North American blizzard of 2005
 | This article needs additional citations for verification.(February 2024) |
 Satellite image of the blizzard making its way across the Atlantic states. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 20, 2005 |
| Dissipated | January 23, 2005 |
| Category 4 "Crippling" blizzard | |
| Regional snowfall index: 10.34 (NOAA) | |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | 33.0 in Salem, Massachusetts |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | At least 12 (including 3 firefighters from NYC) |
| Damage | Unknown |
| Areas affected | Upper Midwest, Great Lakes Region, Northeastern United States, British Isles, Scandinavian Peninsula |
The North American blizzard of 2005 was a three-day storm that affected large areas of the northern United States, dropping more than 3 feet (0.9 m) of snow in parts of southeastern Massachusetts, as well as much of the Boston metropolitan area. While this was by far the hardest hit region, it was also a significant snowstorm for the Philadelphia and New York City areas, which both suffered occasional blizzard conditions and 12–15 in (30–38 cm) snow accumulations.[1]
The storm began dropping snow on the upper Midwest on Thursday, January 20, 2005. It slowly moved eastward affecting the Great Lakes region and the Mid-Atlantic states on Friday and Saturday, January 21 and January 22, 2005. On Saturday evening the storm entered the Southern New England area. The strength of the storm, coupled with the extreme Arctic temperatures, created a light, fluffy snow which increased the snowfall totals.
The storm shut down Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts and T. F. Green Airport in Rhode Island, while also impairing travel throughout much of Massachusetts due to the high amount of snow covering the roads. Practically all schools in the Metrowest and South East regions of Massachusetts were closed for at least two days. Cape Cod Community College, as well as all public schools on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket were closed for up to a week.
After traveling across the Atlantic Ocean, the storm system hit parts of Great Britain and Ireland and the Scandinavian peninsula, causing even more widespread blackouts and a small number of deaths in the region.
Conditions
Conditions throughout much of eastern Massachusetts were near-whiteout and, in some cases, were whiteout. State Police in both Dartmouth and Middleborough suggested that residents travel as little as possible. Major highways, such as Route 24, Route 6 and Route 140, could not be properly cleared because of the heavy snowfall and high winds. Secondary highways, such as Route 79 were nearly impassable in some areas.
Many Boston-area newscasters credit the New England Patriots football game on January 23 for keeping most travellers indoors, avoiding the pile-ups and endless lines of stuck cars that were the hallmark of the Blizzard of 1978. The fact that the storm fell on a weekend when many people did not have to go to work or school also helped to this effect.
Aftermath
