Winter storms of 2006–07

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Winter storms of 2006–2007 profiles the major winter storms, including blizzards, ice storms, and other winter events that occurred from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007.

Contents 1 Events 1.1 September 1.1.1 September 14-16 1.1.2 September 21-23 1.2 October 1.2.1 October 11-13 1.2.2 October 25-30 1.3 November 1.3.1 November 5-7 1.3.2 November 9-11 1.3.3 November 21 1.3.4 November 26-December 1 1.4 December 1.4.1 December 8 1.4.2 December 14-16 1.4.3 December 18-21 1.4.4 December 26-27 1.4.5 December 28-January 1 1.5 January 1.5.1 January 9-12 1.5.2 January 12-24 1.5.3 January 14 1.5.4 January 15-19 1.5.5 January 23-26 1.6 February 1.6.1 February 1-2 1.6.2 February 1-12 1.6.3 February 7-9 1.6.4 February 12-16 1.6.5 February 19-24 1.6.6 February 21-26 1.6.7 February 22-23 1.6.8 February 27-March 2 1.7 March 1.7.1 March 3-4 1.7.2 March 14-15 1.7.3 March 16-17 1.7.4 March 26-29 1.8 April 1.8.1 April 2-7 1.8.2 April 8 1.8.3 April 9-13 1.8.4 April 13-16 1.8.5 April 23-24 1.9 May 1.9.1 May 4-5 1.10 June 1.10.1 June 11-13 1.10.2 June 20-21 2 References 3 See also 4 External links

[edit] Events

[edit] September

[edit] September 14-16

While not a major event, the first widespread winter weather event took place in the higher elevations of the Northwestern United States and as far south as Utah,^[1] and especially across the higher elevations of western Canada. The snow did not affect any of the major cities in the area, but did affect travel. The snow also had a positive impact in that it significantly reduced the number of wildfires in the area.^[2]

Such heavy snowfall is not unusual in September, especially in the northern Rocky Mountains.

[edit] September 21-23

Another storm moved into the Rocky Mountain region, dropping 1-2 feet of snow throughout the mountains of Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado. The Black Hills near Deadwood, South Dakota also saw up to a foot of snow. Gothic, Colorado and Alta, Utah both reported 11 inches.^[3]

[edit] October

[edit] October 11-13

Main article: Lake Storm "Aphid"

A low pressure system moving through the Great Lakes region, accompanied by a record-breaking cold snap, combined to produce significant early-season snowfall across the region. Several areas on the Lower Peninsula of Michigan recorded their earliest-ever measurable snowfall, including 0.2" at Detroit on October 12th, beating the old record from October 13, 1909,^[4] and 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) of snow fell over western portions of the Upper Peninsula. A foot of snow also fell across portions of southwestern Ontario in the Niagara region with significant amounts also recorded in northwestern Ontario north and west of Thunder Bay.^[5]

Record-breaking snowfall of 1-2 feet also occurred in the highly localized lake effect snowband areas around Buffalo, New York, with Buffalo setting two consecutive daily October snowfall records, recording a total of 22.6 inches (57.4 cm).^[6] The resulting heavy, wet snow downed tree limbs and power lines, leaving 350,000 people without electricity in western New York. It also closed a large section of Interstate 90 from Rochester to Dunkirk and killed three people.^[7] Governor George Pataki declared a state of emergency in the hard-hit counties. The bands were very localized; very little snow fell in most other areas.

[edit] October 25-30

The first Plains blizzard of the season occurred over the Front Range of Colorado. Blizzard warnings were issued, with 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) of snow combining with winds as strong as 60 mph (95 km/h) in some areas. Snow accumulations in the mountains reached up to 2 feet (60 cm). Dozens of school districts were closed and highways were blocked throughout the region. Most flights out of Denver International Airport were either canceled or significantly delayed.^[8]

Significant amounts of snow were also reported across northeastern Ontario and western and central Quebec from October 26 to October 30. Accumulations exceeded locally 20 centimetres (8 inches).

[edit] November

[edit] November 5-7

The Puget Sound area received a Pineapple Express that dumped several inches of rain over the area in a period of four days caused massive flooding, two deaths, and extensive damage to Mount Rainier National Park. The rain contributed significantly towards making November 2006 the wettest on record for Seattle.

