blizzard A blizzard is a severe snowstorm characterized by strong sustained winds and low visibility, lasting for a prolonged period of time—typically at least three or four hours. A ground blizzard is a weather condition where snow is not falling b ...

Northeastern United States The Northeastern United States, also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast, is a geographic region of the United States. It is located on the Atlantic coast of North America, with Canada to its north, the Southe ...

shortwave trough A shortwave or shortwave trough is an embedded kink in the trough / ridge pattern. Its length scale is much smaller than that of and is embedded within longwaves, which are responsible for the largest scale (synoptic scale) weather systems. Sho ...

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...

low-pressure area In meteorology, a low-pressure area, low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with inclement weather (such as cloudy, windy, with possible ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

meteorologist A meteorologist is a scientist who studies and works in the field of meteorology aiming to understand or predict Earth's atmospheric phenomena including the weather. Those who study meteorological phenomena are meteorologists in research, while t ...

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

blizzard A blizzard is a severe snowstorm characterized by strong sustained winds and low visibility, lasting for a prolonged period of time—typically at least three or four hours. A ground blizzard is a weather condition where snow is not falling b ...

blizzard warning A blizzard warning ( SAME code: BZW) is a hazardous weather statement issued by Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) of the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States, which indicates heavy snowfall accompanied by sustained winds or frequent gu ...

brine Brine is a high-concentration solution of salt (NaCl) in water (H2O). In diverse contexts, ''brine'' may refer to the salt solutions ranging from about 3.5% (a typical concentration of seawater, on the lower end of that of solutions used for br ...

road salt Sodium chloride , commonly known as salt (although sea salt also contains other chemical salts), is an ionic compound with the chemical formula NaCl, representing a 1:1 ratio of sodium and chloride ions. With molar masses of 22.99 and 35.45 g/ ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Glengary, West Virginia. Ice- and snow-covered roads led to hundreds of incidents across the affected region, several of which resulted in deaths and injuries. At least 55 people were killed in storm-related incidents: Twelve in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

; nine in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

; six each in

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, and

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

; four in

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

; three each in

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

and

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

; and one each in

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...

,

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

,

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

,

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

,

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, and

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

. Total economic losses are estimated between $500 million and $3 billion. The storm ranked as a Category 5 "extreme" event for the

Northeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each se ...

on the

Regional Snowfall Index The Regional Snowfall Index (RSI) is a scale used by NOAA to assess the societal impact of winter storms in the eastern two-thirds of the United States and classify them into one of six categories. The system was first implemented in 2014, and is ...

, and a Category 4 event for the

Southeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...

. It is the most recent winter storm to rank as a Category 5 winter storm, and the first to do so since the 2011 Groundhog Day blizzard.

Preceding storm

A relatively minor storm ahead of the blizzard, similar to an

Alberta clipper An Alberta clipper, also known as an Alberta low, Alberta cyclone, Alberta lee cyclone, Canadian clipper, or simply clipper, is a fast-moving low-pressure system that originates in or near the Canadian province of Alberta just east of the Rock ...

, caught numerous drivers off-guard, producing a brief period of heavy snow during

rush hour A rush hour (American English, British English) or peak hour (Australian English) is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice every weekday: on ...

in the Mid-Atlantic region on January 20. Although only of snow fell in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, roadways were not treated; any snow that melted on roads quickly froze into

black ice Black ice, sometimes called clear ice, is a thin coating of glaze ice on a surface, especially on streets. The ice itself is not black, but visually transparent, allowing the often black road below to be seen through it. The typically low levels ...

, rendering them impassable. Some referred to the event as "Carmageddon 2.0". Portions of

Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...

and Interstate 495 in Virginia and Maryland (especially on the

Woodrow Wilson Bridge The Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge (also known as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge or the Wilson Bridge) is a bascule bridge that spans the Potomac River between the independent city of Alexandria, Virginia, and Oxon Hill in Prince George's County, M ...

), as well as Interstate 270, were brought to a standstill through the early hours of January 21.

Virginia State Police The Virginia State Police, officially the Virginia Department of State Police, conceived in 1919 and established in 1932, is the state police force for the U.S. state of Virginia. The agency originated out of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehi ...

responded to 767 accidents and 392 reports of disabled vehicles. The

Virginia Department of Transportation The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is the agency of the state government responsible for transportation in the state of Virginia in the United States. VDOT is headquartered at the Virginia Department of Highways Building in downtown ...

mobilized 115 salt trucks to clear roads. A man was killed after being struck by a snow plow in

Beltsville, Maryland Beltsville is a census-designated place (CDP) in northern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The community was named for Truman Belt, a local landowner. The 2020 census counted 20,133 residents. Beltsville includes the unincorporated ...

