9, FL GA, MS, NC, SC– 14

lornajarrettblanchard January 28, 2014

— 14 Blanchard tally of State breakouts below with exception of mobile home fire in MS.[1]

— >13 USA Today. “Freak Southern storm blamed for at least 13 deaths.” 1-29-2014.[2]

— 11 Blanchard tally based on State breakouts below.

Alabama (9)

— 9 State. NWS WFO, Birmingham, AL. Snow & Ice of January 28, 2014. 4-20-2014 update.

— 5 Traffic accidents. USA Today. “Freak Southern storm blamed for at least 13 deaths.” 1-29-2014.

Florida (1)

— 1 Traffic accident. USA Today. “Freak Southern storm blamed for at least 13 deaths.” 1-29-2014.

Georgia (2)

— 2 Peachtree warning area. NWS WFO, Peachtree City, GA. North…Central…Winter Storm.

— 1 Atlanta. Traffic accident; male killed in a crash. AP, Atlanta. “Atlanta mayor…” 1-30-2014.

Mississippi (4)

— 4 Fulton area. Mobile home fire caused by a faulty space heater. USA Today, 1-29-2016.

North Carolina (2)

— 2 USA Today. “Freak Southern storm blamed for at least 13 deaths.” 1-29-2014.

— 2 Surry County, traffic deaths. Winston-Salem Journal. “Six deaths attributed…” 1-28-2014.

Traffic Accidents (9)

— >9 USA Today. “Freak Southern storm blamed for at least 13 deaths.” 1-29-2014.

Narrative Information

Alabama

NWS WFO Birmingham, AL: “The Gulf Coast and Atlantic Coast states were impacted by a rather significant winter storm during the period of January 28-30, 2014. Central Alabama had it’s encounter with the system on Tuesday, January 28th, when freezing rain and snow fell across much of the area….

“In the end, Alabama State Troopers responded to 731 vehicle accidents across the state during the period Tuesday through Friday (Jan 28th-31st). Sadly, there were nine deaths attributed to accidents that occurred due to the icy road conditions. Snowfall totals across Central Alabama ranged from zero in the far northwest to 2-3 inches in a corridor from Chilton County northeast to Randolph County. Prior to the snowfall, some counties in the southeast half of the state reported up to 0.25 inches of ice accumulation.” (NWS WFO, Birmingham, AL. Snow & Ice of January 28, 2014. 4-20-2014 update.)

Georgia

NWS WFO Peachtree, GA: “Event Summary. A cold arctic airmass that originated over northern Canada moved rapidly across the central United States on Monday, January 27, 2014. The advancing cold front moved rapidly out of the midwest and across north and central Georgia Monday night. By Tuesday morning, January 28, 2014, temperatures were already below freezing across northwest Georgia, and by afternoon, north and west Georgia temperatures were below freezing. By Tuesday night freezing temperatures were reported across the entire area. During this time, a 500 millibar (mb) short wave was moving out of the southwest United States and into the western Gulf of Mexico. By Tuesday this disturbance was spreading moisture out of the Gulf and across the Southeast. This resulted in a mix of winter precipitation across north and central Georgia with mostly snow across north Georgia, and a mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow across much of central Georgia.

“The heaviest snow fell in a band from around Columbus to Milledgeville to Warrenton, and also in the northeast Georgia mountains where 2 to 4 inches fell, although higher amounts of up to 6 inches fell in the northeast Georgia mountains. Elsewhere 1 to 3 inches of snow fell. Freezing rain fell across central Georgia with the heaviest amounts south of a line from Columbus to Macon to Vidalia where a 1/4 to 1/2 inch of ice fell.

“This storm caused tremendous impacts across the WFO Peachtree City warning area with power outages and slick roads. Although just 1 to 3 inch of snow fell over parts of the Atlanta metro area, thousands of motorists became stranded on roads and interstates, some for over 20 hours. Many motorists abandoned their vehicles leaving them along the sides of the interstates. According to the Georgia State Patrol, there were over 1500 winter storm related accidents in Georgia and over 180 injuries. In the WFO Peachtree City county warning area, at least 2 deaths were attributed to the winter storm.” (NWS WFO, Peachtree City, GA. North…Central…Winter Storm.)

Mississippi

“NWS WFO, Jackson, MS: “….In total, areas north of the mixed precipitation line had more significant snowfall. This was a heavy confined band of precipitation that dropped off quickly closer to the Jackson metro with areas in southeastern Rankin County having the highest snowfall totals. This area had 2-4 inches of snowfall, with maximum of 4 inches in the Puckett area. Snow tapered off quickly near the Interstate 20 corridor with only near ½ inch to 1 inch snowfall, with some locally higher amounts. Snow accumulation extended into north central Mississippi up to the Highway 82 corridor near Indianola eastward towards Macon but only a light dusting occurred in these regions. South of the mixed precipitation line, significant icing and sleet occurred in the region with upwards of 1-3 inches of sleet and snow. The significant icing occurred into far southern Marion, Lamar and Forrest counties.

