Groundhog Day blizzard
| Category 5 "Extreme" (RSI: 19.81) | |
Satellite image of the storm on the afternoon of February 1 over the American Midwest.
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| Type |
Extratropical cyclone Blizzard Ice storm Winter storm Tornado outbreak |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 31, 2011 |
| Dissipated | February 2, 2011 |
| Lowest pressure | 996 mb (29.41 inHg) |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | 27.0 in (69 cm) snowfall – reported in Antioch, Illinois 1.0 in (2.5 cm) ice accretion – reported in Cashtown, Pennsylvania |
| Damage | $1.8 billion (USD) |
| Casualties | at least 36 fatalities |
| Areas affected | Central United States, Southeastern US, New England, Northeastern Mexico, Great Lakes, Eastern Canada |
The January 31 – February 2, 2011 North American winter storm, also called the 2011 Groundhog Day Blizzard, was a powerful and historic winter storm, situated around the United States and Canada on Groundhog Day. During the initial stages of the storm, some meteorologists predicted that the system would affect over 100 million people in the United States. The storm brought cold air, heavy snowfall, blowing snow, and mixed precipitation on a path from New Mexico and northern Texas to New England and Eastern Canada. The Chicago area saw between 1 and 2 feet of snow and blizzard conditions, with winds of over 60 mph. With such continuous winds, the Blizzard continued to the north and affected Eastern and Atlantic Canada. The most notable area affected in Canada was Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. Blizzard conditions affected many other large cities along the storm's path, including Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, El Paso, Las Cruces, Des Moines, Milwaukee, Detroit, Indianapolis, Dayton, Cleveland, New York City, New York's Capital District, and Boston. Many other areas not normally used to extreme winter conditions, including Albuquerque, Dallas and Houston, experienced significant snowfall or ice accumulation. The central Illinois National Weather Service in Lincoln, Illinois issued only their fourth blizzard warning in the forecast office's 16-year history. Snowfall amounts of 20 to 28 inches were forecast for much of Northern and Western Illinois.
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Wikipedia