been reported in Illinois by February 3. The body of an individual was recovered from Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
by Chicago Police
Chicago Police Department
The Chicago Police Department, also known as the CPD, is the principal law enforcement agency of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. It is the largest police department in the Midwest and the second largest local law enforcement agency in the...
. The pedestrian had reportedly been walking on the lakefront pathway and had been blown into the lake by strong winds. In Grayslake
Grayslake, Illinois
Grayslake is a village in Lake County in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is located in the Chicago metropolitan area, about north of Chicago’s downtown, west of Lake Michigan, and south of the Wisconsin border....
, a man was killed in a crash while driving through the storm, while a woman in Mundelein
Mundelein, Illinois
Mundelein is a village in Lake County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 31,064.-History:The community now known as Mundelein has been inhabited since at least 1650, when the Potowatami Indians were known to have been trading with French fur traders....
died of cold exposure in her car. A man in Chicago was also found dead in his home, which had no heat. In Barrington
Barrington, Illinois
Barrington is a suburban village in Cook County, Illinois and Lake County, Illinois. The population was 10,327 at the 2010 census. Located approximately northwest of Chicago, the area features wetlands, forest preserves, parks and horse trails in a country-suburban setting...
, a teacher died of a heart attack while leaving school on Tuesday. Five cardiac-related deaths due to shoveling snow occurred in Lyons
Lyons, Illinois
Lyons is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,255 at the 2000 census.-History:Incorporated in 1888, Lyons is steeped in earlier historical roots. In 1673 French Explorer Louis Joliet and Jesuit missionary Father Pierre Marquette left Green Bay, Wisconsin by canoe...
, Downers Grove
Downers Grove, Illinois
Downers Grove is a village in Downers Grove and Lisle Townships, DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 48,724 at the 2000 census, with an official estimated population of 49,250 in 2008.-History:...
, Mount Prospect
Mount Prospect, Illinois
Mount Prospect is a village in Elk Grove and Wheeling Townships in Cook County, Illinois, about northwest of downtown Chicago. As of the 2010 census, the village had a total population of 54,167.-Geography:...
, Carol Stream
Carol Stream, Illinois
Carol Stream is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. Incorporated on January 5, 1959, and named after the developer's daughter, Carol Stream had a population of 40,438 as of the 2000 U.S. census.- History :...
, and Glendale Heights
Glendale Heights, Illinois
Glendale Heights is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 31,765 at the 2000 census.-History:Glendale Heights was a small farming area served by the Glen Ellyn post office up until the 1950s, with a population of just 104 in 1959. Midland Enterprises ran by Charles...
. In rural LaSalle County, a man died while trying to walk through the storm after his car was stranded on a rural road.
21.2 inches of snow fell at Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, making this the third largest total snowfall in Chicago history, after the infamous Chicago Blizzard of 1967
Chicago Blizzard of 1967
The Chicago Blizzard of 1967 struck northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana on January 26, 1967 with a record-setting of snow falling on Chicago and its suburbs before the storm abated the next morning. To this day, it is the worst blizzard in Chicago history. The snow fell continuously on...
, and the Blizzard of 1999. 24 Inches fell at the 1 N Abingdon mesonet site in Knox County which is in Northwestern Illinois. This was the largest snowfall in the history of the mesonet. Drifts of 10 to 15 feet also occurred. Snowfall rates exceeded 4 inches per hour for a few hours on Tuesday evening as well along with thunder and lightning.
Additional official snowfall totals included 20.9 inches at Chicago-Midway International Airport, 16.4 inches at the National Weather Service office in Romeoville
Romeoville, Illinois
Romeoville is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 21,153 at the 2000 census. As of 2006 the population has grown to 36,837. It is located in the southwest suburban area of Chicago near the newly constructed I-355 extension south from the Stevenson Expressway to I-80...
