— 29 Blanchard tally from State breakouts below.
—>25 AP. “Another blast of snow hits Northeast.” Valley Star, Harlingen, TX. 2-16-2014, B8.
— 21 AP. “21 Deaths now Blamed on Fierce Winter Storm Ravaging East Coast…” 2-13-2014.
–>18 Kremer, Ken. “Deadly Monster Winter Storm Batters US Eastern Seaboard.” 2-13-2014.
— 14 AP. “Winter storm takes aim at Mid-Atlantic…” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 2-13-2014, 1, 3.
—>12 AP (Kate Brumback). “Deaths, power outages in South; storm heads north.” 2-13-2014.
—>11 AP. “Ice storm causes another traffic jam in the South.” Gettysburg Times. 2-13-2014, A3.
— 3 National Climatic Data Ctr., NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 56, N.2, Feb 2014, 364 pages.[2]
Breakouts by State
Georgia (2)
— 1 Hypothermia; female without heat in home.
— 1 “…man apparently died of hypothermia after spending hours outside during the storm.”[3]
Maine (1)
–1 “The storm was blamed for at least 25 deaths stretching from Texas to Maine.”[4]
Maryland (3)
— 1 Howard County, Columbia, Feb 13. Heart attack shoveling snow; Owen Brown, 57.[5]
— 1 Howard County, Columbia, Feb 13. Heart attack shoveling snow; Kenneth Frame, 61.[6]
— 1 Howard County, Woodstock, Feb 13. Heart attack shoveling snow; Richard Tucker, 56.[7]
Mississippi (2)
— 2 Traffic-related deaths.[8]
New York (1)
— 1 Brooklyn. Pregnant Min Lin, 36, struck by snowplow vehicle, grocery store parking lot.[9]
North Carolina (5)
— 3 Winston-Salem Journal (B. Gutierrez), NC. “Storm leaves three dead in N.C.” 2-13-2014.[10]
–1 Chatham County, vehicular accident.
–1 Moore County, vehicular accident.
–1 Pender County, falling tree branch.
–2 Wake Co., I-40, near Garner, Feb 13. Vehicle hits two “Good Samaritans.”[11]
South Carolina (6)
— 6 AP, Sumter. “Homeless man dies from the cold in Sumter.” Aiken Standard, SC, 2-17-2014, 6A.[12]
–1 Location not noted. Carbon monoxide poisoning; male, home without heat, charcoal grill.
–1 Location not noted. Fire in home without power.
–1 Sumter, body found Feb 13. Hypothermia; Jason Fleming.
–1 Location not noted. Hypothermia.
–2 Location not noted. Vehicular.
Texas (7)
— 4 West TX, Feb 11. Weather-related traffic accidents.[13]
–1 Dallas, Feb 11. Firefighter “knocked from an I-20 ramp and fell 50 feet.”[14]
— 3 Tom Green County, West TX, Feb 11. Ambulance goes off icy road, catches fire.[15]
Vermont (1)
— 1 Fairlee, I-91, Feb 14. Vehicular; truck driver, Robert Trombley, 45, hit outside his cab.[16]
Virginia (1)
— 1 Ashburn, Feb 13. Truck driver working to clear snowy roads, hit by another dump truck.[17]
Cause of Death Summary
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ( 1)
Fire ( 1)
Heart Attack Shoveling Snow ( 3)
Hypothermia ( 4)
Tree Branch Fall ( 1)
Vehicular (16)
Not Noted ( 1)
Breakout by Cause of Death
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ( 1)
–1 SC. Location not noted. CO poisoning; male, home without heat, charcoal grill.
Fire ( 1)
–1 SC Location not noted. Fire in home without power.
Heart Attack Shoveling Snow ( 3)
–1 MD, Howard County, Columbia, Feb 13. Heart attack shoveling snow; Owen Brown, 57.
–1 MD, Howard County, Columbia, Feb 13. Heart attack shoveling snow; Kenneth Frame, 61.
–1 MD, Howard County, Woodstock, Feb 13. Heart attack shoveling snow; Richard Tucker, 56.
Hypothermia ( 4)
–1 GA Hypothermia; female without heat in home.
–1 GA “…man apparently died of hypothermia after spending hours outside during…storm…”
–1 SC, Sumter, body found Feb 13. Hypothermia; Jason Fleming.
–1 SC Location not noted. Hypothermia.
Tree Branch Fall ( 1)
–1 NC, Pender County, falling tree branch.
Vehicular (16)
–2 MS Traffic-related deaths.
–1 NY, Brooklyn. Pregnant Min Lin, 36, struck by snowplow vehicle, grocery store parking lot.
–1 NC, Chatham County, vehicular accident.
–1 NC, Moore County, vehicular accident.
–2 NC, Wake Co., I-40, near Garner, Feb 13. Vehicle hits two “Good Samaritans” side of road.
–2 SC Location not noted. Vehicular.
–1 TX Dallas, Feb 11. Firefighter “knocked from an I-20 ramp and fell 50 feet.”
–3 TX Location not noted. Weather-related traffic accidents.
–3 Tom Green County, West TX, Feb 11. Ambulance goes off icy road, burns.
Not Noted ( 1)
–1 ME “The storm was blamed for at least 25 deaths stretching from Texas to Maine.”
General Narrative Information
Feb 13, AP: “Atlanta (AP) — Small armies of utility workers labored to turn the lights — and the heat — back on for hundreds of thousands of Southerners as a winter storm that left them without power threatened major cities further up the East Coast. The Deep South remained a world of ice-laden trees and driveways early Thursday after several unusual days of sleet and snow brought by a powerful system that could bring more than a foot of snow to such metropolises as Philadelphia, Washington and Boston.
“At least 12 deaths across the South have been blamed on the stormy weather and nearly 3,300 flights nationwide were canceled with another day of complicated air and road travel ahead Thursday, particularly in the Northeast. Drivers in and around Raleigh, N.C., became snarled Wednesday in huge traffic jams and abandoned cars in scenes reminiscent of motorist woes in Atlanta during a storm two weeks earlier. In Atlanta, many streets were eerily quiet this storm, with drivers heeding dire warnings to stay off the roads. State troopers say they worked more than 200 crashes in Georgia. Snow was forecast to stop falling and temperatures to rise in most of the state by late morning, but ice remained a concern, with refreezing possible overnight and into Friday….
“The snow, sleet and freezing rain that iced Southern highways also knocked out electricity to more than half a million homes and business as it advanced Thursday up the Interstate 95 corridor to the winter-weary Mid-Atlantic states….
“Ice combined with wind gusts up to 30 mph snapped tree limbs and power lines. About 350,000 homes and businesses lost electricity in Georgia, South Carolina had about 245,000 outages, and North Carolina around 100,000. Some people could be in the dark for days.
“As he did for parts of Georgia, President Barack Obama declared a disaster in South Carolina, opening the way for federal aid. There, a winter storm warning remained in effect, but the wintry mix was forecast to wrap up Thursday morning.
“For the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, the heavy weather was the latest in an unending drumbeat of storms that have depleted cities’ salt supplies and caused school systems to run out of snow days.
“Washington, D.C., could see around 8 inches of snow. Federal offices and both airports there were closed. Boston also could see 8 inches; New York City could receive 6. The Philadelphia area could get a foot or more, and Portland, Maine, may see 8 or 9 inches.
“In Atlanta, which was caught badly unprepared by the last storm, area schools announced even before the first drop of sleet fell that they would be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. Schools were also closed for Thursday. Many businesses in the corporate capital of the South shut down, too. The scene was markedly different from the one Jan. 28, when thousands of children were stranded all night in schools by less than 3 inches of snow and countless drivers abandoned their cars after getting stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic for hours and hours….
“In a warning issued early Wednesday, the National Weather Service called the storm across the South “catastrophic … crippling … paralyzing … choose your adjective.”
