| January 16 2024 |
Mid-South to Northeast Winter Storm: (1/14/24 - 1/16/24)
By: Tony Fracasso, WPC Meteorologist
Meteorological Overview:
A strong arctic front was settled into the Western US on Saturday, January 13th. Temperatures were very cold (40s below zero) over Montana rising only to near the teens in the vicinity of the front that stretched from southern Oregon eastward into southern Wyoming. An area of low pressure in the northeastern Pacific Ocean (pressure as low as 990mb) moved ashore during Saturday afternoon with a surge of moisture ahead of it. On Sunday, the area of low pressure weakened as it moved quickly inland along the stationary boundary and eventually dissipated. However, its mid-level reflection persisted and continued eastward.
On Monday, the eastward extension of the stationary arctic boundary was nestled east of the Rockies and southward through most of Texas, bringing cold temperatures to the region. Sub-freezing temperatures would eventually find their way all the way to the Gulf Coast and Rio Grande. On Monday afternoon, a new area of low pressure started to form along the front in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. This would eventually translate northeastward along the front across the Southeast and off the Mid-Atlantic coast by Tuesday. Thereafter, the storm center deepened quickly Tuesday evening into Wednesday from near Cape Cod through the Gulf of Maine and into the Canadian Maritimes where its central pressure continued to drop through the 980s into the 970s mb.
Impacts:
In the West, heavy rain at low elevations and heavy snow in the mountains were common over northern California into Oregon as the system initially moved ashore. Up to 4-10" of rain was observed through the duration of this event (about 5.5" near Crescent City, CA and up to 10" around Brookings, OR). With the cold air in place over much of the region, some sleet and freezing rain was observed over southern Oregon. Nearly an inch of freezing rain accumulated on surfaces around Lincoln City, OR (along the coast) and around 0.75" inland (Albany, OR). Heavy snow totals were observed farther inland as well, including around 2ft near Steamboat Springs, CO; 43" near Alta, UT; and nearly a foot around Boise, ID which included a daily record amount of snow (6.8") on the 13th.
In the East, an axis of heavier snow stretched from the Ozarks and Mid-South into the southern Appalachians. Nashville, TN recorded 7.6" of snow. The heaviest snow for the event in the East was over the Blue Ridge Mountains where Banner Elk received 15" of snow. Light to moderate snow expanded to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Monday into Tuesday, bringing the first appreciable snowfall to many of the big cities in two years. This included 4-5" in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, 3.3" in Philadelphia (ending a 715 day streak without a 1" snow event), and 1.6" in New York City which ended a 701-day streak without a 1" snowfall on a calendar day. Snowfall over New England was modest – generally a few inches up to a foot or so, mostly across northern areas. Caribou recorded 10" of snow for the storm which was the second highest event for the season. Cold air followed behind the storm, bringing sub-zero temperatures to places like Nashville (-1F on the 17th).