[edit] November 9-11

The first major winter storm of the season in the Upper Midwest dumped heavy snow across parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The highest amounts were in western Wisconsin, east of the Twin Cities, where up to 16 inches (41 cm) of snow fell. Schools and roads were closed as a result.^[9] Portions of Northeastern Ontario, including Greater Sudbury, also received over 15 centimetres on the night of the 10th into the 11th, with moderate snow falling across central Quebec later that day.

[edit] November 21

Main article: Late November 2006 Nor'easter

An unusual snow event took place in parts of South Carolina and Georgia in areas that typically don't receive snow, especially in November. The storm produced thunder snow for a time at Charleston, South Carolina, the only time thunder snow has been reported. Generally 1-2 inches was observed in interior areas from Jenkins County, Georgia to Colleton County, South Carolina. Not only was this a winter weather oddity, it was record setting. Charleston and Savannah, Georgia both observed their earliest snowfall on record. The powerful storm also brought heavy rains, severe beach erosion, and damaging winds to South Carolina and Georgia. This storm also brough snow flurries as far south as central Florida, near Orlando, the earliest that snow had ever been recorded that far south.

[edit] November 26-December 1

Main article: Early Winter 2006 North American Storm Complex

A widespread and severe storm complex tracked across the entire northern and central parts of North America in the last week of November. It produced a variety of severe weather, including heavy snow, rain, freezing rain, sleet, high winds, extreme cold, a serial derecho and several tornadoes.

The most severe impacts were in the Midwest where several fatalities were reported and extensive power outages occurred.

[edit] December

[edit] December 8

A severe, but localized, lake effect snow event took place in parts of the Great Lakes region. The hardest hit community was London, Ontario, where over 50 cm (20 inches) of snow fell. The heavy snow virtually shut down the community, with many roads and highways closed and even shutting down the transit system for the first time since 1978.^[10] Other areas on the windward side of the Great Lakes saw lesser snowfall amounts.

[edit] December 14-16

Main article: December 2006 Pacific Northwest storms

While a severe rain and wind event took place in the Pacific Northwest causing significant damage and power outages, the highland areas saw blizzard conditions, along with hurricane-force winds. Some areas received over 16 inches (40 cm) of snow along with winds in excess of 80 mph (130 km/h). The blizzard also stalled rescue efforts on Mount Hood.^[11]

[edit] December 18-21

Main article: December 20-21, 2006 Colorado Blizzard

Another major winter storm slammed into the High Plains and central Rocky Mountains on December 19 and continued through December 21. The storm produced heavy snow across a large area covering six states centered around Denver, Colorado. Areas in the foothills received up to 27 inches (68 cm) of snow,^[12] which closed many highways, including several Interstates. The area was crippled as a result, with schools and most businesses closed and the local transit system shut down. The heavy snow also closed Denver International Airport as the Christmas rush began.^[13]

Some areas expected up to 3 feet (90 cm) of snow. In addition, up to 7 inches (18 cm) fell as far south as New Mexico.^[14]The Four Corners region saw up to 18 inches (45 cm) of snow in the mountains, with up to 6 inches (15 cm) in the valleys^{[citation needed]}.

Governor Bill Owens declared a state of emergency, which allowed state funds to be used to activate the Colorado National Guard. Four people were killed by the storm.

[edit] December 26-27

A rare winter storm blanketed parts of the Middle East including southern Jordan which the area was paralysed due to heavy snow. Numerous roads leading to the area's main cities were shut down. The country's civil and defense teams had to rescue more than 1,400 who were trapped across various areas of the country. Air Force helicopters also assisted in the rescue efforts. No fatalities were reported.^[15]