With much of the snow cleared from the roads by the evening of January 24, snowpiles on street corners were in excess of ten feet high in some locations. Roads were severely narrowed in most congested areas, due to parked cars that were not towed and instead simply plowed in. Most schools in eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island remained closed for an extended period of time to allow for clean-up of the road debris.
Storm totals
Connecticut
| County | Location | Storm total | Report date | Report time | Snow measurement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Litchfield | Lichfield | 12.2 inches (31 cm) | ||||
| Hartford | Burlington | 13.3 inches (34 cm) | ||||
| East Granby | 14.3 inches (36 cm) | |||||
| South Windsor | 11.5 inches (29 cm) | January 23 | 1:14 p.m. | |||
| Southington | 12.8 inches (33 cm) | January 24 | 8:54 p.m. | Measurements from the general public | ||
| Unionville | 8.8 inches (22 cm) | January 23 | 1:30 p.m. | |||
| Windsor | 11.0 inches (28 cm) | 8:20 p.m. | ||||
| Windsor Locks | 12.5 inches (32 cm) | 1:08 p.m. | Measurements from Bradley International Airport (BDL) | |||
| Tolland | Andover | 7.0 inches (18 cm) | 3:09 p.m. | |||
| Hebron | 12.0 inches (30 cm) | 1:20 p.m. | ||||
| Stafford Springs | 16.0 inches (41 cm) | 2:23 p.m. | ||||
| Storrs | 7.0 inches (18 cm) | 1:23 p.m. | ||||
| Windham | Ashford | 9.0 inches (23 cm) | 1:16 p.m. | |||
| Eastford | 8.0 inches (20 cm) | 1:21 p.m. | ||||
| North Grosvenordale | 14.0 inches (36 cm) | 2:18 p.m. | ||||
| Plainfield | 9.5 inches (24 cm) | 1:22 p.m. |
Massachusetts
| County | Location | Storm total | Report date | Report time | Snow measurement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable | Brewster | 28.5 inches (72 cm) | January 23 | 8:20 p.m. | ||
| Harwich Port | 28.0 inches (71 cm) | 10:49 p.m. | Measurements from the general public | |||
| Mashpee | 30.5 inches (77 cm) | 5:23 p.m. | ||||
| North Eastham | 26.5 inches (67 cm) | 5:28 p.m. | ||||
| Sagamore Beach | 30.0 inches (76 cm) | 9:44 p.m. | ||||
| Sandwich | 24.0 inches (61 cm) | 3:15 p.m. | Measurements from a NWS employee | |||
| Yarmouth Port | 29.0 inches (74 cm) | 2:40 p.m. | ||||
| Bristol | Acushnet | 21.5 inches (55 cm) | 3:04 p.m. | |||
| Easton | 23.0 inches (58 cm) | 1:07 p.m. | W.E. 1.71 | |||
| Fairhaven | 25.5 inches (65 cm) | 8:47 p.m. | ||||
| New Bedford | 26.0 inches (66 cm) | 5 feet (1.5 m) drifts | ||||
| Rehoboth | 25.0 inches (64 cm) | January 23 | 2:47 p.m. | |||
| Seekonk | 15.0 inches (38 cm) | 4:30 p.m. | 5 feet (1.5 m) drifts | |||
| Somerset | 20.0 inches (51 cm) | 3:03 p.m. | ||||
| Taunton | 18.0 inches (46 cm) | 7:00 p.m. | 5 feet (1.5 m) drifts | |||
| 26.0 inches (66 cm) | 3:31 p.m. | NWS Office KBOX | ||||
| Dukes | Edgartown | 24.0 inches (61 cm) | 2:40 p.m. | |||
| Essex | Beverly | 26.0 inches (66 cm) | 8:02 p.m. | Measurements from CO-Op observer | ||
| Haverhill | 20.0 inches (51 cm) | 9:59 p.m. | 7 feet (2.1 m) drifts | |||
| Ipswich | 26.0 inches (66 cm) | 3:10 p.m. | ||||
| Lawrence | 23.0 inches (58 cm) | 1:30 p.m. | ||||
| Lynn | 24.0 inches (61 cm) | 2:50 p.m. | ||||
| Manchester | 26.5 inches (67 cm) | 3:09 p.m. | ||||
| Marblehead | 26.0 inches (66 cm) | 9:41 p.m. | ||||