. Washington, D.C. Mayor

Muriel Bowser Muriel Elizabeth Bowser (born August 2, 1972) is an American politician serving since 2015 as the eighth mayor of the District of Columbia. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously represented the 4th ward as a member of the Council ...

issued an apology for inadequate preparations in the wake of the storm on January 22. Vehicles in Maryland became stranded, with some residents abandoning their cars altogether. Georgia Governor

Nathan Deal John Nathan Deal (born August 25, 1942) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 82nd governor of Georgia from 2011 to 2019. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a member of the Democratic Party in 1992 a ...

issued a

state of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...

for northern counties on January 19, ensuring areas were better prepared than during a similar storm in 2014. Icy conditions prompted road closures in northern Georgia, including portions of

Interstate 75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from S ...

; several crashes resulted from the dangerous conditions. Similar conditions affected Tennessee and Kentucky; schools closed on account of dangerous roads. One person died and another was injured in an accident in Knox County after speeding on slippery roads. Two deaths resulted from snow-related car accidents in North Carolina. Another person died, and two others were injured, when a car collided with a salt truck in

Whitley County, Kentucky Whitley County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,712. Its county seat is at Williamsburg, though the largest city is Corbin, and the county's District Court ...

.

Meteorological history

The development of the winter storm was anticipated by forecasters for at least a week. It originated in a

shortwave trough A shortwave or shortwave trough is an embedded kink in the trough / ridge pattern. Its length scale is much smaller than that of and is embedded within longwaves, which are responsible for the largest scale (synoptic scale) weather systems. Sho ...

—a weather disturbance in the upper atmosphere—that came ashore at the

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...

on January 19. The trough strengthened as it moved southeastward through the

Great Plains The Great Plains (french: Grandes Plaines), sometimes simply "the Plains", is a broad expanse of flatland in North America. It is located west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, an ...

, and on January 21 it spawned a weak

low-pressure area In meteorology, a low-pressure area, low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with inclement weather (such as cloudy, windy, with possible ...

over central

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

. The incipient storm system began to intensify as it tracked eastward through the

Gulf Coast The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal states that have a shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico are Texas, Louisiana, Mississ ...

states, triggering a line of strong to severe thunderstorms and multiple tornado warnings. During the mid-afternoon hours of January 22, a new low-pressure area began to develop over the coast of the

Carolinas The Carolinas are the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina, considered collectively. They are bordered by Virginia to the north, Tennessee to the west, and Georgia to the southwest. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east. Combining Nort ...

, as the former storm tracked into central

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

. Owing to uncertainty in short-range guidance but a high confidence of a sharp northern edge of precipitation, many forecasts were predicting 12" of snow or less until just hours before snowfall began, from Allentown, Pennsylvania, toward New York City and the southern coast of New England. As the storm moved further north and rapidly strengthened, it became apparent that snowfall would be much higher farther north, and forecasters quickly began upgrading their totals. Early on January 24, as the storm was leaving New England, the system began to become elongated, as a secondary low developed to the southwest of the storm's central low. On January 25, the blizzard left the East Coast of the United States; on the same day, the system was named ''Karin'' by the University of Berlin. Accompanied by a strong jet stream in the Atlantic, the remnants of the storm crossed the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...

on January 26. The wind and rain associated with the low was forecast to have the potential to cause disruption in the United Kingdom, and indeed there were areas that saw severe weather. During the next few days, the system accelerated towards the northeast. On January 29, the storm system was absorbed by Windstorm Leone, over

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

.

Preparations

January 2016 United States winter storm 2016-01-22 0230Z

Multiple offices of the

National Weather Service The National Weather Service (NWS) is an Government agency, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weathe ...

issued various watches and warnings across the storm's projected path.

Blizzard warning A blizzard warning ( SAME code: BZW) is a hazardous weather statement issued by Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) of the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States, which indicates heavy snowfall accompanied by sustained winds or frequent gu ...

s covered coastal

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

; most of

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

; most of

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

;

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, particularly

Martha's Vineyard Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the Northeastern United States, located south of Cape Cod in Dukes County, Massachusetts, known for being a popular, affluent summer colony. Martha's Vineyard includes the s ...

; most of

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

;

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, including

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

;

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

;

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...

, especially

Block Island Block Island is an island in the U.S. state of Rhode Island located in Block Island Sound approximately south of the mainland and east of Montauk Point, Long Island, New York, named after Dutch explorer Adriaen Block. It is part of Washingt ...

;

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

; and Washington, D.C.

Winter storm warning A winter storm warning ( SAME code: WSW) is a hazardous weather statement issued by Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) of the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States to alert the public that a winter storm is occurring or is about to occur ...

s were issued from

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...

to Massachusetts, including parts of

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

, northern

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

, extreme southern

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

, extreme southern

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

, the entirety of

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

, extreme northeastern

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

, southeastern Massachusetts, northeastern

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

, extreme southeastern

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

, extreme southern New York, most of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

, southern

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, southern

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...

