Pre-Christmas 2004 snowstorm
Encyclopedia
An historic snowstorm struck the Ohio Valley of the United States, as well as Ontario in Canada, on December 22 and December 23 and is not the same storm that led to snow in Texas on Christmas Eve
. It lasted roughly 30 hours, and brought snowfall amounts up to 37 inches (73.7 cm) to portions of the Midwestern United States
. Damages from the storm totaled US$900 million (2004 dollars). A total of 18 died during the storm, one from Canada, mainly due to car accidents.
in the southern stream of the Westerlies which moved northeast from the coastal bend of Texas
early on December 22, moving across northern Louisiana
, southeast Arkansas
, northwest Mississippi
, then across central Tennessee
, through western West Virginia
early on December 23, eastern Ohio
and Pennsylvania
.
, central Kentucky
, as well as southern and eastern Ohio
. Traffic was paralyzed across the region by plane, train, and automobile, during this winter storm
. Interstate and state highways turned into parking lots as over 100,000 vehicle accidents were caused by the weather. Roofs of buildings caved in under the weight of the ice and snow, especially in areas which measured over 10 inches of snow. Almost a million residences saw power outages and numerous phone lines were downed. Four days of sub-freezing temperatures during and after the storm hampered recovery efforts. States of emergency were declared in Kentucky, Illinois, and Ohio.
. About 11,000 customers lost power for 2–3 days. Six perished during the storm statewide.
was blocked for three days.
Snowfall records were set in many locations across the Hoosier state. The records above 20 inches (50.8 cm) included Evansville (22.3 inches (56.6 cm)), Seymour (29 inches (73.7 cm)), North Vernon (26 inches (66 cm)), Crothersville (37 inches (94 cm)), and Greensburg (24 inches (61 cm)). After the storm, a record low was set at Evansville on Christmas Day when the temperature fell to -11 F. This combination of factors closed Interstate 64 for three days and Interstate 94 for over two days (reopening Christmas Eve). Five perished statewide.
Snowfall records were set at Dayton (16 inches (40.6 cm)), Greenfield (24 inches (61 cm)), and Mansfield (23 inches (58.4 cm)). A major ice storm impacted southeast and eastern sections of the state. After the storm, a record low was set on Christmas Day when the temperature fell to -17 F. A total of 678,000 customers went without power. Four perished statewide.
2004 Christmas Eve Snowstorm
The 2004 Christmas Eve Snowstorm was a rare weather event that took place in Louisiana and Texas in the United States on December 24, 2004 before the storm moved northeast to affect the coastal sections of the Mid-Atlantic states and New England in the succeeding few days...
. It lasted roughly 30 hours, and brought snowfall amounts up to 37 inches (73.7 cm) to portions of the Midwestern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Damages from the storm totaled US$900 million (2004 dollars). A total of 18 died during the storm, one from Canada, mainly due to car accidents.
Synoptic history
An arctic cold front moved through the Midwest, bringing cold air into the region and a brief 4-10 hour burst of snowfall on December 22. Thereafter, 3–6 hours of freezing rain and sleet fell. The second bout of wintry precipitation, which lasted about 13 hours, was caused by a surface cycloneCyclone
In meteorology, a cyclone is an area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth. This is usually characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth. Most large-scale...
in the southern stream of the Westerlies which moved northeast from the coastal bend of 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...
early on December 22, moving across northern Louisiana
Louisiana
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...
, southeast Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, northwest Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, then across central Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, through western West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
early on December 23, eastern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
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...
.
Effects
Over 20 inches (50.8 cm) of snow fell across portions of southern Illinois and central Ohio. A band of freezing rain and sleet led to ice and sleet accumulations across western TennesseeTennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, central Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, as well as southern and eastern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Traffic was paralyzed across the region by plane, train, and automobile, during this winter storm
Winter storm
A winter storm is an event in which the dominant varieties of precipitation are formed that only occur at low temperatures, such as snow or sleet, or a rainstorm where ground temperatures are low enough to allow ice to form...
. Interstate and state highways turned into parking lots as over 100,000 vehicle accidents were caused by the weather. Roofs of buildings caved in under the weight of the ice and snow, especially in areas which measured over 10 inches of snow. Almost a million residences saw power outages and numerous phone lines were downed. Four days of sub-freezing temperatures during and after the storm hampered recovery efforts. States of emergency were declared in Kentucky, Illinois, and Ohio.
Arkansas
High winds and icing were the main impact in ArkansasArkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. About 11,000 customers lost power for 2–3 days. Six perished during the storm statewide.
Kentucky
A snowfall record was set at Paducah, when 14 inches (35.6 cm) was measured. A major ice storm struck central portions of the state. After the storm, a record low was set on Christmas Day when the temperature fell to -8 F at Paducah. A total of 168,000 customers experienced power failure. Two perished statewide.Illinois
It was the most significant snowstorm on record for southern sections of the state. Snowfall records were set at Carbondale (12 inches (30.5 cm)), McLeansboro (14 inches (35.6 cm)), and Carmi (18 inches (45.7 cm)). Interstate 64Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
was blocked for three days.
Indiana
Ohio
Ontario
Precipitation was mainly in the form of heavy snow across southeast sections of the province. Hundreds of flights were cancelled from Toronto's Pearson Airport. Hundreds of car accidents resulted from the storm. One person died.See also
- 2004 Christmas Eve Snowstorm2004 Christmas Eve SnowstormThe 2004 Christmas Eve Snowstorm was a rare weather event that took place in Louisiana and Texas in the United States on December 24, 2004 before the storm moved northeast to affect the coastal sections of the Mid-Atlantic states and New England in the succeeding few days...
that struck the Gulf coast and East coast - Extratropical cycloneExtratropical cycloneExtratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
- Snowstorm