| Marblehead Neck | 29.0 inches (74 cm) | 2:34 p.m. | ||||
| Methuen | 23.0 inches (58 cm) | 2:04 p.m. | ||||
| North Andover | 26.0 inches (66 cm) | 1:00 p.m. | 6 feet (1.8 m) drifts | |||
| North Beverly | 32.0 inches (81 cm) | 8:25 p.m. | ||||
| Peabody | 30.0 inches (76 cm) | 1:55 p.m. | ||||
| Rowley | 24.0 inches (61 cm) | 2:56 p.m. | ||||
| Salem | 27.0 inches (69 cm) | 10:40 p.m. | Measurements from Salem State | |||
| 33.0 inches (84 cm) | 2:56 p.m. | Em | ||||
| Saugus | 30.0 inches (76 cm) | 2:34 p.m. | ||||
| Swampscott | 24.0 inches (61 cm) | 3:53 p.m. | ||||
| Topsfield | 30.0 inches (76 cm) | 5:52 p.m. | ||||
| West Peabody | 3:53 p.m. | |||||
| Franklin | Ashfield | 15.5 inches (39 cm) | 3:38 p.m. | |||
| Hampden | Chicopee | 14.0 inches (36 cm) | 11:56 p.m. | |||
| Granville | 12.0 inches (30 cm) | 2:15 p.m. | ||||
| Southwick | 10.0 inches (25 cm) | 2:23 p.m. | 0.84 inches (2.1 cm) | |||
| Wilbraham | 11.0 inches (28 cm) | 2:07 p.m. | ||||
| Hampshire | Amherst | 10.0 inches (25 cm) | 2:06 p.m. | |||
| Belchertown | 8.5 inches (22 cm) | 2:05 p.m. | ||||
| Northampton | 12.0 inches (30 cm) | 2:32 p.m. | ||||
| South Hadley | 11.0 inches (28 cm) | 2:31 p.m. | ||||
| Southampton | 12.5 inches (32 cm) | 2:06 p.m. | ||||
| Middlesex | Ayer | 20.3 inches (52 cm) | 3:30 p.m. | |||
| Belmont | 26.0 inches (66 cm) | 9:18 p.m. | ||||
| Billerica | 27.5 inches (70 cm) | 9:17 p.m. | ||||
| Cambridge | 27.0 inches (69 cm) | 2:58 p.m. | ||||
| Chelmsford | 18.5 inches (47 cm) | 2:19 p.m. | ||||
| Dracut | 18.2 inches (46 cm) | 2:20 p.m. | ||||
| Everett | 26.5 inches (67 cm) | 3:00 p.m. | ||||
| Hudson | 13.5 inches (34 cm) | |||||
| Lexington | 21.0 inches (53 cm) | 2:49 p.m. | ||||
| Littleton | 19.0 inches (48 cm) | 2:41 p.m. | ||||
| Malden | 26.0 inches (66 cm) | 2:30 p.m. | ||||
| North Billerica | 25.0 inches (64 cm) | 1:00 p.m. | ||||
| Pepperell | 18.0 inches (46 cm) | 2:49 p.m. | ||||
| Shirley | 14.0 inches (36 cm) | 1:05 p.m. | ||||
| South Chelmsford | 27.0 inches (69 cm) | 1:14 p.m. | ||||
| Stoneham | 21.0 inches (53 cm) | 1:23 p.m. | ||||
| Townsend | 18.0 inches (46 cm) | 4:02 p.m. | ||||
| Wayland | 22.0 inches (56 cm) | 3:40 p.m. | ||||
| Westford | 5:26 p.m. | |||||
| Wilmington | 27.0 inches (69 cm) | 1:37 p.m. | ||||
| Woburn | 24.0 inches (61 cm) | 10:40 p.m. | ||||
| Nantucket | Nantucket | 4:00 p.m. | ||||
| Norfolk | Braintree | 28.3 inches (72 cm) | 4:42 p.m. | |||
| Canton | 22.0 inches (56 cm) | 2:59 p.m. | ||||
| Dedham | 4:00 p.m. | |||||
| Foxboro | 25.1 inches (64 cm) | 5:11 p.m. | ||||
| Franklin | 23.0 inches (58 cm) | 3:09 p.m. | ||||
| Millis | 25.0 inches (64 cm) | 4:00 p.m. | ||||
| Milton | 27.0 inches (69 cm) | |||||
| Needham | 25.0 inches (64 cm) | 9:21 p.m. | ||||
| North Attleboro | 28.1 inches (71 cm) | 7:37 p.m. | ||||
| Plainville | 20.0 inches (51 cm) | 2:48 p.m. | ||||
| Randolph | 25.0 inches (64 cm) | 8:19 p.m. | ||||
| Sharon | 26.0 inches (66 cm) | 4:30 p.m. | ||||
| South Weymouth | 27.0 inches (69 cm) | 9:18 p.m. | ||||
| Walpole | 20.5 inches (52 cm) | 2:40 p.m. | ||||
| Wellesley | 17.2 inches (44 cm) | 2:39 p.m. | ||||