[edit] December 28-January 1

Another massive blizzard hit the Front Range of Colorado and adjacent Plains areas. Approximately 1-2 feet of snow fell along the Front Range, cancelling many flights and closing some roads, while up to 4 feet fell in the surrounding foothills and mountains. At least a foot of snow, combined in some areas with up to 3 inches of freezing rain, fell from the Texas Panhandle north along the High Plains into South Dakota. Ice fell all the way north into Ontario, and from December 31 into January 1, ice fell in northern New England before the storm weakened and exited the coast. The area around Albuquerque, New Mexico saw 1-3 feet of snow, including a record one day snowfall of 11.3 inches on December 29. One area in the mountains of New Mexico saw an incredible 58 inches (4 feet, 10 inches).^[16] The storm overall brought 16.5 inches to Albuquerque, helping the city achieve its second-highest monthly snowfall total on record.^[17] Western Kansas saw up to 32 inches of snow, and a huge sweep of the central Plains for stranded travelers was undertaken in the days after the storm.^[18] 12 people were killed in the storm; 10 in traffic accidents across Colorado, Texas, and Minnesota, 1 from a tornado in Texas, where severe thunderstorms occurred, and 1 from carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator in western Kansas.^[19]

[edit] January

[edit] January 9-12

A low pressure brought up heavy snow and blizzard conditions across the Canadian Prairies. Snowfall locally reached between 8 inches (20 cm) to 1 foot (30 cm) in parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Particularly hard-hit was central Saskatchewan, including the city of Saskatoon. The storm was accompanied by strong gusty winds in excess of 40 mph (64 km/h). Two people were killed during the blizzard when their car was stuck near a First Nations reserve in Saskatchewan.^[20] Saskatoon's Diefenbaker Airport as well as schools were closed.

Prior of hitting the Prairies, the system brought another windstorm to western British Columbia, with gusts exceeding 60 mph (100 km/h). Additional trees at Vancouver's Stanley Park were uprooted. It also hindered efforts from workers who were trying to repair the inflatable roof of BC Place stadium (home to the Canadian Football League's B.C. Lions), which was damaged by winds from a previous storm a few days earlier. A secondary wave following the main storm dumped over 4 inches of snow (10 cm) in the Victoria, Vancouver, and Seattle areas with heavier snow in the mountains. Over 115,000 homes were without power during the storm in B.C.^{[21][22][23][24]}

The storm would later drop some locally heavy amount of snows in parts of northern Ontario and central Quebec with 8 inches (20 cm) reported in Saguenay.^[25]

A cold front sharply drop temperatures from west to east with some areas getting their coldest days of the season across the Canadian and U.S plains. The cold air later reached the eastern half of the continent at the end of the week.

[edit] January 12-24

Main article: North American ice storm of 2007

Following a prolonged period of mild weather, a series of winter storms produced several waves of damaging freezing rain across the Midwest of the United States and central Canada from the 12th to the 16th causing the deaths of 85 people as of January 20. Several thousands of customers from Texas to New England lost power, some for several days. Some areas received as much as 4 inches of ice (100 mm).^[26][27][28]

Oklahoma and Missouri were declared disaster areas as they were the most hard hit states from the storms. Areas from Utah to New Brunswick received heavy amounts of snow from the 13th to the 16th. The storm was followed by an intense period of cold across most of the continent from California to Newfoundland and Labrador.^[29][30][31]

Additional waves of precipitation have affected the south half of the United States from the 16th to 18th from Texas to North Carolina, while another winter storm, called a weather bomb affected portions of New Brunswick, Quebec and Maine on the 19th and 20th with near blizzard conditions. Portions of eastern Quebec received as much as 32 inches of snow (80 cm) in just over 12 hours^[32][33]

Another winter storm affected the central and southern Plains from the 19th to the 21st bringing snow and ice for most of the area with accumulations that topped off at about 4 to 10 inches of snow (10-25 cm). It also brought a light wintry mix across the Ohio Valley and the mid-Atlantic states on the 21st with little accumulation. Newfoundland and Labrador was the last region affected by the series of storms on the 23rd and 24th.^[34][35]

[edit] January 14

Main article: Per (storm)

Per was the name of a powerful storm with hurricane winds which hit the west coast of Sweden and Norway on the morning of 14 January 2007. In Sweden six people died from the storm and approx. 300,000 households were left without electricity.

