North American blizzard of 2003

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North American blizzard of 2003

Plowing the streets of Washington, DC during the Blizzard of 2003

Storm type:

Winter storm

Formed:

February 14, 2003

Dissipated:

February 19, 2003

Maximum
amount¹:

91 cm/36 in Garrett County, Maryland

Lowest
pressure:

1011 mb

Damages:

Over 14.1 million ^[1]

Fatalities:

2 direct, 25 indirect

Areas affected:

Eastern North America

¹Maximum snowfall or ice accretion

The Blizzard of 2003, also known as the Presidents' Day Storm of 2003, or Presidents' Day Storm II, was a historical and record-breaking snowstorm on the East Coast of the United States and Canada, which lasted from February 14 to February 19, 2003. It spread widespread heavy snow across the major cities of the Northeastern US, making it the defining snowstorm of the very snowy winter of 2002-2003. All cities from Washington DC to Boston were covered in 15 to 30 inches (38-76 cm) of snow, and those cities were brought to a standstill due to problems caused by temperatures and the snow. In Baltimore and Boston, this was the biggest snowstorm on record, with 28.2 and 27.5 inches (71.6 and 69.9 cm) respectively. Suburban areas in Baltimore recorded even more snow, up to 36.0 inches in some areas. Kingsville, a small town in Baltimore County - 37.4 inches.^{[citation needed]} Perry Hall - 36.4.^{[citation needed]}

1 Synoptic setup
2 The Life of the Storm
3 Impact
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Synoptic setup

The severity of the Blizzard of 2003 can be attributed to the unusually favorable atmospheric conditions surrounding the storm (synoptic conditions). Most notably, the storm allowed for cyclogenesis off of the coastal Carolinas, a feature that is common to most major winter storms in the eastern parts of North America. This secondary system fed off the moisture of the Atlantic Ocean and enhanced precipitation totals from North Carolina to Massachusetts. Secondly, a high pressure system was in place over eastern portions of Canada, allowing for cold air to be brought down into the coastal areas in a process known as cold air damming. This cold air ensured that many areas where storms typically produce mixed precipitation received most or all precipitation from the storm in the form of snow.^[2]

[edit] The Life of the Storm

The storm developed in the southern Rockies on February 14, and moved through southern Missouri and the Lower Tennessee Valley during the next few days. It brought heavy rain and severe weather to the Deep South, including the nation's first tornado of the year. Farther north, snow and ice affected the Midwest. Southern Iowa and eastern Illinois also got significant snow, with 11 inches (28 cm) in Des Moines. In central Kentucky the storm produced mostly ice, with some locations including Frankfort, Lexington, and nearby Cynthiana in Harrison County receiving up to 3/4" (2 cm) of ice. Much of Ohio received heavy snowfall, with Mansfield receiving 21 inches and Columbus receiving about a foot.

A snowplow in Boston at the beginning of the storm

However, early on February 16, torrential snow started falling in those two cities, and the snow later moved to Philadelphia. Heavy snow was continuously reported, falling at rates of up to 4 inches (10 cm) per hour. In addition, temperatures were frigid, around 15°F (-10°C). The heavy snow continued all day, and it reached New York City in the evening. At about the same time, the snow changed to sleet in Washington, D.C., and significantly lowered the accumulation. Throughout the rest of the Northeast, however, the snow continued for much of the night. The sleet changed back to snow by the next morning in Washington, D.C., and soon ended. By that time, a secondary low pressure system formed off the North Carolina coast and travelled north, turning the storm into a nor'easter for New York City and Boston. Blizzard Warnings were issued, and the snow began in Boston that day. In the evening, the heavy snow ended in New York City, and it ended in Boston on the morning of February 18. After that, the storm weakened and brought a few inches of snow to other parts of New England.

42nd street, NYC, near the UN, looking West during the February 2003 winter storm.

Madison Avenue, NYC, near Grand Central Station, looking South during the February 2003 winter storm.

Times Square, NYC, during the February 2003 winter storm. Image shows the city garbage collection trucks outfitted with snow plows and scoops.

Corner in Hells Kitchen neighborhood, NYC, during the February 2003 winter storm.

[edit] Impact

This snowstorm paralyzed much of the East Coast with its heavy snow. All in all, it was the most significant and powerful storm to affect the major cities of the Northeast since the Blizzard of 1996. Washington's Reagan National Airport, Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport in New York were shut down completely, and Dulles Airport had one runway open. With snow continually accumulating, road travel was nearly impossible. In Baltimore, the roof of the historic B&O Railroad Museum collapsed, damaging many valuable engines, railroad cars and train souvenirs. ^[3].

The Studio Theatre had to cancel 2 performances, for only the 2nd time in its 30 year history.

Most Washington, DC area television stations had wall-to-wall coverage from Saturday morning through Monday evening, only stopping briefly overnight. Even overnight, they had constant information bars on the screen with the latest forecasts and emergency information.

Many school districts that were affected by the blizzard closed schools for at least 1 week. The amount of snow accumulating on the roads forced some snowplows to plow the snow into parking lots, furthing contributing to school closures. The extended closure of school districts due to this storm exacerbated the task of scheduling make-up days for the affected students, as most of these districts had already used all of their previously allocated days on storms earlier in the winter.