“Three people were killed when an ambulance careened off an icy West Texas road and caught fire. On Tuesday, four people died in weather-related traffic accidents in North Texas, including a Dallas firefighter who was knocked from an I-20 ramp and fell 50 feet. In Mississippi, two traffic deaths were reported as well as in North Carolina. Also, a Georgia man apparently died of hypothermia after spending hours outside during the storm, a coroner said.” (Associated Press (Kate Brumback). “Deaths, power outages in South; storm heads north.” 2-13-2014.)
Alabama:
NCDC: Dekalb – Jackson – Madison Counties, Feb 11, Heavy Snow. “Bands of snow developed across north Alabama during the early morning hours of the 11th as an upper level disturbance tracked eastward. Snow accumulated to 1 to 2 inches in counties along the Tennessee state line. Much heavier snow fell south of the Tennessee River in north central and northeast Alabama with 3 to 9 inches reported….
Multiple Counties, Feb 12-13, Heavy Snow. “A low pressure system developed in the northern Gulf of Mexico which tracked northeast through Georgia and eventually up the East Coast. The system produced rain, which changed to sleet and then a heavy wet snow during the late afternoon and evening of the 12th. The snow became heavy at times producing snowfall rates of one to two inches per hour during the evening hours of the 12th. Snow totals ranged from an inch or less in far northwest Alabama, up to 5 to 10 inches in portions of north central and northeast Alabama.” (NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014. p. 3.)
Arkansas:
NCDC: Southeast Arkansas, Ashley – Chicot Counties, Feb 11-12, Ice Storm. “A series of complex weather systems affected the ArkLaMiss on February 11-12, 2014. A strong cold front moved through during the late afternoon to evening hours of February 9th, dropping temperatures from the mid to upper 60s into the mid 30s in the northwest Delta to mid 40s along I-20 corridor to mid 50s in the southeast late Sunday night. Strong 1036mb surface high pressure continued to build into the northern and central Great Plains, aiding in northerly surface winds and colder air moving into the region. Temperatures by the evening of February 10th had fallen to near freezing in the ArkLaMiss Delta to mid 30s in the Interstate 20 corridor to low 40s in the far southeast. As temperatures continued to fall, the first upper disturbance began to moisten the atmosphere to bring potential for freezing precipitation mainly along and north of the Interstate 20 corridor.” (NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014. p. 18.)
NCDC: Southwest Arkansas, Hempstead – Lafayette – Miller – Nevada counties, Fev 11-12, Winter Weather. “With a very cold atmosphere already in place, an upper level storm system moved out of the Texas Hill Country and into Northeast Texas, Southwest Arkansas and Northwest Louisiana during the afternoon hours of February 11th. Precipitation became widespread across the region late in the afternoon and especially during the overnight hours of February 11th and the 12th. During the onset of precipitation, a mixture of rain and sleet was the predominant precipitation type with some sleet accumulations near one quarter of an inch across portions of Southwest Arkansas. There was even a brief transition of moderate snow across portions of the region as well. During the evening and overnight hours of the event, the transition turned to predominantly freezing rain with ice accumulations mainly less than one quarter of an inch across Southwest Arkansas. Impacts included several automobile accidents that occurred from icing in elevated bridges and overpasses as well as isolated power outages from ice accumulating on limbs which fell across powerlines.” (NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014. p. 19.)
Connecticut:
NCDC: Connecticut, Southern Litchfield, Feb 13-14, Winter Storm. “An exceptional winter storm impacted all of northwestern Connecticut between Thursday, February 13th and the morning of Friday, February 14th. A strong area of low pressure across the Deep South moved towards the mid-Atlantic coast on February 13th. This area of low pressure was responsible for a significant snow and ice event across the Gulf Coast and Southeast states. Well ahead of the storm system, a heavy band of snowfall moved from south to north across the region. The snow began in the morning hours and continued through the early afternoon hours. Snow fell at rates of up to three inches per hour, causing significant travel issues across the region.
“Much of the region experienced a break in the steady snowfall between the mid-afternoon and early evening hours as the initial band of precipitation shifted north and east of the region and only periods of lighter snowfall occurred. However, the strengthening coastal storm allowed a second round of steady, heavy precipitation in the form of a wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain to begin in the late evening hours. This precipitation moved from south to north across the region for the overnight hours. In addition, lightning and thunder accompanied the precipitation as well. The precipitation tapered off from west to east around sunrise on February 14th, as the storm moved northeast towards eastern New England and Atlantic Canada. By the time snow ended, 10 to 15 inches of snow was reported in Litchfield County. Very strong winds, gusting as high as 40 mph, occurred as the storm pulled away. This led to significant blowing and drifting of the snowfall through the entire day on February 14th….This storm brought heavy snow to parts of southeast Connecticut during the afternoon and evening of the 15th.” .” (NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014. pp. 34-35.)
Delaware:
NCDC: Delaware, Inland Sussex, Feb 12-14, Winter Weather. “A winter storm dropped heavy snow and sleet across central and in particular northwestern Delaware. Snowfall and sleet averaged less than 3 inches in Sussex County, 3 to 8 inches in Kent County and 8 to 16 inches in New Castle County.
“Snow began in Delaware between 8 p.m. EST and 9 p.m. EST on the 12th. Three bands of heavy snow, in which snowfall rates averaged two to three inches per hour, formed in northern Kent County and southern New Castle County and moved northward through Delaware between 2 a.m. EST and 8 a.m. EST on the 13th. The snow changed to rain in Sussex County between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. EST on the 13th, Kent County around 6 a.m. EST on the 13th and in New Castle County after the last snow and sleet band moved through at 8 a.m. EST on the 13th. Thunderstorms also occurred with the rain during the late afternoon and early evening of the 13th. As the low pressure system moved offshore, precipitation changed back to snow during the middle of the evening on the 13th and the last band of snow exited Delaware shortly after Midnight EST on the 14th.
“Schools, malls, businesses, government, state and local offices as well as municipal courts never opened on the 13th. Because the heavy snow started early in the morning, the number of accidents and calls for assistance was less than usual. Delaware State Police responded to around 60 accidents, 6 with injuries as well as about 40 disabled vehicles. The combination of snow and wind caused about 6,900 Delmarva Power and Light customers to lose power, most in New Castle County. One of the hardest hit businesses were florists as the heavy snow wreaked havoc on the flower deliveries for Valentine’s Day. The latest event strained municipal budgets further and increased the shortage of salt supplies in the region.
“Representative snowfall included 16.0 inches in Newark (New Castle County), 14.4 inches in Greenville (New Castle County), 12.9 inches in Pike Creek (New Castle County), 12.5 inches at the New Castle County Airport, 11.7 inches in Talleyville (New Castle County), 11.5 inches in Hockessin (New Castle County), 9.5 inches in Newport (New Castle County), 7.4 inches in Dover (Kent County), 4.6 inches in Viola (Kent County), 3.3 inches in Harrington (Kent County), 2.1 inches in Ellendale (Sussex County) and 1.2 inches in Bridgeville (Sussex County).
“The winter storm was caused by a low pressure system that formed in the western Gulf of Mexico on the 11th and moved east on the 12th. This was preceded by an arctic high pressure system that passed over the Middle Atlantic States that same day and left plenty of initial cold, dry air in place. A new low pressure system formed east of Florida on the 12th and would become the primary low pressure system for the event. It moved northeast and was near Wilmington, North Carolina at 7 p.m. EST on the 12th. From there, it continued northnortheast and passed near Elizabeth City, North Carolina at 7 a.m. EST on the 13th. Once it reached the Atlantic Ocean again, it started to intensify rapidly and reached the Delmarva coastal waters early in the afternoon on the 13th. At 7 p.m. EST on the 13th, the low pressure system was off the New Jersey coast and deepened to 986 millibars (11 millibar drop in 12 hours). From there the low pressure system moved northeast and intensified even more rapidly as it passed just east of Long Island, New York and passed near Boston, Massachusetts as a 976 millibar low pressure system at 4 a.m. EST on the 14th. This low pressure system deepened to 968 millibars at 10 a.m. EST on the 14th while over Maine before finally leveling off. The close pass to the Delaware coast permitted this low pressure system to bring in above freezing (milder) air into Delaware and changed precipitation over to plain rain for a while during the event.” (NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014, pp. 36-37.)
