January–March 2014 North American cold wave
The January–March 2014 North American cold wave was an extreme weather event that extended through the late winter months of the 2013–2014 winter season, and was also part of an unusually cold winter affecting parts of Canada and parts of the north-central and northeastern United States. The event occurred in early 2014 and was caused by a southward shift of the North Polar Vortex. Record-low temperatures also extended well into March.
Temperature anomalies within the United States from January to March 2014, showcasing the very cold conditions | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 2, 2014 |
| Dissipated | April 10, 2014 |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 21 as of January 8 |
| Damage | $5 billion (United States) |
| Areas affected | Canada, Central United States, Eastern United States, Northern Mexico |
Part of the 2013–14 North American winter | |
On January 2, an Arctic cold front initially associated with a nor'easter tracked across Canada and the United States, resulting in heavy snowfall in some areas. Temperatures fell to unprecedented levels, and low temperature records were broken across the some areas of the United States. Business, school, and road closures were common, as well as mass flight cancellations across some airports in the Midwest. Altogether, more than 200 million people were affected, in an area ranging from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean and extending south to include roughly 187 million residents of the Continental United States.