Historic Blizzard Shuts Down the Mid-Atlantic

A record setting winter storm hit the Northeast and mid-Atlantic region over the weekend, bringing hurricane force winds, freezing rain, coastal flooding and more than two feet (60 cm) of snow in many cities. Forecast models came into agreement several days out that a blizzard would affect the mid-Atlantic, giving officials and residents sufficient time to make the necessary preparations. A total of eleven states declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm, including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, Virginia, Delaware, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia.

Heavy snow in NYC, Washington D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia

Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City were the hardest hit cities, with New York and Baltimore seeing over two feet (60 cm) of snow. In Washington D.C., mass transit was shut down in anticipation of the blizzard conditions. Dangerous road conditions caused several major interstates to close. By the time the snow ended, the White House measured a whopping 21.9” (55.6 cm) of snow, remarkably close to snowfall predictions from several days out. Preliminary measurements suggest that this could be the 4th biggest snowfall for the nation’s capital.

Baltimore broke the city’s previous snowfall record with a staggering 29.2” (74.2 cm) of snow falling over the weekend. Officials were prepared for potentially historic snowfalls as forecasts predicted up to two feet (60 cm) of snow for the city. Transit service was suspended Saturday as heavy snow began to pile up and is expected to slowly resume service Sunday.

Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania observed over 20” (50 cm) of snow for much of the region, with Philadelphia recording it’s 4th largest snowfall on record at 22.4” (56.9 cm). SEPTA and New Jersey Transit service was suspended during the storm and are slowly beginning operation throughout the day Sunday.

The toughest forecast was New York City as it sat on the edge of the heaviest snowfall predictions. City officials prepared for the worst case scenario with snow beginning late Friday evening. As snow quickly began to fall at rates of several inches an hour Saturday, a full travel ban was put into effect for New York City. Bus service and above ground train service was suspended. The city received the second largest snowfall on record at Central Park with a total of 26.8” (68.1 cm), 0.1” (2.5 mm) shy of the all time record set back in 2006.

Morecast Meteorologist Sean Klipple uploaded this footage of the blizzard from his residence on the North Shore of Staten Island, NYC.

Heavy snow also pummeled parts of Appalachia. Mount Mitchell, North Carolina, which is the tallest peak in the Eastern United States, received a total of 66” (167 cm), setting an all time record for the mountain. Many other places received over 30” (76 cm) of snow with Glengary, West Virginia receiving an impressive 42” (106.7 cm).

 

Coastal flooding

With the storm pounding the mid-Atlantic with snow, strong winds with the system pushed 3-5 extra feet of water against the shores of Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland – including many areas affected by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Most impacted were areas from Ocean City, MD to Cape May County, NJ. High tide at Cape May peaked at 9ft on Saturday morning, around 4ft above normal. The influx of water was enough to swamp low lying areas, overpowering weaker flood defences. The winter conditions only compounded the misery; Mayor Desiderio of Sea Isle, NJ, one of the worst hit towns, says, “This in my opinion was worse than Sandy.” On a positive note, improvised sand dunes on many other beaches up and down the coast did hold back the powerful waves, limiting more extensive damage.

North Carolina ice and snow

While millions from D.C. northward awaited the onset of the snow, freezing rain was bringing North Carolina to a standstill. Several instances of ¼” ice accumulations came in from around the state. ¼” ice will add 250lbs of weight between poles on a power line, leading to downed tree branches and power lines. Throughout the course of the storm, 150,000 homes were left without power. Outside of the impactful ice accretions, Charlotte caught a rare wintry sighting of snow. Major travel impacts kept most off the road, and the airport closed. The Carolina Panthers were even forced to practice in the snow in their run up to the NFC Championship Game – where chilly weather may yet have a say in the outcome.

Looking ahead

Residents are beginning to clean up and shovel their way out of their homes as the system moves off the coast. Clean up is expected to take several days with such large snowfall amounts. Even with the snow ending, flights continue to be delayed or cancelled while airlines reschedule thousands of passengers. More than 11,000 flights have been cancelled so far due to the winter storm. Major roads and interstates that were closed due to hundreds of snow related crashes are expected to reopen Sunday. With roads opening up, additional help from surrounding areas will help power companies restore electricity to hundreds of thousands of homes. Damage reports are slowly coming in and preliminary estimates suggest this storm could cost billions of dollars in damages. 18 people have lost their lives due to snow related incidents. Even though the blizzard has ended, residents are encouraged to exercise caution when traveling.

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