Georgia:
NCDC: East Central Georgia, Burke – Columbia – Lincoln – McDuffie – Richmond, Feb 12-13, Ice Storm. “A major winter storm spread into Georgia and South Carolina producing up to 1 inch of ice taking down trees, powerlines, and causing damage to other structures. Just about everything came to a standstill as federal, state, county, and city governments closed along with schools and businesses. Power outages were widespread and it took up to four days to restore in some areas.” (NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014, p. 45.)
Kentucky:
NCDC: Eastern Kentucky, multiple counties, Feb 12-13, Heavy Snow. “A major winter storm pummeled portions of eastern Kentucky on February 12th and 13th. The highest snow fall totals were measured in the higher terrain of our Virginia border counties, where 8 to 14 inches of snow fell. All or portions of the tier of counties just to the west of the border counties received 5 to 11 inches of snow. The snow first began to accumulate during the early evening hours of Wednesday, February 12th and didn’t stop causing issues until late on the morning of Thursday, February 13th.” (NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014, p. 92.)
Louisiana:
NCDC: Northeast Louisiana, multiple counties, Feb 11-12, Ice Storm. “A series of complex weather systems affected the ArkLaMiss on February 11-12, 2014. A strong cold front moved through during the late afternoon to evening hours of February 9th, dropping temperatures from the mid to upper 60s into the mid 30s in the northwest Delta to mid 40s along I-20 corridor to mid 50s in the southeast late Sunday night. Strong 1036mb surface high pressure continued to build into the northern and central Great Plains, aiding in northerly surface winds and colder air moving into the region. Temperatures by the evening of February 10th had fallen to near freezing in the ArkLaMiss Delta to mid 30s in the Interstate 20 corridor to low 40s in the far southeast. As temperatures continued to fall, the first upper disturbance began to moisten the atmosphere to bring potential for freezing precipitation mainly along and north of the Interstate 20 corridor.” (NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014, p. 103.)
Maine:
NCDC: North Maine, multiple counties, Feb 13-14, Winter Weather and Heavy Snow. “Intensifying low pressure tracked across the Gulf of Maine and southeast Maine through the night of the 13th into the morning of the 14th. Snow began during the afternoon of the 13th…then continued through the afternoon of the 14th. Warning criteria snow accumulations were reached from the late evening hours of the 13th into the morning of the 14th. Storm total snow accumulations across east-central areas ranged from 7 to 11 inches. Snow accumulations across northern areas generally ranged from 10 to 15 inches…with locally up to 17 inches across southeast Aroostook county. Lesser snow accumulations occurred across central and Downeast areas where enough warmer air was drawn north to allow the precipitation to mix with sleet and freezing rain. Precipitation eventually transitioned to all rain in some locations Downeast. Snow accumulations across central and Downeast areas generally ranged from 5 to 8 inches…below warning criteria…before the transition to a wintry mix. However…the heavy wet snow weighing down branches and power lines did contribute to power outages. The most extensive power outages occurred across Hancock county where around 4300 customers lost power.” (NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014, p. 106.)
NCDC: North Maine, multiple Counties, Feb 15-16, Heavy Snow. “Rapidly intensifying low pressure tracked east of the Gulf of Maine to Nova Scotia from the overnight hours of the 15th through the morning of the 16th. Snow began during the evening of the 15th…continued through the overnight hours and morning of the 16th…then diminished during the afternoon. The storm brought heavy snow to Washington and Hancock counties. Storm total snow accumulations generally ranged from 10 to 15 inches…with localized totals of up to 20 inches with bands of heavier snow. Warning criteria snow accumulations were met during the early morning hours of the 16th. Occasional wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph produced areas of blowing and drifting snow along the Downeast coast.” (NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014, p. 107.)
Maryland:
NCDC (Northeast Maryland, Caroline – Cecil – Kent, Feb 12-14, Winter Storm): “A winter storm dropped heavy snow and sleet across most of the Eastern Shore. Snowfall and sleet averaged 3 to 8 inches, except 8 to 15 inches in Cecil County which was most affected by heavy snow bands during the morning of the 13th. Snow began on the Eastern Shore between 7 p.m. EST and 8 p.m. EST on the 12th. Three bands of heavy snow, in which snowfall rates averaged two to three inches per hour, formed around Kent County and moved through Cecil County between 2 a.m. EST and 8 a.m. EST on the 13th. After the bands moved through, precipitation changed to rain. As the low pressure system moved offshore, the rain changed back to snow during the early and middle evening of the 13th. The last of the snow exited the Eastern Shore very late in the evening on the 13th.
“Many schools, malls, businesses, government, state and local offices as well as municipal courts never opened on the 13th. Because the heavy snow started early in the morning, the number of accidents and calls for assistance was less than usual. One of the hardest hit businesses were florists as the heavy snow wreaked havoc on the flower deliveries for Valentine’s Day. The latest event strained municipal budgets further and increased the shortage of salt supplies in the region. Representative snowfall included 15.0 inches in Charlestown and Elkton in Cecil County, 8.5 inches in Galena (Kent County), 6.0 inches in Greensboro (Caroline County), 5.7 inches in Henderson (Caroline County), 4.2 inches in Denton (Caroline County). 2.5 inches in Easton (Talbot County) and 2.4 inches in Trappe (Talbot County).” (NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014, p. 111.)
NCDC (West Maryland, Feb 12-13, Heavy Snow): “An intensifying low pressure system riding along the east coast brought snow to areas east of I-79 overnight on the 12th through the 13th. As the low strengthened and moved northward, a deformation zone brought heavy snow of rates over an inch an hour across the mountains of West Virginia and Maryland. The deformation band sat over Tucker county in WV and Garrett county MD the longest, bringing 15-20 inches of snow countywide. Preston county also experienced 6-10 inches of snow before the heaviest band moved east. The counties adjacent to Preston, Tucker, and Garrett received 5-7 inches of snow through the afternoon on the 13th.” (NCDC. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014, p. 112.)
Feb 14: Article notes, after describing three heart attack deaths during or shortly after shoveling snow: “Howard County Executive Ken Ulman urged county residents to be careful. “This is deep, heavy snow, and I implore everyone to take it easy,” he said. “Please don’t over-exert yourself. Clear a little at a time. Or ask a neighbor to help….
“Dr. Eric Aldrich, the vice president for medical affairs at Howard County General Hospital, offered tips on how to shovel safely. “In general, there’s two kinds of problems that doctors worry our patients can have [while shoveling],” he said. “One has to do with neck and back issues and the other is cardiac. On the cardiac side, if you have any history of cardiac disease, and especially if you are over 40, you shouldn’t be doing any sort of physical exertion, shoveling or otherwise, without consulting a physician.” People who have a history of shortness of breath or discomfort after walking up a flight of stairs should also get checked out, he said. And people with a family history of heart disease and stroke before the age of 60 should have a checkup, even if they feel healthy. “Many times when people have sudden death, they don’t have previous cardiac history,” he said.
“He said Maryland’s humid climate made for wetter — and heavier — snow. “One thing you have to keep in mind is wet snow weighs so much more than drier snow and in Maryland… we don’t get that powder they get out in Utah,” he said. The bottom line, Aldrich said, was to avoid overexertion. “Any pain, any shortness of breath, any chest discomfort — you need to stop,” he said.
“While much of the county was shut down for the day because of snow, Howard County government agencies were working to respond to the storm. Howard County requested six National Guard vehicles to assist with transportation during Thursday’s snowstorm, county officials said. The vehicles can help with transportation in critical situations, like helping medical staff get to and from Howard County General Hospital, Nitkin said….Howard County public schools and offices are closed. All athletic practices and games have been canceled….” (Baltimore Sun, MD. “Two Howard men shoveling snow die after collapsing.” 2-14-2014.)
