January 2017 North American Ice Storm

The January 2017 North American ice storm was a major ice storm that impacted the Great Plains, Pacific Northwest, and American Midwest. During the storm, multiple U.S. states declared states of emergency, and icy road conditions caused traffic incidents and fatalities. It was Named Winter Storm Jupiter by the weather channel. An outbreak of 11 tornadoes also struck Texas, injuring two.

Meteorological history

In mid-January, an unusual surge of atmospheric moisture surged into northwestern Mexico associated with an upper-level low near California. This moisture began to move into the High Plains and Central United States by the jet stream ahead of the low late on January 13, and, with below-freezing temperatures at the surface in much of Oklahoma, northern Texas, and Kansas, freezing rain began to explode into existence. The frozen precipitation continued to blossom as the day progressed. The low began to inject the aforementioned moisture into the state of Texas and Oklahoma as it slowly moved east-northeastwards across the Baja California peninsula and across the northern Gulf of California throughout the day on January 14. Meanwhile, icy conditions continued in much of the Central United States.

By late on January 14, a surface low developed east of the upper-low as it moved swiftly towards the United States–Mexico border. The surface low, while intensifying, as a result of interaction with the incoming moisture, developed a squall line of thunderstorms along its cold front, as it and the upper-low emerged into the Southwestern United States. The entire storm system continued to push northeastwards through the state of Texas on January 15. In advance of the squall line that was moving rapidly to the east, scattered supercell thunderstorms popped up, and at one point during the nighttime hours, a tornado warning had to be issued for the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, a rare occurrence.

Preparations and impact

West

Oregon

The storm impacted Portland, Oregon on January 10, 2017. Blizzard conditions caused Interstate 84 to close between Troutdale, Oregon and Hood River, Oregon. Governor Kate Brown declared a state of emergency in Oregon, and the mayor Ted Wheeler declared a state of emergency for the city of Portland, Oregon on January 11. Downtown Portland received 11 inches of snow in a 12-hour period, making it the largest snowstorm for the city in twenty years. Crater Lake National Park temporarily closed due to the snow, as well as an avalanche caused by the storm.

California

On January 13, 2017, the storm caused snowfall in the mountains near San Diego.

Midwest

Missouri

On January 13, 2017, the storm covered Missouri with freezing rain, causing hazardous driving conditions and scattered power outages. Lambert Airport canceled most of its flights due to the ice. Missouri Governor Eric Greitens declared a state of emergency and called up the Missouri National Guard. The Missouri Department of Transportation reported that it responded to about 100 crashes on January 13, 2017. A woman from Crystal City, Missouri

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