[edit] January 15-19

Main article: Kyrill (storm)

A major European windstorm gave heavy amounts of snow across portions of Scotland. Most areas of western Europe from Great Britain to the Czech Republic have experienced damaging winds. Wind gusts have reached 90 mph (150 km/h) in the plain and up to 140 mph (225 km/h) in the mountain area. Boat, rail and air traffic have been heavily affected, while several hundreds of flights from London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Vienna, Prague and Paris have been delayed or canceled. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice shortened her European trip due to the strong winds. Millions of residents were without power including 1 million in the Czech Republic. As of 9:00 PM GMT on January 21, Kyrill had caused 47 fatalities.^[36]

[edit] January 23-26

A snowstorm affected a large area of western and central Europe, including France, Great Britain, Austria and Germany bringing locally heavy snow accumulations and ice which disrupted air and train travel in Berlin, Stuttgart and London. Some areas in the Alps region received as much as 1 meter of snow (40 inches). Three people were killed in Germany due to accidents caused by the storm. Over 5,000 motorists were stranded in a highway in eastern France due to the heavy snow amounts. Scattered power outages were reported with central France being affected the most with nearly 85,000 homes without power.^[37]

[edit] February

[edit] February 1-2

A winter storm crossed through the southern United States, with a mix of winter weather. Several inches of snow fell across parts of Arkansas, Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee with scattered sleet and freezing rain farther south. Anywhere from 1-4 inches of snow fell across Tennessee and Arkansas, with lighter amounts in the Carolinas.^[38][39]

[edit] February 1-12

A major lake effect snow event, titled Lake Storm "Locust", occurred across the Great Lakes regions for several days. Areas most affected by the localized heavy burst of snows were just east of Georgian Bay area near Parry Sound, east of Lake Huron near Wiarton, in western Michigan, and in north central New York.

Areas near Oswego and northeast of Syracuse received as much as 141 inches (358 cm) of snow during that period.^[40] There were unofficial reports that two towns on the Tug Hill Plateau southeast of Lake Ontario received over 10 feet (305 cm) of snow — Redfield, with 141 inches (358 cm) and Parish, with 121 inches (307 cm). Local accumulations elsewhere on the plateau were well over 1 meter (3.3 feet). A state of emergency was declared in Oswego County due to the intense snow. Portions of central Ontario received 1-3 feet (30-90 cm) of snow over the period while heavy accumulations were also reported in western Michigan just off the shores of Lake Michigan.

On February 1, a snow squall just east of Oshawa, Ontario on the north shore of Lake Ontario caused a 15-vehicle pileup including a tractor trailer which burst into flames. Two people were killed in the event. There were no reported deaths related to the event in New York State. However, 20 were killed in other states due to cold weather.^{[41][42][43][44]} The event was very localized; areas outside the narrow bands received little or no snow.

[edit] February 7-9

A winter storm blanketed parts of the United Kingdom including the City of London disrupting travel all across the city including numerous flights cancelled from all airports and several motorists were stranding on area roads. Service on the Underground subway system was also affected with several stations been closed. Many schools were also closed for one or two days.^[45] The heavy snowfall started life as as low pressure system sitting out in the Atlantic Ocean, at the time the UK was under the influence of a cold northerly wind. The low pressure system tracked towards the UK on the evening of February 7 and turned readily to snow as it hit the cold air. The snow turned back to rain across southern and western regions, but much of Wales, the Midlands and the south-east had significant snowfalls on the 8th. The West Midlands in particular was badly hit, with up to 6 inches (15 cm) reported over high ground - the most snow to fall in this region for 15 years. In Wales, Sennybridge in Powys, reported 15 inches (38 cm) on level snow with drifts of up to 3 feet (90 cm) in places. On the 9th, the low pressure over France tracked further north than forecasted, bringing more heavy snow for the Midlands and Wales. This caused additional travel disruption as the roads were not gritted and heavy gridlock formed on many of the roads. The snow began to thaw over the weekend and in turn caused some localised flooding.