Massachusetts:
NCDC (West Massachusetts, Northern Berkshire, Feb 13-14, Winter Storm): “An exceptional winter storm impacted all of western Massachusetts between Thursday, February 13th and the morning of Friday, February 14th….Much of the region experienced a break in the steady snowfall between the mid-afternoon and early evening hours as the initial band of precipitation shifted north and east of the region and only periods of lighter snowfall occurred. However, the strengthening coastal storm allowed a second round of steady, heavy precipitation in the form of a wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain to begin in the late evening hours. This precipitation moved from south to north across the region for the overnight hours. In addition, lightning and thunder accompanied the precipitation in some areas as well.
“The precipitation tapered off from west to east during the morning hours on February 14th, as the storm moved northeast towards eastern New England and Atlantic Canada. By the time snow ended, 9 to 21 inches of snow was reported in Berkshire County. The highest amounts were across the high terrain of the Berkshires. Very strong winds, gusting as high as 40 mph, occurred as the storm pulled away. This led to significant blowing and drifting of the snowfall through the entire day on February 14th.” (NCDC. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014, p. 114.)
Mississippi:
NCDC (Central Mississippi, multiple counties, Feb 11-12, Ice Storm): “A series of complex weather systems affected the ArkLaMiss on February 11-12, 2014. A strong cold front moved through during the late afternoon to evening hours of February 9th, dropping temperatures from the mid to upper 60s into the mid 30s in the northwest Delta to mid 40s along I-20 corridor to mid 50s in the southeast late Sunday night. Strong 1036mb surface high pressure continued to build into the northern and central Great Plains, aiding in northerly surface winds and colder air moving into the region. Temperatures by the evening of February 10th had fallen to near freezing in the ArkLaMiss Delta to mid 30s in the Interstate 20 corridor to low 40s in the far southeast. As temperatures continued to fall, the first upper disturbance began to moisten the atmosphere to bring potential for freezing precipitation mainly along and north of the Interstate 20 corridor.” (NCDC. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014, p. 122.)
New Jersey:
NCDC (South and Northwest NJ, Morris – Sussex, Feb 13-14, Winter Storm): “A winter storm dropped heavy snow and sleet as well as some freezing rain across most of New Jersey, except for the immediate coast. Snowfall and sleet totals average 10 to 20 inches from around the Interstate 95 corridor northwestward with the highest amounts in Warren and Sussex Counties. Elsewhere, snowfall and sleet amounts dropped considerably the closer to the coast municipalities were located. Ice accumulations were generally less than one tenth of an inch. Little if any snow or sleet accumulations occurred along the coastal strips of Cape May and Atlantic Counties.
“Snow overspread New Jersey from south to north between 9 p.m. EST and Midnight EST on the 12th. Three bands of heavy snow, in which snowfall rates averaged two to three inches per hour, moved through the state. The first one mainly affected the southern third of the state around 3 a.m. EST on the 13th. The second one moved through the entire southern half of the state (away from the coast where it was rain by then) between 4 a.m. EST and 7 a.m. EST on the 13th. The last one formed in the southern half of the state around 6 a.m. EST on the 13th and proceeded to move north through the entire state by 2 p.m. EST on the 13th. After the snow bands moved through, precipitation changed to rain in the southeast part of the state during the morning of the 13th, the southwest and central part of the state during the second half of the morning and around midday on the 13th and during the afternoon of the 13th in the northwest part of the state. Some pockets of freezing persisted. Thunderstorms moved through the state during the late afternoon and early evening on the 13th, some with small hail. Then as the low pressure system pulled offshore, precipitation changed back to snow during the second half of the evening on the 13th and ended after Midnight EST on the 14th. The last snow band exited New Jersey between 2 a.m. EST and 5 a.m. EST on the 14th.
“Governor Chris Christie declared a state of emergency and New Jersey State Offices were closed and non-essential personnel did not have to report to work. Many schools, malls, businesses, other government and local offices as well as municipal courts never opened on the 13th. Many schools in the northern part of the state were also closed on the 14th. New Jersey State offices opened late on the 14th. There were speed restrictions on the New Jersey Turnpike and the Delaware River crossings. The early start to the heavy snow cut down on the number of accidents. The New Jersey State Police responded to 334 motor vehicle accidents and 632 calls for assistance. Many of the flights into and out of the Atlantic City International Airport were cancelled. The snow did not cling to tree limbs as well and there were only about 400 homes and businesses that lost power in Public Service Electric and Gas’s service area. One of the hardest hit businesses were florists as the heavy snow wreaked havoc (tens of thousands delayed) on the flower deliveries for Valentine’s Day. The latest event strained municipal budgets further and increased the shortage of salt supplies in the region. The weight of the snow started to cause structural damage. In Raritan (Somerset County), strip mall roofing collapsed on U.S. Route 202. No injuries occurred.
“Representative snowfall included 22.8 inches in Montague Township (Sussex County), 19.2 inches in Highland Lakes (Sussex County), 19.1 inches in Blairstown (Warren County), 17.3 inches in Rockaway Township (Morris County), 17.2 inches in Wantage (Sussex County), 16.0 inches in Butler (Morris County), 15.4 inches in Stewartsville (Warren County), 15.3 inches in Boonton (Morris County), 15.2 inches in Bridgewater (Somerset County), 14.5 inches in Marcella (Morris County), 14.4 inches in Greenwich Township (Warren County), 14.0 inches in Kingwood Township (Hunterdon County), 13.8 inches in Bound Brook (Somerset County), 13.1 inches in Metuchen (Middlesex County), 12.7 inches in Florence (Burlington County), 12.2 inches in Westampton Township (Burlington County), 11.6 inches in Washington Township (Gloucester County) and Readington Township (Hunterdon County), 11.5 inches in Clinton Township (Hunterdon County), 11.2 inches in South Plainfield (Middlesex County), 10.6 inches in Burlington Township (Burlington County), 10.5 inches in Flemington (Hunterdon County), 10.0 inches in Moorestown (Burlington County) and Ewing (Mercer County), 9.4 inches in Lindenwold (Camden County), 8.9 inches in Jackson Township (Ocean County), 8.6 inches in Woodstown (Salem County), 8.5 inches in Pitman (Gloucester County), 8.3 inches in Tabernacle (Burlington County), 7.6 inches in Egg Harbor City (Atlantic County), 7.5 inches in Estell Manor (Atlantic County), 4.0 inches in Woodbine (Cape May County), 3.3 inches in Berkeley Township (Ocean County), 3.0 inches at the Atlantic City International Airport and 2.2 inches in Lavallette (Ocean County).” (NCDC. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014, p. 151.)
New York:
NCDC (East NY, Hamilton – Northern Herkimer – Northern Warren, Feb 13-14, Winter Weather): “An exceptional winter storm impacted all of eastern New York between Thursday, February 13th and the morning of Friday, February 14th….Well ahead of the storm system, a heavy band of snowfall moved from south to north across the region. The snow began in the morning hours and continued in the early to mid-afternoon hours. Snow fell at rates of up to three inches per hour, causing significant travel issues across the region. Much of the region experienced a break in the steady snowfall between the late afternoon and early evening hours as the initial band of precipitation shifted north and east of the region and only periods of lighter snowfall occurred. However, the strengthening coastal storm allowed a second round of steady, heavy precipitation to begin in the late evening hours. This snowfall moved from south to north across the region for the overnight hours. Once again, the snow fell at significant rates of up to three inches per hour. Some sleet and freezing rain mixed in with the snow across the mid-Hudson Valley and Taconics region during the late evening hours. In addition, lightning and thunder accompanied the snow across far southern and eastern areas at times as well.