, and 14.3 inches at Chicago Rockford International Airport. The storm's highest total of 27 inches was reported in north suburban Antioch
Antioch, Illinois
Antioch is a village in the Antioch Township of Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 14,430 at the 2010 census. Antioch is part of the Chicago metropolitan area.- Prior to incorporation :...
. Peak gusts during the blizzard included 61 mph at O'Hare and 67 mph along the lakefront.
Indiana
Near WheatfieldWheatfield, Indiana
Wheatfield is a town in Wheatfield Township, Jasper County, Indiana, United States. The population was 853 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Wheatfield is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
, a teenage boy and a hitchhiker he picked up were killed during the blizzard when a semi crashed into the compact car they were driving in. Central Indiana saw ice, followed by snow and high winds, which gusted over 50 mph. A peak of 50,000 Duke Energy
Duke Energy
Duke Energy , headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is an energy company with assets in the United States, Canada and Latin America.-Overview:...
customers were without power due to the storm, including nearly half of the Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
campus at one point. A 57-year-old South Haven
South Haven, Indiana
South Haven is a census-designated place in Portage Township, Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,619 at the 2000 census.-Geography:South Haven is located at ....
resident collapsed and died after clearing snow from his driveway. The city of Indianapolis received nearly a half inch of ice from the blizzard, effectively crippling the city and leaving many without power.
Iowa
Southeastern IowaIowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
saw up to 18.5 inches of snow. The heaviest snow fell in the eastern half of the state. Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
fared slightly better, where only 6.5 inches fell. Some roads remained closed on Wednesday night, and over the course of the storm, state troopers responded to 151 accidents and assisted 428 motorists.
Kansas
In Kansas, 53 counties were declared disaster areas. Especially hard hit were eastern sections of the state, which saw over a foot of snow and whiteout conditions. Government offices and the state legislature were closed on Wednesday, but expected to reopen on Thursday. At least two deaths were blamed on the storm.Maryland
BaltimoreBaltimore
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...
received freezing rain during the day on 1 February, which was expected to change to rain as temperatures rose on 2 February, and the overall icing in that region was less than expected.
Michigan
A 73-year-old DansvilleDansville, Michigan
As of the census of 2000, there were 429 people, 142 households, and 111 families residing in the village. The population density was 429.0 per square mile . There were 148 housing units at an average density of 148.0 per square mile...
man was killed in a vehicle crash. Universities that closed due to the snow include Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
, Kendall College of Art and Design
Kendall College of Art and Design
Kendall College of Art and Design, of Ferris State University, is a college of the visual arts in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States...
, Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, University of Michigan Flint, University of Michigan Dearborn, Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
and Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
.
Missouri
In MissouriMissouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, a state of emergency was declared by Governor Jay Nixon
Jay Nixon
Jeremiah Wilson "Jay" Nixon, Sr. is the 55th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Missouri. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as Missouri's Attorney General before his election in 2008.-Political career:...
, who activated the Missouri National Guard. On February 1st, Interstate 70
Interstate 70
Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
, which runs east-west from St. Louis to Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, the entire width of Missouri, was closed by the Missouri Department of Transportation due to white-out conditions and increasing snowfall. It was the first time in Missouri history that any interstate was closed across the entire state.
Kansas City was under a blizzard warning for only the 2nd time since 1980, and only the 3rd time in its entire history. Columbia experienced the town's first blizzard warning with this storm in their history.
Many local school districts canceled classes, the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
shut down for an unprecedented three successive days. The University of Central Missouri
University of Central Missouri
The University of Central Missouri is a four-year public institution in Warrensburg, Missouri.- History :...
in Warrensburg, Missouri
Warrensburg, Missouri
Warrensburg is a city in Johnson County, Missouri, United States. The population was 16,340 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Johnson County. The Warrensburg Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Johnson County. It is home to the University of Central Missouri.-History:Warrensburg...