, northern

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

, most of

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

, most of

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, and all of

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

. Freezing rain advisories covered parts of North and South Carolina. Further winter weather advisories covered additional portions of the country, including eastern

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

, southeastern Missouri, and northern

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

. Offshore,

storm warning At sea, a storm warning is a warning issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when winds between 48 knots (89 km/h, 55 mph) and 63 knots (117 km/h, 73 mph) are occurring or predicted to occur soon. The wi ...

s covered areas from Georgia to

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

. On January 21–22, the governors of Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and the mayor of Washington, D.C. declared a

state of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...

in anticipation of significant snowfall and blizzard conditions. Airlines cancelled more than 1,000 flights, with hundreds more preemptively grounded, by the afternoon of January 21 for January 22–24. Ripple effect cancellations spread across the entire East Coast. By the afternoon of January 23, more than 10,100 flights were cancelled across the country, affecting well over 100,000 travelers. Nearly 2,000 more flights were delayed. Most airports in the Mid-Atlantic region suspended service altogether, with Baltimore–Washington International,

Philadelphia International Airport Philadelphia International Airport is the primary airport serving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The airport served 19.6 million passengers annually in 2021, making it the 21st busiest airport in the United States. The airport is located from t ...

, Ronald Reagan Washington National, and

Washington Dulles International Washington Dulles International Airport , typically referred to as Dulles International Airport, Dulles Airport, Washington Dulles, or simply Dulles ( ), is an international airport in the Eastern United States, located in Loudoun County and Fa ...

closed through the evening of January 24. Flights to and from

LaGuardia LaGuardia Airport is a civil airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City. Covering , the facility was established in 1929 and began operating as a public airport in 1939. It is named after former New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia. ...

, John F. Kennedy International, and Newark Liberty International were largely cancelled as well. American Airlines suspended all flights departing from

Charlotte-Douglas International Airport Charlotte Douglas International Airport (IATA: CLT, ICAO: KCLT, FAA LID: CLT), typically referred to as Charlotte Douglas, Douglas Airport, or simply CLT, is an international airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, located roughly six miles wes ...

, causing a ripple of flights being cancelled throughout the country. Effects rippled internationally, with more than 100 flights in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

,

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, and the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

cancelled. Altogether, 13,046 flights were cancelled between January 22 and 26.

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

suspended service for many lines, including the service from New York City to

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

; the to

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

; and the to

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

. Multiple sporting events, including those held by the

Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...

,

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

, and the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

, were postponed by the storm, while the National Football League's

Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...

vs.

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...

NFC Championship went on as planned for January 24 in

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...

.

Mid-Atlantic

A

snow emergency A snow emergency is the active response plan when a snow storm severely impacts a city, county or town in the United States or Canada. Schools, universities, government offices, airports and public buildings may close during a snow emergency to pre ...

was declared for Washington, D.C., meaning that residents would not be allowed to park on snow emergency routes after 9:30 p.m. local time on January 22. Mayor Bowser urged people to remain home during the storm, " less you absolutely have to be out tomorrow afternoon anuary 22 residents should get home as soon as possible". Across Maryland, 2,700 pieces of snow equipment were mobilized and crews planned to distribute 365,000 tons of road salt. In Virginia, 500 vehicles were deployed to treat roads and 500 members of the

Virginia National Guard The Virginia National Guard consists of the Virginia Army National Guard and the Virginia Air National Guard. It is part of the Government of Virginia though the National Guard across the United States is mostly funded by the federal government ...

were placed on standby. Schools across the D.C. area were scheduled to end classes early on January 22, before the storm's arrival. Stores across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. reported a substantial uptick in sales, with groceries, heaters, shovels, and similar items sold out in numerous locations. West Virginia Governor

Earl Ray Tomblin Earl Ray Tomblin (born March 15, 1952) is an American politician who served as the 35th governor of West Virginia from 2011 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the West Virginia Senate from 1980 to 2011 and as pres ...

mobilized the state's National Guard on January 21. Aspen Street NW - Flickr - treegrow

The

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA ), commonly referred to as Metro, is a tri-jurisdictional government agency that operates transit service in the Washington metropolitan area. WMATA was created by the United States Con ...

(WMATA) announced on January 21 that it would shut down its entire

mass transit Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typical ...

system over the weekend of January 22 and 23, including the

Washington Metro The Washington Metro (or simply Metro), formally the Metrorail,Google Books search/preview

and Metrobus, making it the longest such shutdown in the agency's history. On January 25, the WMATA operated limited Metro bus service, as well as rail service only on the underground portions of the

Red Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...

,

Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 Nanometre, nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by ...

, and

Orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...

Lines; however, fares were not charged. In

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

, all flights out of

Richmond International Airport Richmond International Airport is a joint civil-military airport in Sandston, Virginia, United States, an unincorporated community (in Henrico County). The airport is about 7 miles (11 km) southeast of downtown Richmond, the capital of t ...

on January 23 were cancelled, and the

Greater Richmond Transit Company The Greater Richmond Transit Company, known locally as GRTC Transit System, is a local government-owned public service company which operates an urban-suburban bus line based in Richmond, Virginia. In , the system had a ridership of , or about ...