“The snow tapered off from west to east during the morning hours after sunrise on February 14th, as the storm moved northeast towards eastern New England and Atlantic Canada. By the time snow ended, between one and two feet of snow fell across much of the Lake George Saratoga Region, Capital Region, Schoharie Valley, eastern Catskills, Taconics, and mid-Hudson
Valley. Somewhat lower amounts of 4 to 10 inches fell across the Adirondacks and western Mohawk Valley. Very strong winds, gusting as high as 40 mph, occurred as the storm pulled away. This led to significant blowing and drifting of the snowfall through the entire day on February 14th.
“As a result of the storm, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo declared a state of emergency for the Mid-Hudson as well as the following counties: Albany, Fulton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Washington, and Warren across east central New York. Restrictions were put on travel, including the banning of all tractor trailer trucks on Interstate 84 in Dutchess County and all tandem trailers on the New York State Thruway. Many towns and cities had difficultly with snow removal, as much of the snowfall also remained from a recent early February snowstorm as well. The weight of snow caused a few roof collapses across the region, including the front canopy of the post office in Coeymans, an apartment building in Glasco and a flat topped garage in Troy. A large tree branch broke due to the weight of the snow in Schoharie County causing 700 power customers to lose power.” (NCDC. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014, p. 159.)
North Carolina:
NCDC (Central NC, multiple counties, Feb 11, Winter Weather): “Ahead of the most significant winter storm of the season, a lead shortwave induced cyclongensis along a stalled surface boundary located across central South Carolina and Georgia. As the low tracked northeastward, snow spread across southeastern North Carolina. Three to four inches ended up falling across Scotland, Hoke, Cumberland, Sampson and Wayne counties. Amounts quickly dropped off further north and west, with a trace to 2-3 inches falling as far north as the US Highway 64 corridor and nothing elsewhere.” (NCDC. Storm Data, V56, N2, Feb 2014, p. 162.)
NCDC (Central NC, multiple counties, Feb 12-13, Winter Storm): “A classical cold air damning set up provided ample cold and dry air for central North Carolina. As low pressure tracked northeastward from the Gulf of Mexico to just off the Carolina coast, a major winter storm impacted the area. The precipitation started out as all snow across the entire area, but gradually transitioned to a snow/sleet mix and eventually mostly freezing rain across portions of the forecast area as a warm nose overspread portions of the region. Locations in the far northwestern portion of the forecast area stayed mostly all snow and received totals of 6-8 inches, with isolated amounts up to 10 inches. Snow amounts decreased further south and east as there was more mixed precipitation, but nevertheless everywhere saw at least 3-5 inches of snow/sleet. In addition, everywhere received at least a trace of freezing, with the Interstate 85 corridor receiving around a quarter inch of freezing rain. This resulted in some sporadic power outages and downed trees.” (NCDC. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014, p. 162.)
NCDC (Northwest and North Central NC, multiple counties, Feb 12-13, Winter Storm and Heavy Snow): “Cold high pressure was in place across the region on Tuesday, February 11, 2014. An area of low pressure progressed northward from the Gulf of Mexico the 11th into the 12th of February and transported a generous amount of moisture into and across the cold air over the area allowing the precipitation to fall as moderate to heavy snow. During Tuesday night into Wednesday the low passed over the region and brought some air just slightly above freezing into the lower portions of the atmosphere. This allowed for the snow to transition into a period of freezing rain and/or sleet in areas east of the foothills. However, during the day on Thursday, February 13, 2014, the low pressure progressed northeast of the region, and sub-freezing air in the lower parts of the atmosphere returned and allowed for snow to be falling across the area until it ended in the midafternoon. Before its conclusion, there was a time where a clearly defined band of snow stalled, and pivoted around a central location in southwest Virginia. This allowed for the axis of heaviest snowfall to be centered along the Interstate 77 corridor. Snowfall totals averaged 6 to 10 inches across the northwest piedmont region, 8 to 12 inches across the northern mountains region, and 12 to 18 inches along the foothills, with the top end of this range along and near Interstate 77 where some 20 to 21 inch totals were experienced. Sleet was confined to primarily Rockingham and Caswell counties were up to one inch was reported. Freezing rain occurred mainly over eastern Caswell county where up to two tenths of an inch occurred.” (NCDC. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014, p. 167.)
Pennsylvania:
NCDC (Central PA, multiple counties, Feb 13-14, Heavy Snow): “The largest snow-producing storm of the 2013-2014 winter season affected much of central Pennsylvania on 13 February 2014. The heavy snow was produced by a strong coastal low pressure system that moved northeastward from the Virginia Capes over the Delmarva peninsula. A heavy deformation snow band pivoted slowly to the northwest during the day, and persisted over the central zones into the evening before dissipating. The snow ended across the region by midnight on 14 February 2014. Total snow accumulations generally ranged from 12 to 18 inches over the south-central and lower Susquehanna Valley zones with locally higher amounts (21.6 inches in Glencoe, Somerset County; 19.5 inches in Shrewsbury, York County). Snow amounts of 6 to 12 inches fell over the central ridge-valley region into the mid/upper Susquehanna valley, while 2 to 5 inches were common reports in the northwest mountains.” (NCDC. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014, p. 185.)
NCDC (East PA, multiple counties, Feb 12-14, Winter Storm): “A major winter storm affected all of Eastern Pennsylvania with heavy snow and sleet and even some freezing rain. The heaviest snow of the season occurred during this storm as 12 to 20 inches of snow fell across most of Eastern Pennsylvania. Ice accumulations were generally less than one tenth of an inch. The heavy snow also caused structural failures even after it ended and was a contributing factor to a major multi-vehicular accident in the Philadelphia suburbs on the morning of the 14th.
“During this event, 14 counties and 154 municipalities have declared Disaster Declaration Emergencies. A state of emergency remained in effect for Pennsylvania.
“Snow began in Eastern Pennsylvania and spread from the south to the north between 9 p.m. EST and Midnight EST on the 12th. Two bands of heavy snow, in which snowfall rates averaged two to four inches per hour, moved through the state on the 13th. The first one mainly affected the local Philadelphia area between 5 a.m. EST and 7 a.m. EST. The second one moved north through the entire eastern half of Pennsylvania between 730 a.m. EST and 2 p.m. EST on the 13th. After the snow bands moved through, precipitation changed to freezing rain and then rain in the immediate Philadelphia area during the late morning of the 13th, the Lehigh Valley, Berks County and the northwest Philadelphia suburbs around midday on the 13th and during the afternoon of the 13th in the Poconos. Some pockets of freezing rain and sleet persisted in the higher terrain of the Poconos. Scattered thunderstorms moved through during the late afternoon and early evening on the 13th, some with small hail. Then as the low pressure system pulled offshore, precipitation changed back to snow during the evening on the 13th. Some heavy snow occurred again in the Philadelphia western suburbs, the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos. The last of the snow exited eastern Pennsylvania from west to east between Midnight EST and 4 a.m. EST on the 14th. The snow exited lower Bucks County last.