(which received 23 inches of snow, which in turn broke the all time record for the town for snowfall in one day) was closed an unprecedented three days as well. A scheduled St. Louis Blues hockey game on February 1st was postponed until the 22nd. Areas of Missouri also reported significant sleet accumulation. In St. Louis, some MetroLink service was suspended due to ice on the rails. Several malls were closed due to ice in the parking lots. One person in central Missouri was killed during the storm.
New Jersey
In 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...
, snow, rain and ice were all problems. In central New Jersey Ice storm warning
Ice Storm Warning
An Ice Storm Warning is issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when freezing rain produces a significant and possibly damaging accumulation of ice...
s were put into effect. In portions of northern New Jersey, the forecast called for 1'+ of snow and over 1" of ice. The roads were slippery and it was hard for cars to manuveur on the roadways.
New Mexico
Up to two feet of snow fell in the Sangre de CristoSangre de Cristo Mountains
The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are the southernmost subrange of the Rocky Mountains. They are located in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico in the United States...
, and the Central Mountain Chain of New Mexico, while up to 6 inches fell in the Albuquerque Metro Area
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
. The heaviest snowfall totals were 23 inches at the Santa Fe Ski Area, and 20 inches at Sandia Peak
Sandia Mountains
The Sandia Mountains name posu gai hoo-oo, "where water slides down arroyo") are a mountain range located in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties, immediately to the east of the city of Albuquerque in New Mexico in the southwestern United States. The range is largely within the Cibola National...
east of Albuquerque, Bonito Lake in Lincoln County
Lincoln County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*85.1% White*0.5% Black*2.4% Native American*0.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.5% Two or more races*9.1% Other races*29.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, and Tres Ritos in Taos County
Taos County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*68.7% White*0.4% Black*6.2% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.9% Two or more races*20.1% Other races*55.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. A 180-mile stretch of Interstate 25
Interstate 25
Interstate 25 is an Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway. I-25 stretches from Interstate 10 at Las Cruces, New Mexico, , to Interstate 90 in Buffalo, Wyoming, .Interstate 25 is the main north–south expressway through...
was closed between Las Cruces
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
and Belen
Belen, New Mexico
Belen is a city in Valencia County, New Mexico, United States. Belen is Spanish for Bethlehem, and over time has gained the nickname "Hub City" because of the Belen Cutoff of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The Cutoff made it possible for many more trains to travel east and west across...
due to strong winds and blowing snow. On Thursday evening, Governor Susana Martinez
Susana Martinez
Susana Martinez is the 31st and current governor of New Mexico.A Republican, Martinez is the first female governor of New Mexico, as well as the first female Hispanic governor in the United States. She was formerly the district attorney for the 3rd Judicial District of the U.S. state of New Mexico...
declared a state of emergency across southern New Mexico, due to the steadily decreasing natural gas supply brought about by the catastrophic failure of the El Paso Electric Company's power grid.
New York
New York City received almost an inch of ice from freezing rain during the night of 1–2 February, causing public transportation on both bus routes and the Long Island Rail RoadLong 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...
to be either delayed or curtailed entirely. One Long Island resident was killed by a fire sparked by cooking fuel during the storm.
Ohio
Ohio was on the warm sector of the low-pressure system. On the night of January 31-February 1, the Cleveland and AkronAkron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
area received a Winter Storm Warning from the NWS Cleveland Field Office for snow and freezing rain. On Monday night 3-6 inches of snow fell due a pre-frontal warm front. During the overnight hours of February 1–2, as the center of low pressure moved from Missouri to lower Indiana, it carried a warm front, with warm air advection and a shallow cold air pool at the bottom. This led to freezing rain in parts of Northeast Ohio. In Canton
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
ice accretion ranged from 0.5 to 0.75 inch, which led to powerlines and trees crashing, leaving almost 40,000 people without power. In the Greater Cleveland area, there was 0.1 inch of ice accretion and scattered outages in the Cleveland suburbs of North Royalton
North Royalton, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 28,647 people, 11,250 households, and 7,695 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,345.9 people per square mile . There were 11,754 housing units at an average density of 552.2 per square mile...