[edit] February 12-16

Main article: February 2007 North America winter storm

A major winter storm affected a large area of eastern North America from Nebraska to the Canadian Maritimes. Numerous areas received snow accumulations of over 6 inches (15 cm) with isolated reports as much as 1 meter (3.3 feet) in the Adirondacks and the Vermont mountains.^[46] Burlington, Vermont set a 24-hour snowfall record, with 25.3 inches.^[47] Twelve to sixteen inches (30 to 41 cm) of snowfall and blizzard conditions in central Illinois^[48] cancelled classes at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for two days, the first time classes had been cancelled since 1979.^[49]

Large cities including Cleveland, Hamilton, Syracuse, Rochester, Burlington, Quebec City and Sherbrooke received amounts well in excess of 1 foot of snow (30 cm). The city of Hamilton received local snowsqualls bombarding in from Lake Ontario with a north-east wind which dumped over 2 feet of snow (75 cm) in some parts of the city.^[50]

Mixed precipitation fell across the southern Ohio Valley and the Interstate 95 corridor from Virginia to Boston, including New York City, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia.

The storm has been blamed for 35 deaths across 13 states and three Canadian provinces.

[edit] February 19-24

A blizzard event took place across eastern Canada on the island of Newfoundland, dumping over 16 inches (40 cm) of snow in St. John's, the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, shutting down most of the city, and closing all area schools. Heavy amounts were reported in the western Avalon Peninsula of the province.^[51] The storm previously affected portions of Nova Scotia and dumped locally heavy amounts of snow due to sea effects coming from the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Fundy. A new storm on the 23rd and 24th dumped an additional 6 inches (15 cm)in the capital with freezing rain, while heavier amount fell just to the west.^[52]

[edit] February 21-26

A storm moved onto the northern California coast early on the 21st, leading to 1-3 feet (30-90 cm) of snow across the southern Cascades, Siskiyous, Sierra Nevada, and the mountains of southern California. It also gave moderate snowfall accumulations across the Canadian Prairies between 4 and 8 inches (10-20 cm) across Manitoba.^[53] The storm then moved east, bringing up to 2 feet (60 cm) to the mountains of Utah and Colorado. Late on the 23rd, it moved onto the central High Plains and organized into a major storm that spread snow from eastern Colorado northeast into the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region, and ice from Iowa to northern Indiana. The system then split into two with the northern branch dissipating due to a blocking ridge of high pressure which prevented the blizzard from moving north into Canada. The storm continued into the Mid-Atlantic on the 25th, dropping snow as far south as the Washington D.C. area.

Snowfall amounts from 12 - 24 inches (30-60 cm)^[54][55] were common in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois, while lighter amounts were reported in Michigan and Ontario. Winona, Minnesota recorded the highest official snowfall total in this region, with 29.5 inches (75 cm) as well as La Crosse, Wisconsin with 21 inches (53 cm).^[56][57] Up to 1.5 inches (38 mm) of ice accumulation was reported from Iowa eastward into northern Indiana. Sustained winds of 30 - 40 mph (48-64 km/h) resulted in severe blowing and drifting in some of these locations. 10 people were killed in traffic accidents during the storm including 8 in Wisconsin, one in Ontario and one in Kansas.^[58] A forty car pileup resulted in the closing of Interstate 70 between Denver and Goodland, Kansas. This storm caused massive delays and cancellations at Chicago O'Hare and Midway Airport. At one point, 250,000 customers in Iowa were without power. The storm then moved into the Mid-Atlantic States, where up to 8 inches accumulated. Blizzard or winter storm warnings were in effect at one point in Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.

The storm also brought severe thunderstorms and tornadoes from Kansas to Alabama, hitting Arkansas especially hard, where Dumas was heavily damaged by a tornado.^[59][60][61]

[edit] February 22-23

A snowstorm moved across Scandinavia in northern Europe dumping heavy amounts of snow. The storm was blamed for one fatality in Denmark ,while hundreds of flights from Copenhagen and Sweden were cancelled. Numerous motorists were stranded due to drifts thatreached locally 3-meters high. A sports hall in Thisted, Denmark also collapsed but the building was vacant.^[62]

[edit] February 27-March 2

Another major storm moved into the Pacific Northwest coast on the 27th, adding to the several feet of snow already recorded in the Cascades and Sierra Nevada in the previous few days. It is impacted the Upper Midwest, the northern Plains, the Great Lakes and Quebec regions with heavy snow, sleet, freezing rain and high winds by March 1 and 2, in addition of bringing more severe thunderstorms to the South. Already, numerous tornadoes were reported in Alabama, Georgia, Missouri and Kansas including six killers. A deadly tornado struck Enterprise High School, killing 8 students on March 1. On March 2, over 2 inches of rain fell in New York City and snow, sleet and freezing rain fell in the interior Northeast.

