2011 Groundhog Day blizzard
The 2011 Groundhog Day blizzard was a powerful and historic winter storm that affected large swaths of the United States and Canada from January 31 to February 2, 2011, especially on Groundhog Day. During 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 21.2 inches (54 cm) of snow and blizzard conditions, with winds of over 60 mph (100 km/h). With such continuous winds, the blizzard continued to the north and affected Eastern and Atlantic Canada. 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 City, 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 central Illinois National Weather Service in Lincoln, Illinois, issued only their fourth blizzard warning in the forecast office's 16-year history. Snowfall amounts of 20 to 28 inches (51 to 71 cm) were forecast for much of Northern and Western Illinois.
Category 5 "Extreme" (RSI/NOAA: 21.99) | |
The extratropical cyclone responsible for the blizzard striking the Midwestern United States on the afternoon of February 1 | |
| Type | Extratropical cyclone Blizzard Ice storm Winter storm Tornado outbreak |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 31, 2011 |
| Dissipated | February 3, 2011 |
| Lowest pressure | 996 mb (29.41 inHg) |
| Tornadoes confirmed | 3 |
| Max. rating1 | EF1 tornado |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | 27.0 in (69 cm) snowfall – reported in Antioch, Illinois 1.0 in (2.5 cm) ice accretion – reported in Cashtown, Pennsylvania |
| Fatalities | at least 36 fatalities |
| Damage | $1.8 billion (USD) |
| Areas affected | Central United States, Southeastern US, New England, Northeastern Mexico, Great Lakes, Eastern Canada |
Part of the 2010–11 North American winter 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
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 outages, flight cancellations, airport closures, road closures, roof collapses, 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, including downtown Chicago. At least 36 deaths were reported to be related to the storm, many of them in shoveling or auto-related incidents, and the total damages were US $1.8 billion.