, where 2,000 people lost power, and also in parts of Garfield Heights
Garfield Heights, Ohio
Garfield Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 28,849 at the time of the 2010 census.-Geography:Garfield Heights is located at ....
and Maple Heights
Maple Heights, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,156 people, 10,489 households, and 6,964 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,039.1 people per square mile . There were 10,935 housing units at an average density of 2,106.7 per square mile...
. Scattered outages were reported in other parts of the area.
The temperatures overnight went from 25 °F (-3.9 °C) at 7:00PM to 42 °F (5.6 °C) at 5:00 AM turning the freezing rain to liquid rain, and the NWS canceled the Winter Storm Warning earlier at 5:00. On Wednesday morning as the low moved to New England, cold air advected behind the low and temperatures had plummeted to the middle-20s Fahrenheit by 4:00 PM with Cleveland receiving 1-2 inches of snow and breezy conditions.
In the Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
area, an Ohio Highway Trooper
Ohio State Highway Patrol
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety and is the official highway patrol agency of Ohio. The several missions of the Patrol include providing roadway patrol, emergency response to all public lands, the investigation of crimes which occur on state...
and his wife died from carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs after enough inhalation of carbon monoxide . Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas, but, being colorless, odorless, tasteless, and initially non-irritating, it is very difficult for people to detect...
from a running generator that built up gas in their home after the home lost power.
Oklahoma
The heavy snowfall, along with sleet and some freezing rain, began developing over OklahomaOklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and the Texas panhandle on the evening of January 31, with a state of emergency declared by Governor Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin is the 27th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. She was a U.S. Representative for from 2007 until 2011....
earlier that day. As a result of the emergency declaration, a state law prohibiting price increases of more than 10 percent on most goods and services during and for 30 days after an emergency declaration went into effect, and will remain in effect for 180 days after the declaration order for prices of repairs, remodeling and construction. The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
of Central Oklahoma opened three shelters and one warming station for those stranded by the storm outdoors, the homeless, and those who lost power during the storm; two in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, one in Norman
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
and one in El Reno
El Reno, Oklahoma
El Reno is a city in Canadian County, Oklahoma, United States, in the central part of the state. A part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area, El Reno is west of downtown Oklahoma City...
, with teams from the Oklahoma chapter of the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
placed on standby. Will Rogers World Airport
Will Rogers World Airport
Will Rogers World Airport , also known as Will Rogers Airport or simply Will Rogers, is located in southwestern Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 6 miles from downtown and is the principal commercial airport of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area...
in Oklahoma City and Tulsa International Airport
Tulsa International Airport
Tulsa International Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located five miles northeast of downtown Tulsa, a city in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States. It was originally named Tulsa Municipal Airport, when the city acquired it in 1929...
were closed, with Will Rogers remaining closed for 20 hours; I-44 from Stroud to the Missouri state line, Interstate 40 near Okemah
Okemah, Oklahoma
Okemah is a city in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Okfuskee County. It is the birthplace of folk music legend Woody Guthrie. Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, a federally recognized Muscogee Indian tribe, is headquartered in Okemah...
and westbound lanes of I-40 east of Henryetta
Henryetta, Oklahoma
Henryetta is a city in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 6,096 at the 2000 census.Henryetta is notable as the high school hometown of NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman...
were among many major highways closed, and the Indian Nation
Indian Nation Turnpike
The Indian Nation Turnpike is a toll road in southeastern Oklahoma. It is the longest tollway in the state.-Route description:The Indian Nation turnpike is built to parkway-like design standards, omitting a center barrier and left-hand shoulders for a slightly mounded grassy median that is flush...