Omaha, Nebraska was under a blizzard warning for the first time in 9 years, with much of the city receiving a foot (30.5 cm) or more of snow, and thunder snow as reported at the beginning of the storm. Wind speeds in Omaha were clocked as high as 58 miles per hour, creating snow drifts in outlying areas up to 8 feet (2.43 m). The entire state of Iowa was placed under a State of Emergency by Governor Chet Culver while large stretches of Interstate 80 were shut down. The National Guard came into the area to bring generators to restore power until utility lines were repaired.

Several areas in Manitoba as well as the Northern Plains received over 8 inches (20 cm) of snow with portions of Wisconsin receiving 16 inches (40 cm), 17 inches (42 cm) for parts of Iowa, 12-25 inches (30-63 cm) in parts of Minnesota with the highest accumulations falling in the northwest suburbs of the twin cities metropolitan region, (Anoka, Champlin, Maple Grove, Plymouth, Rogers).^[63],^[64] and up to 21 inches (53 cm) across the Dakotas.^[65] Portions of Ontario and Quebec from Sault Ste. Marie to Montreal (including Sudbury, North Bay and Ottawa) received between 6 and 10 inches of snow (15-25 cm) on March 2. 80,000 customers lost power in the province with localized heavy amount across the Appalachians. Although Toronto did not receive large amounts of snow around 10cm (4 in.), hours of freezing rain that followed created a hazardous situation the next day when the temperature rose in the city core and under the CN Tower causing massive chunks of ice sheets to cascade off the buildings hundreds of metres below, breaking some vehicle windows in a hotel parking lot. It forced City police to close the Gardiner Expressway on March 5.^{[66][67][68][69][70]}

The storm with the tornadoes and snow was blamed for 39 deaths including 10 in Alabama, 1 in Missouri, 9 in Georgia, two in Manitoba, two in Ontario, one in Minnesota, three in Michigan, one in Nebraska, four in North Dakota, one in Massachusetts and four in Wisconsin.^[71][72][73]

[edit] March

[edit] March 3-4

Portions of northern China and Mongolia were hit by the worst winter storm in over 50 years. The provinces of Liaoning and Shenyang had adopted emergency measures in able to cope with the storm which shut down numerous highways and canceled numerous flights while disrupting train service. Strong winds created impressive snow drifts of up to 2 meters deep.

Rescue ships had to assist a large group of fisherman on the Yellow Sea following a storm tide. Two people were killed in Tianjin when a storm surge collapsed several warehouses. As much as 50 cm (20 inches) fell in the province in Heilongjiang.^[74][75]

[edit] March 14-15

Jordan's second winter storm of the season shut down most roads, schools and businesses across much of the country due to accumulations exceeding 4 inches (10 cm) including the capital of Amman.

Much of the Middle East usually have little or no snow during the winters due to much warmer conditions caused by the moderate sea effects from the Mediterranean Sea. However 3 feet (90 cm)of snow fell in a storm 2004, which was the worst since 1950.^[76]

[edit] March 16-17

A late season winter storm affected portions of the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada from northern Pennsylvania to northeastern Quebec, dropping heavy snow. The I-95 corridor from Maryland to Maine as well as the Canadian Maritimes and eastern Quebec saw see a mix of snow, sleet, and rain. Amounts generally ranges from 4 to 20 inches (10-50 cm) from the Niagara region to New Brunswick, including the cities of Ottawa (5 inches - 13 cm), Montreal (5.5 inches - 14 cm), Sherbrooke (12 inches - 30 cm), and Quebec City (6-10 inches - 15-25 cm) with the town of St-Antonin, Quebec receiving 81 cm (32 inches).^[77]

Interior New England received anywhere from 16.9 inches (42 cm) at Worcester Regional Airport to 8.1 (20 cm) inches in Boston. Up to 20 inches (50 cm) in the western portion of Massachusetts and 2 feet (60 cm) in the Catskills (24 inches at Windham, New York).^[78]

