February 9–11, 2017 North American blizzard
The February 9–11, 2017 North American blizzard was a fast-moving but powerful blizzard that affected the Northeastern United States with winter weather in the time span of February 8–9. Forming as an Alberta clipper in the northern United States, the system initially produced light snowfall from the Midwest to the Ohio Valley as it tracked southeastwards. It eventually reached the East Coast of the United States and began to rapidly grow into a powerful nor'easter. Up to 18 inches (46 cm) of snow as well as blizzard conditions were recorded in some of the hardest hit areas before the system moved away from the coastline early on February 10.
Category 1 "Notable" (RSI/NOAA: 2.154) | |
The blizzard rapidly deepening just offshore of the Northeastern United States on February 9 | |
| Type | Extratropical cyclone Winter storm Bomb cyclone Nor'easter Blizzard |
|---|---|
| Formed | February 6, 2017 |
| Dissipated | February 11, 2017 |
| Highest winds |
|
| Highest gust | 70 mph (110 km/h) 2 mi (3 km) NE of Hyannis, Massachusetts |
| Lowest pressure | 969 mb (28.61 inHg) |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | 24.0 in (61 cm) near Cooper, Maine |
| Fatalities | 1 death |
| Damage | Unknown |
| Power outages | 80,000+ |
| Areas affected | Central Plains, Midwest, Ohio Valley, Northeast (Mid-Atlantic states, especially the New England states), Atlantic Canada, Greenland |
Part of the 2016–17 North American winter | |
Prior to the blizzard, unprecedented and record-breaking warmth had enveloped the region, with record highs of above 60 °F (16 °C) recorded in several areas, including Central Park in New York City. Some were caught off guard by the warmth and had little time to prepare for the snowstorm, with some meteorologists calling the extreme weather changes "unprecedented".