, Creek
Creek Turnpike
The Creek Turnpike is a partial beltway as a toll road around southern and eastern Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is long; its northern terminus is at the Will Rogers Turnpike, while the western terminus is at the Turner Turnpike...
and Muskogee turnpikes
Muskogee Turnpike
-Route description:Opened in 1969, the 53-mile route begins at the Broken Arrow Expressway southeast of Tulsa, near an intersection with the Creek Turnpike. The Turnpike ends at Interstate 40 west of Webbers Falls. There are two toll collection plazas located along the length of the Muskogee...
were all either closed entirely or in stretches.
Most school districts in the state including the Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City Public Schools
The Oklahoma City Public Schools is an urban inner-city public school district located in Oklahoma City. It is the largest primary and secondary education district in the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area, as well as the largest in the state of Oklahoma with over 42,750 enrolled students in 2009...
and Tulsa public school districts
Tulsa Public Schools
Tulsa Public Schools is an independent school district serving the Tulsa, Oklahoma area in Northeastern Oklahoma. It is the 2nd largest school district in Oklahoma. As of 2010 the district serves approximately 41,224 students, up slightly from 41,200 students from Kindergarten through Twelfth grade...
, as well as most Oklahoma City government offices were shut down a day in advance of the storm. The U.S. Postal Service released a statement saying that it was attempting to make deliveries across the state but that "some areas may be undeliverable", due to the heavy snow and very low visibility; mail delivery in Oklahoma City did not occur in most areas due to the conditions. Temperatures across the state on February 1st and 2nd hovered in the single digits to mid-teens. Winds gusted to near 60 miles per hour (96.6 km/h) at times creating ground blizzard conditions across the eastern half of the state; wind chill values dropped as low as -36 °F in Boise City
Boise City, Oklahoma
Boise City is a city in and the county seat of Cimarron County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,266 at the 2010 census.'Boise' rhymes with 'voice'...
, the lowest recorded wind chill in the state since the deployment of the Oklahoma Mesonet
Oklahoma Mesonet
The Oklahoma Mesonet is a network of environmental monitoring stations designed to measure the environment at the size and duration of mesoscale weather events. The phrase "mesonet" is a portmanteau of the words mesoscale and network. In meteorology, “mesoscale” refers to weather events that...
. Heavy snow caved in the roof of a building on the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino complex in Tulsa containing a poker room and electronic casino games, the damage was confined to an area that was part of the original structure built in 1992. There was no one injured as a result of the roof collapse as no people were in the affected area at the time; the hotel towers, a concert venue, a convention center, and retail operations at the complex were unaffected and remained open. The Tulsa World
Tulsa World
Tulsa World is the daily newspaper for the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the primary newspaper for the northeastern and eastern portions of Oklahoma, and is the second-most widely circulated newspaper in the state, after The Oklahoman. It was founded in 1905 and remains an independent newspaper,...
newspaper canceled its print editions on February 2, 3 and 4, citing the heavy snowfall and hazardous road conditions that could compromise the safety of their newspaper carriers, making it the first time in the newspaper's 111-year history that the print edition had to be canceled; however, the newspaper did continue to publish its electronic editions on its website. A section of a boat dock at the Tera Miranda Marina Resort on the Monkey Island arm of Grand Lake collapsed due to significant snow accumulations on its roof, destroying four boats valued at about $450,000.
Will Rogers World Airport recorded an estimated 11.6 inches of snow, smashing the all-time daily snowfall record for the month of February for Oklahoma City (the previous record was 6.5 inches on February 7, 1986). Tulsa also set an all-time snowfall record for the storm for February 1 and the month of February, as the Tulsa International Airport received 14 inches of accumulated snowfall (the previous February snowfall record for the city of Tulsa was 10.5 inches in February 2003, and the previous record for snowfall in a single 24-hour period in Tulsa was 12.9 inches on March 8–9, 1994). Ironically days earlier on January 29, wildfires had burned parts of central and south-central Oklahoma, and ten central and south-central Oklahoma counties were placed under a burn ban due to very dry, wildfire-prone conditions. State Insurance Commissioner John Doak issued an emergency order to allow licensed claims adjustors outside of Oklahoma to help assess damages and losses from the storm for 90 days. On February 2, Governor Fallin asked the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
to approve an emergency disaster declaration request for all 77 Oklahoma counties. In a statement by Fallin, state and local governments would receive 75% reimbursement for expenses associated with responding to the storm if the declaration is approved, including overtime costs, costs associated with operating shelters and clearing snow and ice-covered roads. That evening, President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
granted Fallin's federal emergency request, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
to coordinate disaster relief efforts in the state of Oklahoma.