The snow caused the cancellation of campaign appearances in New Hampshire of three presidential hopefuls including Barack Obama, and Chris Dodd. However, John Mccain hired a snowplow driver to ensure that he could make it throghout NH to talk to the voters. The storm also disrupted some festivities planned for St. Patrick's Day including parades being postponed in Hartford and New York City

Numerous flights from New York City, Montreal, Boston and Hartford were canceled including over 1,400 from the New York region only. Like during the Valentine's Day snowstorm, several hundreds of passengers were stranded for several hours inside planes at John F. Kennedy International Airport before being informed that their flights were canceled.^[79]

Hundreds of traffic accidents occurred across the northeast and Canada including one involving a vehicle from George W.Bush's motorcade in Washington D.C.

So far, 10 people have been killed by the storm, all in traffic accidents. This includes six in New Jersey, three in Pennsylvania and one in Maryland.^[80]

[edit] March 26-29

A storm moved onto the coast on March 26, dropping up to 2 feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada. The storm moved across the Intermountain West on the 27th and developed into a major winter storm across the northern and central Rockies and northern High Plains. Many of the western valleys, from the Wasatch Front through the valleys of Wyoming, onto the Plains of Wyoming and Montana, saw about 6-12 inches of snow, with 1-2 feet in the mountains from the 27th through the 29th. Up to 3 feet fell in the Wasatch Range and Bighorn Mountains. The storm was concentrated around south-central Montana and north-central Wyoming, where such cities as Sheridan and Billings and surrounding areas could see 1-2 feet of snow. Throughout the mountains and on the Plains (including Saskatchewan and Manitoba), this snow was accompanied by strong winds, leading to localized near-blizzard to blizzard conditions.

[edit] April

[edit] April 2-7

A late season winter storm dumped a large swath of snow from North and South Dakota, eastward through Minnesota, Wisconsin and into Upper Michigan. Up to 9 inches of snow fell near Bismarck, North Dakota, 11 inches in Brainerd, Minnesota, and areas near Hurley, Wisconsin received 18 inches. Parts of Upper and northern Michigan then saw a major Lake Effect event over approximately five days. Painesdale, Michigan received 65 inches of snow and the National Weather Service in Marquette received 47 inches, shattering most previous April snowfall records for that city.^{[81][82][83][84][85]} Lake effect also affected the Lake Erie region[1], cancelling the series between the Cleveland Indians and Seattle Mariners baseball teams in Cleveland, and prompting a move of the next series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from Jacobs Field to Miller Park in Milwaukee.

In northern New England, the storm hit on Wednesday afternoon and left behind up to a foot and a half of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Over 180,000 homes lost power, mostly due to broken tree limbs snapping wires. The storm has caused at least one death.^[86]

Heavy snow also fell across much of southern and central Quebec with amounts in excess of 12 inches across some areas with higher amounts over higher terrain in the Charlevoix region. Numerous accidents were reported across the provinces including one involving a firetruck. Two people were killed in accidents across the province.^[87]

On the back side of the storm persistent heavy flurries gave additional accumulations of a few inches across most of Ontario and Quebec.

[edit] April 8

Another winter storm affected portions of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec and Prince Edward Island on Easter Sunday dumping as much as 12 inches of snow locally along with strong winds which caused flight cancellations at Halifax International Airport and scattered power outages, mainly in Nova Scotia.^[88]

[edit] April 9-13

For the second time in a week, the Northern Plains of the United States was affected by a late-season April winter storm. Snowfall totals of 8 inches was reported in Fairmont, Minnesota while 9 inches was recorded in Victory, Wisconsin. 6 people died in snowfall related traffic accidents near Green Bay, Wisconsin.^[89][90] 5.1 inches fell in Muskegon, Michigan, on April 11, setting a snowfall record for that date.^[91] Heavy mixed precipitations fell across portions of the Canadian Maritimes and southern Quebec with accumulations that exceed 8 inches (20 cm) across the Eastern Townships and the Beauce region.^[92] The storm did shut down some school across Nova Scotia on the 13th.^[93]

[edit] April 13-16

Main article: Spring Nor'easter of 2007

A major nor'easter struck the eastern half of North America bringing heavy rains, floods, storm surges and damaging wind across coastal areas. New York City itself received nearly 8 inches (200 mm) of rain in one day, making it one of the rainiest days ever for the city.^[94]Flooding did occur across many suburbs of the region as well as in other areas of the East Coast from Maine to Virginia. In Cape Elizabeth, Maine, an 80 mph wind gust was recorded, along with 30 foot waves that battered the coast. In New York, the National Guard assisted the emergency procedures while Maine, West Virginia and New Jersey declared state of emergencies. Several tornadoes struck the Carolinas killing at least 1 in South Carolina. Additional tornadoes struck northern Texas on the 13th.