“Schools, malls, businesses, government, state and local offices as well as municipal courts never opened on the 13th. Many schools were also closed on the 14th. There was a trailer ban on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and reduced speeds on all major roadways including the Delaware River crossings. Commuter bus service from the Lehigh Valley to New York City was cancelled. SEPTA Regional Commuter Services detoured bus and trolley routes in and around Philadelphia and suspended bus service for a while during the day on the 13th. Regional Rail lines ran with 60 minute delays. SEPTA then halted all rail and bus service overnight. Over 400 flights were cancelled at the Philadelphia International Airport and all flights were cancelled at the Lehigh Valley International Airport. Because the heavy snow started early in the morning, the number of accidents and calls for assistance in the Philadelphia area was less than usual. In the Lehigh Valley, there were more disabled vehicles on side roads because of the later arrival of the heavy snow bands. There were also slip and fall accidents and at least one person who lost fingers clearing a snow thrower. The snow did not cling to tree limbs as well and there were only about 6,000 homes and businesses that lost power. The greatest numbers were in Bucks and Montgomery Counties. One of the hardest hit businesses were florists as the heavy snow wreaked havoc (tens of thousands delayed) on the flower deliveries for Valentine’s Day. After the snow ended, on the morning of the 14th, 30 people were injured and about 100 vehicles were damaged in a chain reaction multi-vehicle (including several tractor-trailers) accident on the Eastbound Pennsylvania Turnpike in Bucks County. The combination of an icy roadway, sun glare and excessive speed helped cause the accident. The Turnpike was closed for about 8 hours. The latest event strained municipal budgets further and increased the shortage of salt supplies in the region. The weight of the heavy snow started causing structural collapses. In Lehigh County, a pavilion collapsed at a Nissan dealership in South Heidelberg Township. Forty-one vehicles were damaged. In Montgomery County, an abandoned building collapsed on Washington Lane in Jenkintown Borough. A barn collapsed on Kulp Road in Towamencin Township. Several animals were killed or injured. In Berks County, another barn collapsed on Bieber Lane in Amity Township. Two horses were trapped in the barn but were rescued by responding fire departments. The barn sustained significant damage to the first floor due to the complete second story collapse. An emergency responder cut the tip of his finger during the rescue operations. Also in Amity Township, another barn collapsed on Weavertown Road. In Monroe County, a barn collapsed in Barrett Township. Several horses were trapped but rescued.
“Representative snowfall included 20.2 inches in West Caln Township (Chester County), 19.2 inches at the Lehigh Valley International Airport, 18.5 inches in Huffs Church (Berks County), 17.5 inches in Forks Township (Northampton County), 17.4 inches in Saylorsburg (Monroe County), 17.0 inches in Perkasie (Bucks County), 16.0 inches in Blakeslee (Monroe County) and Coaldale (Carbon County), 15.5 inches in Doylestown (Bucks County), 15.2 inches in Slatington (Lehigh County), 15.0 inches in Concord Township (Delaware County), West Chester (Chester County) and Fleetwood (Berks County), 14.5 inches in Gilbertsville (Montgomery County) and Glenmoore (Chester County), 14.0 inches in Kidder Township (Carbon County), 12.8 inches in Martins Creek (Northampton County), 12.5 inches in Lansdowne (Delaware County) and Royersford (Montgomery County), 12.3 inches in Wynnewood (Montgomery County), 12.2 inches in Wayne (Delaware County), 12.0 inches in Wernersville (Berks County), 11.9 inches in Nottingham (Chester County), 11.5 inches at the Philadelphia International Airport at 10.0 inches in Langhorne (Bucks County).” (NCDC. Storm Data, V.56, N.2, Feb 2014, pp. 189-190.)
Weather Channel: “….This round of snow broke a 130-year-old record in Philadelphia. For the first time in the city’s recorded history, there have been more than four greater-than-6-inch snowfalls this season, and this winter has been one of the top five snowiest of all time,[18] reported CBS.” (Weather Channel, “Winter Storm Pax: State-By-State in the Northeast.” 2-15-2014.)
Rhode Island:
Weather Channel: “More snow fell overnight across Rhode Island with total accumulations of 4 to 6 inches for much of the state, and more along the northwestern region. The winter weather advisory for the state expired Friday morning, but a wind advisory remained until Friday evening. Roads were slick Friday morning because of the storm…Some flights out of Warwick’s Green Airport were canceled Friday morning with others operating on time.” (The Weather Channel, “Winter Storm Pax: State-By-State in the Northeast.” 2-15-2014. )
South Carolina:
NCDC (Central SC, multiple counties, Feb 12-13, Winter Storm): “A major winter storm spread into South Carolina producing up to 1.25 inches of ice taking down trees, powerlines, and causing damage to other structures. Just about everything came to a standstill as federal, state, county, and city governments closed along with schools and businesses. Power outages were widespread and it took up to four days to restore in some areas.” (NCDC. Storm Data, V.56, N.2, Feb 2014, p. 197.)
Tennessee:
NCDC (Central TN, multiple counties, Feb 12-13, Winter Weather): “….Much of southern and eastern Middle Tennessee received a wintry mix of rain, sleet, and snow during the day on February 12, before significant snowfall began in the evening on February 12 then ending during the morning hours on February 13. Snowfall totals ranged from 1 to 3 inches in many areas, while parts of southern Middle Tennessee near the Alabama border and eastern areas of the Cumberland Plateau received anywhere from 3 inches to as much as 6 inches of snow.” (NCDC. Storm Data, V.56, N.2, Feb 2014, p. 201.)
Texas:
NCDC (Northeast TX, multiple counties, Feb 11-12, Winter Weather): “With a very cold atmosphere already in place, an upper level storm system moved out of the Texas Hill Country and into Northeast Texas, Southwest Arkansas and Northwest Louisiana during the afternoon hours of February 11th. Precipitation became widespread across the region late in the afternoon and especially during the overnight hours of February 11th and the 12th. During the onset of precipitation, a mixture of rain and sleet was the predominant precipitation type with some sleet accumulations near one quarter of an inch across portions of Northeast Texas. There was even a brief transition of moderate snow across portions of the region as well. During the evening and overnight hours of the event, the transition turned to predominantly freezing rain with ice accumulations mainly less than one quarter of an inch across Northeast Texas. Impacts included several automobile accidents that occurred from icing in elevated bridges and overpasses as well as isolated power outages from ice accumulating on limbs which fell across powerlines.” (NCDC. Storm Data, V.56, N.2, Feb 2014, p. 219.)
Vermont:
NCDC, North and Central VT, multiple counties, Feb 13-14, Heavy Snow: “A Winter storm, responsible for record ice and snow across the southeast United States on February 12th, moved and redeveloped off the southeast United states coastline on February 13th. This storm intensified as it hugged the eastern seaboard on February 13th, moved across southeast Massachusetts and into the Gulf of Maine by February 14th.
“Snow began to overspread southern Vermont during the mid-morning hours of February 13th, not reaching the Canadian border until the evening commute. There were two bands of heavy snowfall, snowfall rates of 1-2+ inches an hour, that moved across the region. The first band moved across southern and eastern Vermont during the afternoon hours of February 13th and again during the early morning hours of February 14th.
“Total snowfall ranged from 6 to 10 inches across the Champlain Valley of Vermont to 15 to 24 inches in central and eastern Vermont with the heaviest across the southern Green Mountains. Thursday evening and especially Friday morning’s commute was hazardous with nearly all schools closed due to the storm on Friday, February 14th. Some specific snowfall totals included: 30 inches in Mount Holly (Rutland county), 24 inches in Shrewsbury (Rutland), 22 inches in Waitsfield (Washington), 21 inches in Norwich (Windsor) and Ludlow (Windsor) and 20 inches in Huntington (Chittenden), Averill (Essex), Killington (Rutland) and Springfield (Windsor).” (NCDC. Storm Data, V.56, N.2, Feb 2014, p. 226.)
Virginia
NCDC, East VA, multiple counties, Feb 12-13, Winter Weather and Winter Storm: “Intensifying low pressure moving northward along the coast produced between four and ten inches of snow across portions of central and eastern Virginia from Wednesday afternoon, February 12th into Thursday evening, February 13th.” (NCDC. Storm Data, V.56, N.2, Feb 2014, p. 227.)
NCDC, Extreme SW VA, Lee – Russell – Scott – Washington – Wise, Feb 12-13, Heavy Snow: “Heavy snow blanketed the area as strong upper level disturbance combined with deep moisture pulled from the Carolina coast for a 2-day period. The largest snowfall totals reached 11.0 inches over southwest Virginia.” (NCDC. Storm Data, V.56, N.2, Feb 2014, p. 232.)
NCDC, Northwest VA, Buchanan – Dickenson, Feb 12-13, Heavy Snow: “Snow spread north during the afternoon of the 12th, reaching into Dickenson and Buchanan Counties around 1500E.