The storm system has caused at least three deaths in Oklahoma, one in a sledding accident and two in an auto crash. On February 1, a 20-year-old Oklahoma City woman died due to injuries suffered in a sledding accident near Lake Stanley Draper
Lake Stanley Draper
Lake Stanley Draper is a reservoir in southeast Oklahoma City, United States. The lake formed in 1963. It has a surface area of .-Recreation:Even with the low water levels the lake is still open for a number of things including, fishing, ATV'S or dirt bikes, R.C. airplanes. Like boating Water...
, in which the sled being pulled by a vehicle veered off the road, flinging the woman into a guardrail; she was pronounced dead at the scene. Two days later as slick road conditions continued across parts of the state, a truck carrying eight people ran off of a bridge and fell into the Spring River
Spring River (Missouri)
The Spring River is a waterway located in southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma. It begins in northern Barry County, Missouri south of Aurora, flows north of Verona and turns west across Lawrence and Jasper counties, passing through Carthage, before crossing into...
(which had been covered in ice), on I-44 in Ottawa County
Ottawa County, Oklahoma
Ottawa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 33,194. Its county seat is Miami. It was named for the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma.Ottawa County was established in 1907.-Geography:...
near Miami
Miami, Oklahoma
Miami is a city in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States. As of 2009, the population estimate was 12,910. It is the county seat of Ottawa County. The city is named after the Miami tribe...
, killing two people; one of two westbound lanes of I-44 was reopened to traffic the previous evening after blizzard conditions made it impassible.
Pennsylvania
In portions of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
that were north of Philadelphia, Ice storm warning
Ice Storm Warning
An Ice Storm Warning is issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when freezing rain produces a significant and possibly damaging accumulation of ice...
s were put into effect.
Texas
In Texas, the storm caused widespread disruption of road and air traffic, including flights into and out of Dallas-Fort Worth International AirportDallas-Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is located between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, and is the busiest airport in the U.S. state of Texas...
and Love Field. Rolling blackouts were instituted across the state as high demand for electricity left the power grid overloaded and unable to handle the demand. Governor Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
asked for citizens to conserve as much electricity as they can to help ease the overloaded power grids. ERCOT, the governing body responsible for most of the electricity distribution in Texas, reported that more than 75% of the state was affected by rolling blackouts on February 2nd; at one point demand for energy was so great that utility companies began to purchase electricity off the national grids to meet the demand. Parts of Texas were expected to experience additional rolling blackouts Wednesday and Thursday as workers labor to get the electric systems back up and running.
Throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, multiple large school districts were closed for a record-setting 5 days in a row, letting students out a whole week because of road hazards due to ice and snow. An ice storm affected areas as far south as Houston behind the main storm front, while three men were killed near Houston in traffic accidents. The storm adversely affected activities in the week leading up to Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...
, which was played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
.
The storm caused a failure at a water treatment plant near Donna, Texas
Donna, Texas
Donna is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 15,798 at the 2010 census. The city's motto is "The Heart of the Valley." Donna is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and Reynosa–McAllen metropolitan areas....
, prompting officials to issue a boil water advisory
Boil water advisory
A boil-water advisory or boil-water order is a public health advisory or directive given by government or health authorities to communities when a community's drinking water is, or could be, contaminated by pathogens....
.