(GTRC) bus system took the rare step of suspending all routes on January 24. Massive Snowdrifts from the Blizzard

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation had 2,200 vehicles and more than 733,000 tons of road salt on standby for use. Trucks deployed

brine Brine is a high-concentration solution of salt (NaCl) in water (H2O). In diverse contexts, ''brine'' may refer to the salt solutions ranging from about 3.5% (a typical concentration of seawater, on the lower end of that of solutions used for br ...

across major roads in and around Philadelphia, though residents were advised to avoid travel unless necessary. A travel ban was declared for Lancaster, Lebanon, Pennsylvania, Lebanon, Newberry Township, York County, Pennsylvania, Newberry Township, and York, Pennsylvania, York on January 23. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority issued a near complete shutdown of its services, shutting down all bus services and closing all rail except for the Broad Street Line and Market-Frankford Line subways. Ladder 4 backing in Jan 2016 snow jeh

Winter Storm Jonas 2016 NYC MTA Subway Service Advisory

New York City mayor Bill de Blasio declared a hazardous travel advisory for the city, encouraging people not to travel; however, he did not ban traveling. On January 22, he declared a "winter weather emergency" and told residents to "Get done what you have to get done today ... Do not bring your vehicle out tomorrow". Taking place a year after a storm prompted the closure of the New York City Subway, city's subway system in January 2015 North American blizzard, January 2015, only to largely bypass the city, Governor Andrew Cuomo stated that services would remain running. Approximately 1,800 workers equipped with 800 heaters were to keep rails clear for use. Thousands of sanitation workers, 1,700 plows, and 150,000 tons of road salt were on standby to clear city roads. He also put 600 members of the New York National Guard on standby. More than 50 power workers from Vermont were dispatched to Long Island to help restore power outages. Around noon on January 23, owing to a significant increase in expected snowfall, Cuomo issued a travel ban for all roads in New York City and Long Island. The New York City Transit Authority suspended MTA Regional Bus Operations, bus service; rail service on the Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, Metro-North, and Staten Island Railway; and elevated subway service (with underground subway lines remaining open until further notice). In the meantime, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey closed bridges and tunnels in the region. A travel ban was instituted for

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area. In New Jersey, a mandatory evacuation was ordered for residents in coastal Barnegat Township, New Jersey, Barnegat Township in anticipation of significant coastal flooding; several other towns were placed under voluntary evacuation orders. Delaware Governor Jack Markell declared a "level 1 driving warning", encouraging people not to travel and indicating drivers should be extra cautious. The Delaware Department of Transportation had 330 snow plows ready to clear roads, though many areas were expected to be impassible on January 23. Shelters were also opened for the homeless. In New Castle County, Delaware, New Castle County and Kent County, Delaware, Kent County in Delaware the Delaware Department of Transportation, Department of Transportation and Governor Jack Markell declared a Level 2 driving restriction (essential personnel on the roads only.)

Southeast

Anticipating a damaging ice storm, approximately 4,500 linemen were placed on standby to repair downed power lines in North Carolina; 1,000 state transportation workers also prepared for heavy snowfall, with crews placed on 12-hour shifts to be deployed as needed. Crews from across the country arrived to assist North Carolina power companies. Two million gallons of brine were used to pre-treat roads statewide. Across Tennessee, state offices closed for January 22, warming centers opened, and the Red Cross placed shelters on standby. The Tennessee Highway Patrol asked for people to remain off the roads, saying, "We are desperately asking you please DON'T DRIVE".

British Isles

The storm was forecast to cross the Atlantic Ocean and affect the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...

from January 26 to 28. The storm was expected to be less severe, with rain rather than snow; however, the possibility of strong winds and localized flooding was noted. Particular concern was raised over areas that 2015–16 Great Britain and Ireland floods, suffered from significant flooding during the preceding months. Wind gusts as high as were forecast for the Hebrides and for coastal Scotland. The storm in the British Isles was far less severe than in the United States and Storm Gertrude a few days later may have been worse.

Impact

The storm's widespread effects paralyzed travel across the eastern United States as it produced more than of snow across a large area along the Appalachian Mountains. At least 55 fatalities have been attributed to the storm and its aftermath: 12 in Virginia, 9 in Pennsylvania, 6 in New Jersey, 6 in New York, 6 in North Carolina, 4 in South Carolina, 3 in Maryland, 3 in Washington, D.C., 1 in Arkansas, 1 in Delaware, 1 in Georgia, 1 in Kentucky, 1 in Massachusetts, and 1 in Ohio. Throughout the affected region, more than 631,000 people lost power: 270,000 in New Jersey, 147,000 in North Carolina, 66,000 in Georgia, 55,000 in Virginia, 47,000 collectively in Delaware and Maryland, and nearly 30,000 in South Carolina. Economic losses—from lost sales revenue and wages—are estimated between $500 million and $3 billion. Moody's Analytics indicated the highest losses, stating $2.5–3 billion; however, the storm's occurrence on a weekend accounted for less losses than what would otherwise be expected. Planalytics placed losses at $850 million and Global Insight, IHS Global Insight estimated losses between $500 million and $1 billion. Although an estimate was not provided, Aon (company), AON Benfield placed losses in the billions of dollars, noting similarities to the North American blizzard of 1996, Blizzard of 1996 which inflicted $4.6 billion in economic losses. Despite the expected major losses, the rush to buy supplies ahead of the storm's arrival may mitigate the overall impact. The airline industry suffered approximately $200 million in lost revenue. Using the