“Significant icing occurred on the roadways and led to multiple accidents and issues with travel. There was an extended hard freeze, with temperatures dropping into the low teens and single digits region-wide on the morning of January 29th. This kept lingering snow and sleet accumulations frozen and made travel hazardous, especially along and south of the Interstate 20 corridor. Temperatures only climbed into the low to mid 30s on January 29th before falling back into the teens overnight of January 30th. The region finally warmed above freezing on the mid to late morning hours of January 30th.” (NWS WFO, Jackson, MS. January 28, 2014 Winter Storm. 2-2-2014 modification.)

North Carolina

NWS, Newport/Morehead City, NC: “A highly unusual, prolonged winter weather event unfolded over eastern North Carolina beginning during the morning of January 28, 2014 and continued into the mid-morning hours of January 29. This was an especially high-impact event for eastern North Carolina as many schools and businesses were closed for 4 days due to widespread hazardous road conditions. This event was unusual in the large accumulations of ice and sleet that occurred, in addition to significant snow accumulations over inland areas…

“The precipitation began as several hours of freezing rain over coastal sections of Carteret and Onslow Counties. A few reports of up to 1/4 inch of ice were reported, especially in Carteret County. The freezing rain changed to sleet during the mid to late afternoon hours near the coast and started to work its way inland. With an initially very dry subcloud layer over inland areas, it took several hours for the airmass to saturate and for precipitation to reach the ground inland. By late afternoon, most areas were reporting a mix of sleet and freezing rain. By around 7 pm Tuesday, the precipitation began to transition to snow over most inland areas… as a surface low started to slowly gain strength and move well off the North Carolina coast. However, a pronounced warm nose aloft… in the 7 pm (00Z) Newport/Morehead City upper air sounding, kept the precipitation as a steady sleet over coastal sections through much of the night before transitioning to snow in the early morning hours of Wednesday, January 29. The precipitation gradually ended by mid to late morning on Wednesday.

“With an accretion of freezing rain, 1 to 2 inches of sleet and as much as 7 inches of snow, roads across eastern North Carolina became very hazardous. Numerous accidents were reported and most all schools were closed from Tuesday through Friday. Temperatures below freezing and cloud cover kept much of the snow and ice from melting until Friday.” (NWS Newport/Morehead City, NC. “Major Ice/Snow Event, January 28-29, 2014.” Accessed 9-7-2016.)

Sources

Associated Press, Atlanta. “Atlanta mayor defends decision not to act sooner to prepare for ice, snow that slams much of South.” Tribune Star, Terre-Haute, IN, 1-30-2014. Accessed 9-7-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/indiana/terre-haute/terre-haute-tribune-star/2014/01-30/page-12?tag

National Weather Service, Weather Forecast Office, Birmingham, AL. Snow & Ice of January 28, 2014. 4-20-2014 update. Accessed 9-7-2016 at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bmx/?n=winter_01282014

National Weather Service, Charleston, SC. The January 28-29, 2014 Southeast South Carolina and Southeast Georgia Winter Storm. 5-6-2014 modification. Accessed 9-7-2016 at: http://www.weather.gov/media/chs/events/Jan_2014_WinterStorm/EventReview_Jan2014WinterStorm.pdf

National Weather Service, Weather Forecast Office, Jackson, MS. January 28, 2014 Winter Storm. 2-2-2014 modification. Accessed 9-7-2016 at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jan/?n=2014_01_28_winterstorm

National Weather Service, Newport/Morehead City, NC. Major Ice/Snow Event, January 28-29, 2014. Accessed 9-7-2016 at: http://www.weather.gov/mhx/SnowIceJan282014

National Weather Service, Weather Forecast Office, Peachtree City, GA. North and Central Georgia Winter Storm, January 28-29, 2014. 2-3-2014 modification. Accessed 9-7-2016 at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ffc/?n=20140128winterstorm

National Weather Service, Wilmington, NC. January 28-29, 2014 Winter Storm. Accessed 9-7-2016 at: http://www.weather.gov/ilm/January2014WinterStorm

USA Today (Larry Copeland, et al.). “Freak Southern storm blamed for at least 13 deaths.” 1-29-2014. Accessed 9-7-2016 at: http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/01/29/snowstorm-travel-disruption-south/5010845/

Winston-Salem Journal. “Six deaths attributed to winter storm that rolled into North Carolina.” 1-28-2014. Accessed 9-7-2016 at: http://www.journalnow.com/news/local/six-deaths-attributed-to-winter-storm-that-rolled-into-north/article_30f03468-8889-11e3-a4dc-001a4bcf6878.html

[1] We do not include in that we have yet to see specifics which make it clear the fire was storm-related.

[2] Note 12 deaths within text — 5 in AL, 2 in NC, 1 in FL and 4 in a MS fire. Do not mention GA deaths. NWS WFO Birmingham, notes 9 deaths in AL.