Temperatures were mostly in the mid and upper 20s at the onset of the snow….Heavy snow fell during the evening hours, with some decrease during the late night hours. The coastal storm was centered along the Virginia and North Carolina coast line by dawn on the 13th. The wrap around snow on the western side of the mid and upper level feature caused the snow to continue to fall during the daylight hours on the 13th, finally ending in the afternoon. Total storm snow accumulations of 10 to 15 inches were common. For example, the cooperative observer near Clintwood measured 12 inches, while Grundy had a 10 inch accumulation, and John Flannagan Lake observed 8 inches. Unofficial reports included 14 inches at Haysi, 11 inches at Hurley and 12 inches over Compton Mountain.” (NCDC. Storm Data, V.56, N.2, Feb 2014, pp. 234-235.)
NCDC, Southwest, Alleghany – Amherst – Rockbridge, Feb 12-13, Heavy Snow: “Cold high pressure was in place across the region on Tuesday, February 11, 2014. An area of low pressure progressed northward from the Gulf of Mexico the 11th into the 12th of February and transported a generous amount of moisture into and across the cold air over the area allowing the precipitation to fall as moderate to heavy snow. During Tuesday night into Wednesday the low passed over the region and brought some air just slightly above freezing into the lower portions of the atmosphere. This allowed for the snow to transition into a period of freezing rain and/or sleet over parts of the western Virginia piedmont. However, during the day on Thursday, February 13, 2014, the low pressure progressed northeast of the region, and sub-freezing air in the lower parts of the atmosphere returned and allowed for snow to be falling across the area until it ended in the mid to late afternoon. Before its conclusion, there was a time where a clearly defined band of snow stalled, and pivoted around a central location in southwest Virginia. This allowed for the axis of heaviest snowfall to be centered along parts of the New River and upper Roanoke valleys. Snowfall totals averaged 6 to 10 inches along and east of a Martinsville to Lynchburg line, 10 to 14 inches across the Mountain Empire part of southwest Virginia, 12 to 16 inches just east of the crest of the Blue Ridge and north into the southern Shenandoah valley, with 16 to 26 inches in an area between Covington Virginia south into the Blacksburg to Roanoke region and farther south to near Galax. The highest end of this range was centered over Floyd County. Sleet amounts were generally less than an inch between Martinsville and Danville. Freezing rain occurred mainly along and east of a line from Martinsville to Buckingham. Amounts ranged from around one tenth of an inch to one quarter of an inch.” (NCDC. Storm Data, V.56, N.2, Feb 2014, pp. 235-236.)
NWS WFO, Blacksburg, VA, Synopsis and Highlights: “A classic coastal winter storm impacted the Appalachian and Mid-Atlantic regions February 12-13, 2014, resulting in major snowfall accumulations for the Blacksburg NWS County Warning Area (CWA). Some sleet and light icing from freezing rain also occurred over much of the Piedmont and some foothill locations, but with more significant icing south of our area. Snowfall amounts across parts of the Blue Ridge mountains and foothills of Virginia exceeded two feet in a few spots, with over one foot for majority of the region, with the exception of the Piedmont where 8-10 was common, and a few spots in northwest North Carolina and far southwest Virginia where just under a foot fell. For two climate locations, Roanoke and Blacksburg, this was the 3rd highest snowfall on record for a single event. For other locations where long term data records are kept, this was a top ten or even top 5 event. The January 6-8, 1996 is still the benchmark snowfall event for most of this region, and there are other big events that are still high on the list for most locations, such as January 29-30, 1998, March 13-14, 1993, and more recently December 18-19, 2009. Impacts included long backups and partial closures on Interstates 81 and 77, many accidents, a few roof collapses, spotty power outages, and many sore muscles and aching backs from all the shoveling!” (NWS Weather Forecast Office, Blacksburg, VA. Feb 12-13, 2014 Historic Winter Storm. 2-17-2014.)
Washington, D.C.
Weather Channel: “The nation’s capital saw snow accumulations of 10 to 15 inches during Thursday’s winter storm, the most snow at one time since 2010. Metrobus suspended service Thursday evening and resumed limited operations at 5 a.m. Friday morning. Many schools remained closed today as local roads are still being cleared. Reagan National and Dulles International airports are open this morning with flight schedules returning to normal.” (Weather Channel. “Winter Storm Pax: State-By-State in the Northeast.” 2-15-2014.)
West Virginia:
NCDC, North WV, Preston – Tucker, Feb 12-13, Heavy Snow: “An intensifying low pressure system riding along the east coast brought snow to areas east of I-79 overnight on the 12th through the 13th. As the low strengthened and moved northward, a deformation zone brought heavy snow of rates over an inch an hour across the mountains of West Virginia and Maryland. The deformation band sat over Tucker county in WV and Garrett county MD the longest, bringing 15-20 inches of snow countywide. Preston county also experienced 6-10 inches of snow
before the heaviest band moved east. The counties adjacent to Preston, Tucker, and Garrett received 5-7 inches of snow through the afternoon on the 13th.” (NCDC. Storm Data, V.56, N.2, Feb 2014, p. 244.)
NCDC, Southeast WV, Greenbrier – Mercer- Monroe – Summers, Feb 12-13, Heavy Snow: “Cold high pressure was in place across the region on Tuesday, February 11, 2014. An area of low pressure progressed northward from the Gulf of Mexico the 11th into the 12th of February and transported a generous amount of moisture into and across the cold air over the area allowing the precipitation to fall as moderate to heavy snow. During Tuesday night into Wednesday the low passed over southwest Virginia. During the day on Thursday, February 13, 2014, the low pressure progressed northeast of the region, and northwest winds increased only to reinforce the cold air across the area. Before its conclusion, there was a time where a clearly defined band of snow stalled, and pivoted around a central location in southwest Virginia. This allowed for the axis of heaviest snowfall to be just east of the WV/VA border. Snowfall totals averaged 12 to 17 inches across the region, with the highest amounts along the border with Virginia in Monroe County where some 18 inch amounts occurred.” (NCDC. Storm Data, V56, N2, Feb 2014, 245.)
NCDC, West WV, Feb 12-13, Calhoun – Gilmer – Lincoln – Putnam – Roane, Heavy Snow: “….Total storm snow accumulations of 10 to 18 inches were common over the southern coal fields of McDowell and Wyoming Counties on northeast to include Raleigh, Fayette. Nicholas, Webster, Upshur, Pocahontas, Randolph, and even into southern Barbour County. A snow accumulation maximum on either side of 20 inches was seen in parts of Randolph, Pocahontas, Webster, Nicholas Counties, Upshur, and even extreme southern Barbour County. For example, in the Queens to Hemlock vicinity, near the Upshur and Randolph County border, a spotter measured 22 inches. The postmaster at Helvetia measured around 19 inches. A total storm accumulations of 6 to 12 inches were more common from Mingo County on northeast through Logan, Boone, Kanawha, Clay, Roane, Calhoun, Braxton, Gilmer, Lewis, and northern Barbour County. Harrison County had an accumulation mostly in the 6 to 8 inch range. On the western fringe of the heavier snow, Lincoln and Putnam Counties had 4 to 7 inches of snow accumulation. Taylor County had less snow with only 3 to 5 inches of snow. Even less accumulation fell in the Ohio River Valley Counties. From official cooperative observers the snow accumulation was 15 inches at Hawks Nest and Elkins, 13 inches at Buckeye, Bartow, Frost, Summersville, and Hacker Valley, while 12 inches accumulated at Snowshoe. Some unofficial snow accumulations included Oak Hill and Runa with 14 inches, Green Bank and Craigsville with 17 inches, and Montrose with 20 inches.” (NCDC. Storm Data, V.56, N.2, Feb 2014, p. 246.)