Regional Snowfall Index The Regional Snowfall Index (RSI) is a scale used by NOAA to assess the societal impact of winter storms in the eastern two-thirds of the United States and classify them into one of six categories. The system was first implemented in 2014, and is ...

, the storm ranked as a Category 5, "extreme", storm for the Northeast and a Category 4, "crippling", for the Southeast. It was also ranked as a Category 3, "major", event in the Ohio Valley. Approximately 103 million people were in the storm's path, including 33 million in the expected blizzard area. About 21 million people in the Northeast experienced more than of snow. Half of the affected people were in the Northeast (which includes the Northeast megalopolis); the storm's RSI reached 20.138 in this region, the fourth-highest on record for the region. The primary factor driving its high classification was the affected population. The storm's RSI of 13.776 in the Southeast was the twelfth-highest on record.

Severe weather on the Gulf Coast

During January 21 through the early hours of January 22, severe thunderstorms brought damaging winds and hail to portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Five tornadoes touched down across Mississippi: an Enhanced Fujita Scale, EF0 near Crystal Springs, Mississippi, Crystal Springs, an EF0 near Homewood, Mississippi, Homewood, an EF1 near Loyd Star, Mississippi, Loyd Star, an EF1 near Pinola, Mississippi, Pinola, and an EF2 near Sumrall, Mississippi, Sumrall. Numerous trees and power lines were downed, multiple structures were damaged, and a few were destroyed by the tornadoes. Straight line winds near Improve, Lamar County, Mississippi, significantly damaged 10–12 homes. Hail reached in diameter in Wilmer, Louisiana. The most significant damage occurred overnight across the Florida Panhandle and neighboring Alabama. Winds gusting to downed numerous trees and power lines and damaged structures.

Southeastern states

Belle Meade Plantation during snowstorm on January 22, 2016

Snow fell across a large portion of Arkansas on January 21–22, with a daily record of observed just outside Little Rock, Arkansas, Little Rock. Snowfall was confined to the eastern half of the state, with freezing rain amounting to observed in northeastern counties. Strong winds in excess of —with a gust of measured in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Jonesboro—left more than 16,000 people in the state without power. One fatality near Hoxie, Arkansas, Hoxie was due to slippery roads. Early on January 22, heavy snow fell across parts of western Tennessee. Roads around Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville quickly became impassable, including portions of Interstates Interstate 40 in Tennessee, 40 and Interstate 24 in Tennessee and Georgia, 24, and local police reported more than 200 accidents. In Lexington, Kentucky, one accident led to injury; 17 other accidents were reported. Multiple accidents in Rockcastle County, Kentucky, Rockcastle County prompted the closure of of I-75 in Kentucky. Along a stretch of Interstate 75 in Kentucky, hundreds of drivers became stranded for more than 16 hours on January 22–23. In a separate incident, an stretch of Interstate 77 in West Virginia was blocked by stuck tractor-trailers that were lying across the highway. The National Guard was deployed to provide people with food, water, and fuel. A transportation worker died when his truck skidded off icy roads. Treacherous road conditions in North Carolina resulted in at least 571 accidents and 800 "service calls" from police. Five deaths were reported across the state. One person died in a collision on Interstate 95 in North Carolina, Interstate 95. Numerous roads were shut down accordingly. One person was killed and three others were injured in Forsyth County, North Carolina, Forsyth County. An accident along Interstate 77 in North Carolina, Interstate 77 near Troutman, North Carolina, Troutman resulted in the death of a 4-year-old boy. Freezing rain resulted in widespread power outages, bringing down numerous trees and power lines in the state. Many roads closed because of debris, including portions of Interstate 40 in North Carolina, Interstate 40 in Johnston County, North Carolina, Johnston County. Approximately 147,000 people lost power in North Carolina, with Wake County, North Carolina, Wake County accounting for 50,000 of the total. Four people died in South Carolina: two from carbon monoxide poisoning in Greenville, South Carolina, Greenville, one in a car accident on an icy road in Greenville County, South Carolina, Greenville County, and another from an accident in Jonesville, South Carolina, Jonesville. Nearly 30,000 people lost power in the state. Portions of Interstates Interstate 26 in South Carolina, 26 and Interstate 95 in South Carolina, 95 were temporarily shut down for icy conditions. Flurries were observed as far south as the coastal regions of the state, including the ACE Basin as well as Charleston, South Carolina, Charleston. Upwards of of snow fell across Georgia, with the highest totals confined to northern parts of the state. High winds downed trees and power lines, leaving approximately 66,000 people without power across the state. A postal worker was killed when strong winds blew a large branch off a tree, crushing him in his car. Snow fell as far south as Mobile, Alabama, with additional flurries extending into Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville and Gainesville, Florida, Gainesville along the Florida Panhandle late on January 22. Temperatures in Gainesville fell to . Further south in Florida, record rain of fell in West Palm Beach.