On April 16th, some people in the Mid-Atlantic States awoke to find snow and ice on their lawns.

In addition, heavy snow fell across portions of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico and Oklahoma on the 13th, bringing about 12 to 18 inches (30-50 cm) across the higher elevations. Then it dumped heavy snow across the Appalachian Mountains and the Laurentians of Quebec on the 15th and 16th. 17 inches (43 cm) fell over portions of Vermont, as much as 26 inches (65 cm) in Tupper Lake, New York,^[95] as much as 40 inches (100 cm) in the Charlevoix region of Quebec^[96] while 4 to 6.5 (10-16 cm) inches also blanketed the cities of Montreal and Ottawa and the surrounding regions in just a few hours.

In Quebec as much as 160 000 Hydro-Québec customers lost power from the Outaouais to the Quebec City region while several schools were closed north of Montreal. An additional 17 000 households serviced by Hydro One and Hydro Ottawa suffered power outages in Eastern Ontario^{[97][98][99][100][101]} In the U.S over 300,000 customers lost power from Maryland to Maine including 55 000 in New York, 50 000 in Pennsylvania, 43 000 in Connecticut, 46 000 in New Hampshire, 17 000 in Maine, 30 000 in Maryland, 25 000 in Vermont and 12 000 in Massachusetts.

Numerous flights were delayed or canceled from New York, Boston and Philadelphia as well as the Canadian airports of Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec City. In Boston, the annual Boston Marathon when ahead of schedule despite howling winds and pouring rain as well as cold temperatures.^[102]

Three people were killed in South Carolina, five in total in Texas and Kansas and five in Quebec.^[103]

[edit] April 23-24

A strong low pressure system affected southern portions of the Rockies including the higher elevations of Colorado. Areas west of Denver received a much as 26 inches of snow (near Evergreen) with several other reports of 12 inches or more.^[104] while severe weather affected eastern portions of the state.

[edit] May

[edit] May 4-5

While much of the Central Plains received heavy rain and damaging tornadoes, regions in higher elevations across the Rockies, including Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nebraska and Idaho, received snow, locally a major winter storm. Portions of central and northern Colorado received as much as 12 inches (30 cm) of snow during the overnight event.^[105]

[edit] June

[edit] June 11-13

A major winter storm occurred in portions of Argentina and Chile creating hazardous traveling through several areas. Hardest hit areas were in the higher elevation along the Chile and Argentina borders. One of the main roads connecting the two counties was fully shut down while numerous trucks were left stranded in the area. The combination of heavy snow and hurricane-force winds force the shutdown of schools and businesses in Bariloche a popular resort destination in the country. Accumulations of several meters of snow fell in the Cristo Redentor Tunnel mountain pass.^{[106][107][108]}

[edit] June 20-21

A winter storm affected portions of the southeastern coast of Australia and South Island, New Zealand. Heavy snows fell in the mountain regions of the Blue Mountains west of Sydney as well as Oberon and Bathurst while it disrupted air travel in Otago, New Zealand while causing numerous accidents across the area due to slippery conditions.^[109]

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• Lake Storm "Aphid"
• Late November 2006 Nor'easter
• United States weather of 2006

[edit] External links

• Current Watches and Warnings in Canada, courtesy of Environment Canada
• February 2007 Lake Effect Snowstorm
• "Summary of Lake Effect Snow Event over the Tug Hill February 3-12, 2007" - National Weather Service Buffalo office
• List of NWS summaries of the March 1-2, 2007 winter storm event (courtesy of NWS Duluth)

Severe winter weather by year
Preceded by 2005-06	Winter storms of 2006-07	Succeeded by 2007-08