Sources:
Associated Press. “21 Deaths now Blamed on Fierce Winter Storm Ravaging East Coast; 500K+ Still Without Power.” The Blaze, 2-13-2014. Accessed 7-9-2015 at: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/02/13/21-deaths-now-blamed-on-fierce-winter-storm-ravaging-east-coast-500k-still-without-power/
Associated Press (Rodrique Ngowi). “Another blast of snow hits Northeast.” Valley Star, Harlingen, TX. 2-16-2014, B8. Accessed 7-9-2015 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/texas/harlingen/valley-morning-star/2014/02-16/page-22?tag=storm
Associated Press (Kate Brumback). “Deaths, power outages in South; storm heads north.” 2-13-2014. Accessed 7-9-2015 at: http://www.timesnews.net/article/9073228/deaths-power-outages-in-south-storm-heads-north
Associated Press, Sumter, SC. “Homeless man dies from the cold in Sumter.” Aiken Standard, SC, 2-17-2014, 6A. Accessed 7-9-2015 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/south-carolina/aiken/aiken-standard/2014/02-17/page-6?tag=hypothermia&rtserp=tags/hypothermia?
Associated Press, Atlanta (Christina A. Cassidy). “Ice storm causes another traffic jam in the South.” Gettysburg Times, PA, 2-13-2014, A3. Accessed 7-9-2015 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/pennsylvania/gettysburg/gettysburg-times/2014/02-13/page-5?tag=hypothermia
Associated Press, Philadelphia. “Latest storm brings more snow to East Coast.” Daily News, Huntingdon, PA, 2-18-2014, A3. Accessed 7-9-2015 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/pennsylvania/huntingdon/huntingdon-daily-news/2014/02-18/page-3?tag=winter+storm
Associated Press (Jessica Gresko). “Winter storm takes aim at Mid-Atlantic, Northeast.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 2-13-2014, pp. 1 & 3. Accessed 7-9-2015 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/texas/del-rio/del-rio-news-herald/2014/02-13/page-3?tag=storm
Baltimore Sun (Amanda Yeager), MD. “Two Howard men shoveling snow die after collapsing.” 2-14-2014. Accessed 7-10-2015 at: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/columbia/ph-howard-schools-closed-snow-021214-story.html
CBS Philly (Steve Strouss). “Snow Totals Piling Up Fast: 130 Year Old Record Falls.” 2-13-2014. Accessed 7-10-2015 at: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2014/02/13/snow-totals-piling-up-fast/
Kremer, Ken. “Deadly Monster Winter Storm Batters US Eastern Seaboard,” Universe Today, 2-13-2014. Accessed 7-10-2015 at: http://www.universetoday.com/109374/deadly-monster-winter-storm-batters-us-eastern-seaboard-more-snow-and-ice-on-the-way/
National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 56, N. 2, Feb 2014, 364 pp. Asheville, NC: NCDC, National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service, NOAA. Accessed 7-9-2015 at: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-110D36EA-D138-4E9D-9518-25F7CC7CC42F.pdf
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Blacksburg, VA. February 12-13, 2014 Historic Winter Storm. 2-17-2014. Accessed 7-9-2015 at: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/rnk/events/2014/Feb12-13_winterstorm/summary.php
The Gazette, Gastonia, NC. “Attorney: Man charged in storm deaths is heartsick.” 2-16-2014, 4B. Accessed 7-9-2015 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/north-carolina/gastonia/gastonia-gaston-gazette/2014/02-16/page-14?tag=winter+storm
The Weather Channel, “Winter Storm Pax: State-By-State in the Northeast.” 2-15-2014. Accessed 7-10-2015 at: http://www.weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-pax-state-state-northeast-20140213
Winston-Salem Journal (Bertrand M. Gutierrez), NC. “Storm leaves three dead in N.C.” 2-13-2014. Accessed 7-9-2015 at: http://www.journalnow.com/news/storm-leaves-three-dead-in-n-c/article_68aa7fd0-94cd-11e3-bfdc-001a4bcf6878.html
[1] The name “Pax” came from The Weather Channel.
[2] There is only one reference to any deaths related to this storm in this document (three in Tom Green Co., TX).
[3] Cites “a coroner.”
[4] AP, Philadelphia. “Latest storm brings more snow to East Coast.” Daily News, Huntingdon, PA, 2-18-2014, A3.
[5] Baltimore Sun (Amanda Yeager), MD. “Two Howard men shoveling snow die after collapsing.” 2-14-2014.
[6] Baltimore Sun (Amanda Yeager), MD. “Two Howard men shoveling snow die after collapsing.” 2-14-2014.
[7] Baltimore Sun (Amanda Yeager), MD. “Two Howard men shoveling snow die after collapsing.” 2-14-2014.
[8] AP (Kate Brumback). “Deaths, power outages in South; storm heads north.” 2-13-2014.
[9] AP. “21 Deaths now Blamed on Fierce Winter Storm Ravaging East Coast…The Blaze, 2-13-2014. Age was noted by The Weather Channel, “Winter Storm Pax: State-By-State in the Northeast.” 2-15-2014. Weather Channel piece notes that a 6-pound, 6-once boy was delivered by emergency cesarean section after his mother was killed, though he was still in critical condition as of Friday evening [Feb 14]. Also writes “Police say the operator of the construction vehicle was ticketed Friday for not having it inspected and not having a headlamp or a license plate light. No criminal charges have been filed.”
[10] Cites NC Governor Pat McCrory.
[11] UNC-Wilmington student, Marshal Hudson Doran, 21, hit two men “who were…trying to help a driver whose tractor-trailer cab slid on I-40 near Garner.” The Gazette, Gastonia, NC. “Attorney: Man charged in storm deaths is heartsick.” 2-16-2014, 4B.
[12] “Authorities said a homeless man found dead in an abandoned home in Sumter froze to death. The Sumter County Coroner’s Office told The Sumter Item that a neighbor found Jason Fleming’s body in the home on Thursday [Feb 13]. An autopsy determined Fleming died from hypothermia….Fleming’s death is the sixth from the ice and snow storm that moved across the state last week. Two were from hypothermia, two were from traffic wrecks, one was from a fire in a home that lost power and one death was from carbon monoxide poisoning as a man heated his home with a charcoal grill.”
[13] AP (Kate Brumback). “Deaths, power outages in South; storm heads north.” 2-13-2014. Also noted as in addition to the ambulance fatalities in: Associated Press, Atlanta (Christina A. Cassidy). “Ice storm causes another traffic jam in the South.” Gettysburg Times, PA, 2-13-2014, A3.
[14] AP (Cassidy). “Ice storm causes another traffic jam in the South.” Gettysburg Times, PA, 2-13-2014, A3.
[15] NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 56, No. 2, Feb 2014. p. 214. The NCDC note reads “Three people were killed and one was injured in Tom Green County when an ambulance traveling from Sterling City to San Angelo flipped over and burned.” An AP report, (Kate Brumback), “Deaths, power outages in South; storm heads north,” 2-13-2014, writes that the ambulance went off an icy road and then caught fire.
[16] “Robert Trombley, 45…of Lee, Mass., was killed when he was struck by another motorist in what police called whiteout conditions. Trombley had gotten out of his tractor-trailer after it slid into a guardrail Friday morning on Interstate 91 in Fairlee, Vt.” Weather Channel. “Winter Storm Pax: State-By-State in the Northeast.” 2-15-2014.
[17] The male victim “had pulled off the road and was standing behind his vehicle when he was hit by another dump truck.” AP. “Winter storm takes aim at Mid-Atlantic, Northeast.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 2-13-2014, pp. 1 & 3. According to The Weather Channel the victim was a Virginia Dept. of Transportation contract worker and was killed by “another VDOT dump truck” (citing NBC Washington). Weather Channel. “Winter Storm Pax: State-By-State in the Northeast.” 2-15-2014.
[18] CBS Philly. “Snow Totals Piling Up Fast: 130 Year Old Record Falls.” 2-13-2014.