Mid-Atlantic states

Maximum snow depth was measured at in Glengary,

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

, on January 24. Baltimore, Maryland, recorded its largest snowfall on record. Two people died from heart attacks while shoveling snow and a third from undetermined causes across Maryland. A large portion of the Ocean City, Maryland, Ocean City fishing pier was destroyed by rough seas and high winds. West Virginia's emergency management reported Interstate 77 in West Virginia, Interstate 77 to be "completely shut down" following an accident involving semi-trailers. The National Guard was called in to assist clearing the stranded vehicles. Six people died from snow-related incidents in Virginia. Virginia State Police responded to 989 accidents and 793 disabled vehicles through the evening of January 22. A total of 12 people died in storm-related incidents across Virginia. One person died when their car skid off a road in Chesapeake, Virginia, Chesapeake and collided with a tree. Five people died from hypothermia: one each in Charles City, Virginia, Charles City, Gloucester County, Virginia, Gloucester County, Hampton, Virginia, Hampton, Henry County, Virginia, Henry County, and Wise County, Virginia, Wise County. A combination of snow and ice accumulation caused the roof of Donk's Theatre in Hudgins, Virginia, to collapse; the structure was deemed a total loss and will be demolished. The roof of a 4,700 ft² (437 m²) building collapsed in Charlottesville, Virginia, Charlottesville. Seven people required hospitalization for carbon monoxide poisoning at an apartment complex in Herndon, Virginia, Herndon when vents became clogged with snow. Three people died while shoveling snow in Washington, D.C. Winter Storm Jonas 2016 NYC Pershing Square

Winter Storm Jonas 2016 NYC Pershing Square

Snow-related incidents resulted in nine deaths across Pennsylvania. In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, snowfall from the storm was reported as , breaking the city's previous record snowfall of which was set in February 1983. Near Bedford, Pennsylvania, Bedford, approximately 500 vehicles became stuck along a westbound stretch of the Pennsylvania Turnpike for over 24 hours from January 22–23 near the eastern approach to the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel. Among the stranded vehicles were one bus carrying the Duquesne University Duquesne Dukes men's basketball, men's basketball team and another carrying Temple University's Temple Owls, women's gymnastics team. Despite the scale of the incident, no major injuries were reported. The band Guster, stranded in Pittsburgh by the blocking of the turnpike, held an impromptu concert in an alley. Four people died while shoveling snow: two in both Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Lancaster and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Montgomery counties. One of the dead in Montgomery County was a woman who was 8-months pregnant; the baby was declared dead on-scene when paramedics arrived. Another man died from carbon monoxide poisoning in his car in Reading, Pennsylvania, Reading after a passing snow plow buried his car in snow. January 2016 blizzard in Queens, New York

January 2016 blizzard in Queens, New York

One person died in Magnolia, Delaware, after suffering a heart attack while shoveling. A power outage at the Delaware City Refinery, thought to be related to the storm, forced the facility to shut down after chemicals were released. A mother and her 1-year-old son died from carbon monoxide poisoning in Passaic, New Jersey, after snowfall blocked their vehicle's tailpipe; a 3-year-old girl was hospitalized, but later died on January 27. Three other people died while attempting to walk home during the blizzard: one each in East Greenwich, New Jersey, East Greenwich, Hackensack, New Jersey, Hackensack, and Mahwah, New Jersey, Mahwah. Snowfall across New York City and Long Island was more intense than initially forecast, falling at rates of per hour at times. Before the travel ban was implemented, buses struggled to make their routes and long delays were common. At Central Park, a storm-total accumulation of was observed, the highest total on record for the city since observations began in 1869. This surpassed the previous record of measured during the North American blizzard of 2006, February 2006 blizzard. Accumulations reached an all-time record high of at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Police across New York City responded to more than 200 accidents and 300 disabled vehicles. Emergency personnel responded to about 3,000 9-1-1 calls across the city. Five people died while shoveling snow: two in Queens, two in unknown parts of the city, and one in Staten Island. At least two deaths in Long Island were from shoveling snow. One person was killed by a snow plow in Oyster Bay Cove, New York, Oyster Bay Cove on Long Island.