In El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, the storm left major roadways slippery with ice and snow, and the abrupt demands placed on El Paso's utility services resulted in sporadic reports of loss of water and natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
capability. Freezing tempetures resulted in the total failure of both of the city's natural gas power plants, resulting in rolling blackouts across the city. The loss of power had a ripple effect across the region, as the power failure left water and gas utility without the power needed to operate pumps to move the water and natural gas to customers. This resulted in the complete cancellation of activities at all area independent school districts and institutions of higher education on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and the following Monday. In total, nearly 200,000 El Paso Electric customers have gone without power at some point as a result of the storm, while 1,200 Texas Gas Service customers have gone without gas. Over 157 water main breaks due to cold temperatures have been reported to the El Paso Water Utilities, which when combined with the frozen water pumping equipment and abnormally high demand for water left El Paso water reservoirs dangerously low. Stage 2 mandatory water restrictions, which permit the use of water for drinking only were, were implemented Monday night as the water utility worked to raise the water levels in the reservoirs, and on Wednesday the water restrictions were lifted. That same Wednesday it was announced that Federal and State officials would conduct an investigation into El Paso Electric as a result of the spectacular failure of the utility during the blizzard.
Wisconsin
In WisconsinWisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, Governor Scott Walker
Scott Walker (politician)
Scott Kevin Walker is an American Republican politician who began serving as the 45th Governor of Wisconsin on January 3, 2011, after defeating Democratic candidate Tom Barrett, 52 percent to 47 percent in the November 2010 general election...
declared a state of emergency
State 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...
in 29 Wisconsin counties due to the snowstorm and deployed 75 Wisconsin National Guard
Wisconsin National Guard
The Wisconsin Army National Guard has dual state and federal roles, and is jointly funded and maintained by both governments. Its federal mission is to provide trained units to the United States Army in time of war or national emergency...
soldiers. Early on February 2, the state's emergency management agency issued a Civil Danger Warning warning drivers completely off the roads at the risk of being stranded due to dangerous conditions forcing county plows, law enforcement and salters off the roads, a declaration distributed via NOAA Weather Radio
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards is a network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from a nearby National Weather Service office. It is operated by the NWS, an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the United States Department of...
's Emergency Alert System
Emergency Alert System
The Emergency Alert System is a national warning system in the United States put into place on January 1, 1997, when it superseded the Emergency Broadcast System , which itself had superseded the CONELRAD System...
and local media outlets, and otherwise only issued for other major events such as terrorist attacks and water contamination emergencies. The same warning was issued hours later completely disallowing travel within Lake County, Illinois
Lake County, Illinois
Lake County is a county in the northeastern corner of the state of Illinois, on the shore of Lake Michigan. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 703,462, which is an increase of 9.2% from 644,356 in 2000. Its county seat is Waukegan. The county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area...
. Interstate 94
Interstate 94 in Wisconsin
In the U.S. state of Wisconsin, Interstate 94 runs east–west through the western, central and southeastern portions of the state.-Route description:A total of of Interstate 94 lie in Wisconsin....
and Interstate 43
Interstate 43
Interstate 43 is a intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the U.S. state of Wisconsin, connecting Interstate 39 and Interstate 90 in Beloit with Milwaukee and U.S. Route 41 and U.S. Route 141 in Green Bay. I-43 is the 5th longest intrastate Interstate Highway of the Interstate...
south of Milwaukee to the state line were both closed for a time due to dangerous conditions and many stranded vehicles.
Nearly all government buildings, schools, and public facilities were closed for February 2, 2011 in the southeastern region of the state, including Milwaukee, Waukesha
Waukesha, Wisconsin
Waukesha is a city in and the county seat of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, in the Upper Midwest region of the United States. The population was 70,718 at the 2010 census, making it the largest community in the county and 7th largest in the state. The city is located adjacent to the Town of Waukesha...
, Racine
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
, Kenosha
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...
, Sheboygan
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
-Airport:Sheboygan is served by the Sheboygan County Memorial Airport, which is located several miles from the city.-Roads:Interstate 43 is the primary north-south transportation route into Sheboygan, and forms the west boundary of the city. U.S...