Coastal flooding

January 2016 blizzard in Ocean City - transportation center

Significant coastal flooding took place in Delaware and New Jersey. The first, and most severe, round of flooding took place during the morning of January 23. A second round took place after the storm's passage on the morning of January 24, concurrent with high tide. Record tides occurred in Lewes, Delaware. Approximately of dunes along Delaware's oceanfront coast sustained significant damage, with many areas flattened. Forty people required evacuation in Long Neck, Delaware, Long Neck and Oak Orchard, Delaware, Oak Orchard. Delaware Route 1 was shut down between Bethany Beach, Delaware, Bethany Beach and Dewey Beach, Delaware, Dewey Beach for flooding. Tides at Cape May, New Jersey, reached a record , surpassing the previous highest of set during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Fifty people required evacuation in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Atlantic City, and at least 150 homes were flooded. Strong winds accompanying the flooding caused damage to many homes. Streets in Ocean City, New Jersey, Ocean City and Stone Harbor, New Jersey, Stone Harbor were inundated with several feet of water; according to a resident in Stone Harbor, water reached in depth on some streets. Effects were most severe along the Delaware Bay. Combined with snowfall and freezing temperatures, the flooded roads became a mix of ice and slush. Long Beach Island, still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Sandy, sustained severe beach erosion. The storm's tide and waves carved cliffs along coastal beaches. A recently constructed dune in Belmar, New Jersey, Belmar held back most of the water, with one minor breach along its expanse.

New England

Southern New England experienced significant snow accumulations from Jan 23 to Jan 24. Around a foot of snow fell across Southern Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Southeastern Massachusetts. Blizzard conditions affected southeastern Massachusetts for several hours, with Nantucket and

Martha's Vineyard Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the Northeastern United States, located south of Cape Cod in Dukes County, Massachusetts, known for being a popular, affluent summer colony. Martha's Vineyard includes the s ...

reporting such conditions for four hours. Blizzard conditions were reported in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Bridgeport for 4 hours lasting from 8 am to 12 pm. Snow totals reached 16.0 in (40.6 cm) in Norwalk, Connecticut, Norwalk, Connecticut and 13.0 in (33.0 cm) on

Block Island Block Island is an island in the U.S. state of Rhode Island located in Block Island Sound approximately south of the mainland and east of Montauk Point, Long Island, New York, named after Dutch explorer Adriaen Block. It is part of Washingt ...

, Rhode Island. Wind gusts on Block Island reached while gusts in New Haven reached 52 mph (83 km/h). One person died after being struck by a snow plow.

Newfoundland and Nova Scotia

After leaving the Eastern United States, the storm complex brought light snowfall to coastal areas of Nova Scotia, Canada, on January 24. Environment Canada indicated accumulations up to alongside wind gusts of . Residents, however, reported up to of snow in Shelburne County, Nova Scotia, Shelburne County. Street parking was banned in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax on select streets to enable easier clearing of roads. On January 25, a Boeing 767 traveling from

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

, Florida, to Milan, Italy, encountered severe turbulence produced by the storm about off Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland. Of the 203 people on board, including crew, seven were injured. The aircraft made an emergency landing at St. John's International Airport.

Aftermath

January Blizzard 2016 Montgomery County, Maryland - Potomac road

Winter Storm Jonas - Fairfax Villa Neighborhood - Maple Street - 9

Many cities struggled to cope with the snowfall, including Washington, D.C., where schools and government offices remained closed through January 26, three days after the storm. Schools in Baltimore, Maryland, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, also remained closed through January 26. Side streets around the D.C. area were unplowed through January 26. Through January 27, Washington, D.C. police issued $1,078,000 worth of parking tickets and $65,600 in fines for vehicles parked or abandoned on snow emergency routes. At least 656 vehicles were towed. The ''New York Post'' described Queens, New York, as "basically forgotten" on January 25 as roads remained covered with snow. Many residents complained that snowplows did not come through their area until at least a day after the storm passed. Crews expressed that certain areas, such as in the Bronx, were difficult to navigate with snow plows and there was no place to put the snow. A resident of Pelham Bay stated that 3-1-1 operators were not picking up calls. Mayor De Blasio toured areas of Staten Island on January 24 and urged people to be patient. In contrast, both Governor Cuomo and Mayor De Blasio were praised for their handling of the storm prior to its arrival, and for being the first to issue a travel ban, which is credited for potentially saving lives. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who flew back to the state from New Hampshire during Chris Christie presidential campaign, 2016, his presidential campaign, left to resume campaigning shortly after the storm passed. He was criticized for his quick departure and heated responses to questions about why he left the state. He stated that while there was some locally significant flood damage in Southern New Jersey, the overall effects across the state did not warrant his presence. He responded to one person by saying, "I don't know what you expect me to do. You want me to go down there with a mop?" A Stockton University graduate started up a fund to provide 1,000 mops to Christie in response to his comment. On January 26, Christie apologized to North Wildwood, New Jersey, North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello for calling him "crazy" during his response to criticism the day prior. Christie also requested that Rosenello apologize on his behalf to first responders, residents, and business owners. In March, President Barack Obama declared Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. major disaster areas. The federal funding would only cover costs incurred by public infrastructure, debris removal, and emergency measures to ensure public safety. Preliminary estimates places the total cost of assistance at $168,334,023, with New Jersey accounting for $82,663,604.

Snowfall measurement reviews

Winter Storm Jonas - Fairfax Villa Neighborhood - Maple Street - 5

Following the storm, the National Weather Service conducted a review of eight snowfall observations following concerns over their quality. Measurements from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Dulles International Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and

Philadelphia International Airport Philadelphia International Airport is the primary airport serving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The airport served 19.6 million passengers annually in 2021, making it the 21st busiest airport in the United States. The airport is located from t ...

were verified as reliable. The total at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was brought into question immediately following the blizzard as the snow observers lost their measuring board during the storm; however, the assessment determined that proper procedure was continued even after the board was lost and the total was considered accurate. A review of measurements at Central Park, New York, revealed the observation was the result of a communication error and revised the storm-total to —an all-time record for New York City. Furthermore, the measurement at Newark International Airport, New Jersey, was invalidated due to measurements being taken every hour instead of every six hours thus inflating the total. The State Climate Extremes Committee also conducted a review of a potential 24-hour state snowfall record at Mount Mitchell in North Carolina. Their results showed the 24-hour observation of to be in error, erroneously inflating the snowfall totals. Properly adjusting for liquid snow ratios, the total was revised to . The storm-total accumulation was also revised from to .

Snowfall accumulations and records

Naming

The storm has received several nicknames from various media outlets. The name ''Winter Storm Jonas'' was created by The Weather Channel at the beginning of the winter storm season, and assigned to the storm system when it was forecast; it has also been used in international media, and was used by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and the United States Postal Service. Reception of the naming of storms has been mixed; ''The New York Times'' refers to the name "Jonas" as a marketing ploy while The Weather Channel maintains that it helps others prepare in advance. ''The Washington Post'' named the storm Snowmageddon, Snowzilla, referencing the 2014–16 El Niño event which has been named the "Godzilla El Niño". Connecticut-based WFSB named the system ''Anna'', after former First Lady of the United States, First Lady Anna Harrison. Other sources have dubbed the storm simply ''Blizzard of 2016'' or ''Blizzard 2016''. * *

Notes

References

External links

Winter Storm JonasWinter Storm Jonas weather imagesWinter Storm Jonas
in Chelsea, Manhattan. {{DEFAULTSORT:January 2016 North American blizzard 2015–16 North American winter, Blizzard,01 Blizzards in the United States, 2016,01 Blizzards in Canada, 2016,01 2016 meteorology, North American blizzard,01 2016 natural disasters, North American blizzard,01 2016 natural disasters in the United States, Blizzard,01 2016 disasters in Canada, Blizzard,01 F2 tornadoes, 2016,01 Nor'easters Natural disasters in Delaware, Blizzard,2016,01 Natural disasters in Georgia (U.S. state), Blizzard,2016,01 Natural disasters in Kentucky, Blizzard,2016,01 Natural disasters in Maryland, Blizzard,2016,01 Natural disasters in New Jersey, Blizzard,2016,01 Natural disasters in New York (state), Blizzard,2016,01 Natural disasters in North Carolina, Blizzard,2016,01 Natural disasters in South Carolina, Blizzard,2016,01 Natural disasters in Tennessee, Blizzard,2016,01 Natural disasters in Washington, D.C., Blizzard,2016,01 Natural disasters in West Virginia, Blizzard,2016,01 Natural disasters in Pennsylvania, Blizzard,2016,01 Tornadoes in Mississippi, 2016,01 2016 in Texas, Blizzard,01 2016 in Louisiana, Blizzard,01 2016 in Delaware, Blizzard,01 2016 in Georgia (U.S. state), Blizzard,01 2016 in Kentucky, Blizzard,01 2016 in Maryland, Blizzard,01 2016 in Mississippi, Blizzard,01 2016 in New Jersey, Blizzard,01 2016 in New York (state), Blizzard,01 2016 in North Carolina, Blizzard,01 2016 in Pennsylvania, Blizzard,01 2016 in South Carolina, Blizzard,01 2016 in Tennessee, Blizzard,01 2016 in Washington, D.C., Blizzard,01 2016 in West Virginia, Blizzard,01 2016 in Nova Scotia, Blizzard,01 2016 in Newfoundland and Labrador, Blizzard,01 2016 in the United Kingdom, Blizzard,01 2016 in Finland, Blizzard,01 2016 in Indiana, Blizzard,01 January 2016 events in the United States, Blizzard 2016 disasters in Europe 2016 disasters in the United Kingdom

Preceding storm

Meteorological history

Preparations

Mid-Atlantic

Southeast

British Isles

Impact

Severe weather on the Gulf Coast

Southeastern states

Mid-Atlantic states

Coastal flooding

New England

Newfoundland and Nova Scotia

Aftermath

Snowfall measurement reviews

Snowfall accumulations and records

Naming

See also

Notes

References

External links