, and Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, with Racine and Kenosha receiving the largest amount of snow, just shy of 24 inches. Three people died of cardiac-related illnesses while clearing snow in Milwaukee.
High winds
Strong galeGale
A gale is a very strong wind. There are conflicting definitions of how strong a wind must be to be considered a gale. The U.S. government's National Weather Service defines a gale as 34–47 knots of sustained surface winds. Forecasters typically issue gale warnings when winds of this strength are...
-force winds were expected in many areas, especially places northwest of the Appalachian Mountains.
Flash freeze
Parts of Texas and LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
east to the Mississippi Valley and Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
experienced or were to experience rapid drops in temperature and flash freeze events after the squall line
Squall line
A squall line is a line of severe thunderstorms that can form along or ahead of a cold front. In the early 20th century, the term was used as a synonym for cold front. It contains heavy precipitation, hail, frequent lightning, strong straight-line winds, and possibly tornadoes and waterspouts....
moved through.
Storm surge
Localized flooding occurred in northeastern Illinois, near the coast of Lake Michigan where strong winds brought storm surgeStorm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
and lakeshore flooding.
Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes
Severe thunderstorms erupted in many areas of the Midwest and Southeastern United States. Thunderstorms accompanied both heavy rain and snow. Tornadoes were reported in Texas, and a tornado watch was issued for parts of Alabama. An EF1 tornado damaged two homes in Rusk County, TexasRusk County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,372 people, 17,364 households, and 12,727 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 19,867 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
.
Preparations
Local governments ahead of the storm prepared residents on procedures to follow during the storm. This included parking and driving restrictions and preparation of road clearing equipment. Street clearing crews applied chemicals to the roadways to pre-melt ice and snow and checked equipment prior to the event.States of emergency
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 in several American states, including Illinois, Oklahoma, and Missouri.
Airport traffic
At least 6,400 flight cancellations occurred across North America before the storm. Impact was severe at Chicago's O'Hare International AirportO'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
, as over 1,100 flights were canceled there. A less severe but still a major impact was at Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
in Toronto where about 300 of its 1,400 daily flights were canceled.
By the end of February 2, at least 13,000 individual flight cancellations took place across North America.
Power outages
Many local and widespread power outages affected locations along the storm track, including in Illinois, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Indiana, Texas, Colorado and Kentucky.Impact on Super Bowl XLV
The severe ice storm also affected the Dallas-Fort Worth area, bringing a coating of ice to the ground after a rapid freeze. This caused some damage ahead of Super Bowl XLVSuper Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...
. Snow falling from the roof of Cowboys Stadium caused several injuries.
See also
- Chicago Blizzard of 1967Chicago Blizzard of 1967The Chicago Blizzard of 1967 struck northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana on January 26, 1967 with a record-setting of snow falling on Chicago and its suburbs before the storm abated the next morning. To this day, it is the worst blizzard in Chicago history. The snow fell continuously on...
- Chicago Blizzard of 1979Chicago Blizzard of 1979The Chicago Blizzard of 1979 was a major blizzard that affected northern Illinois and northwest Indiana, U.S. on January 13-January 14, 1979. of snow fell on January 13 alone, setting a new record for snow in one calendar day...
- 1993 Storm of the Century
- North American blizzard of 1999
- February 2007 North America Winter StormFebruary 2007 North America Winter StormThe February 2007 North America Winter Storm was a massive winter storm that affected most of the eastern half of North America, starting on February 12, 2007 and peaking on Valentine's Day, February 14...
- 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreakThe 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak was a deadly tornado outbreak which affected the Southern United States and the lower Ohio Valley on February 5 and 6, 2008. The event began on Super Tuesday, while 24 U.S. states were holding primary elections and caucuses to select the presidential...
- December 2010 North American blizzardDecember 2010 North American blizzardThe 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...