| Weymouth | 28.5 inches (72 cm) | 2:44 p.m. | ||||
| Plymouth | Brockton | 21.2 inches (54 cm) | 5:20 p.m. | |||
| Hanson | 24.2 inches (61 cm) | 3:11 p.m. | ||||
| Hingham | 20.5 inches (52 cm) | 5:07 p.m. | ||||
| Kingston | 24.0 inches (61 cm) | 9:41 p.m. | ||||
| Lakeville | 30.0 inches (76 cm) | 1:17 p.m. | ||||
| Manomet | 28.0 inches (71 cm) | 10:40 p.m. | ||||
| Marion | 21.0 inches (53 cm) | 8:35 p.m. | ||||
| Marshfield | 25.0 inches (64 cm) | 2:30 p.m. | ||||
| Plymouth | 33.0 inches (84 cm) | 7:02 p.m. | ||||
| Plympton | 30.0 inches (76 cm) | 10:41 p.m. | Measurement from the general public | |||
| Rockland | 27.0 inches (69 cm) | 8:03 p.m. | ||||
| Scituate | 21.5 inches (55 cm) | 4:01 p.m. | ||||
| Wareham | 26.0 inches (66 cm) | 3:09 p.m. | ||||
| West Duxbury | 24.0 inches (61 cm) | 2:43 p.m. | ||||
| Whitman | 23.0 inches (58 cm) | 3:02 p.m. | ||||
| Suffolk | Boston Common | 26.0 inches (66 cm) | 1:16 p.m. | Measurement from a NWS employee | ||
| East Boston | 22.5 inches (57 cm) | 7:00 p.m. | Measurement from Logan International Airport | |||
| Roslindale | 25.5 inches (65 cm) | 3:05 p.m. | ||||
| Winthrop | 28.6 inches (73 cm) | 4:00 p.m. | ||||
| Winthrop Square | 27.0 inches (69 cm) | 10:00 p.m. | ||||
| Worcester | Ashburnham | 14.0 inches (36 cm) | 9:17 p.m. | |||
| Athol | 12.0 inches (30 cm) | 2:33 p.m. | ||||
| Boylston | 18.1 inches (46 cm) | 3:04 p.m. | ||||
| Fitchburg | 20.7 inches (53 cm) | 2:10 p.m. | ||||
| Gardner | 22.0 inches (56 cm) | 2:50 p.m. | ||||
| Holden | 19.0 inches (48 cm) | 2:04 p.m. | ||||
| Leicester | 17.0 inches (43 cm) | 1:33 p.m. | 3 to 4 feet (0.91 to 1.22 m) drifts | |||
| Lunenburg | 18.5 inches (47 cm) | 2:02 p.m. | ||||
| North Grafton | 21.0 inches (53 cm) | 1:04 p.m. | ret NWS orh oic | |||
| Northborough | 26.0 inches (66 cm) | 3:19 p.m. | ||||
| Old Sturbridge | 18.0 inches (46 cm) | 2:03 p.m. | ||||
| Oxford | 15.0 inches (38 cm) | 2:07 p.m. | ||||
| Shrewsbury | 23.0 inches (58 cm) | 3:25 p.m. | ||||
| Southborough | 22.0 inches (56 cm) | 3:11 p.m. | ||||
| Spencer | 18.0 inches (46 cm) | 2:05 p.m. | ||||
| Uxbridge | 26.0 inches (66 cm) | 1:29 p.m. | ||||
| Webster | 23.0 inches (58 cm) | 2:02 p.m. | ||||
| West Brookfield | 15.0 inches (38 cm) | 2:30 p.m. | ||||
| West Warren | 12.5 inches (32 cm) | 3:14 p.m. |
New Hampshire
| County | Location | Storm total | Report date | Report time | Snow measurement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheshire | Alstead | 12.5 inches (32 cm) | January 23 | 1:03 p.m. | ||
| Dublin | 18.5 inches (47 cm) | 1:21 p.m. | ||||
| Hillsborough | Greenville | 16.5 inches (42 cm) | 2:20 p.m. | |||
| Hollis | 19.0 inches (48 cm) | 3:45 p.m. | ||||
| Hudson | 15.6 inches (40 cm) | 1:36 p.m. | ||||
| Nashua | 18.5 inches (47 cm) | 4:00 p.m. | ||||
| New Ipswich | 17.5 inches (44 cm) | 1:35 p.m. | ||||
| South Weare | 12.5 inches (32 cm) | 4:29 p.m. | ||||
| Rockingham | Atkinson | 26.8 inches (68 cm) | 7:00 a.m. | |||
| Plaistow | 24.0 inches (61 cm) | 12:35 p.m. |
New York
| County | Location | Storm total | Report date | Report time | Snow measurement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ulster | Kingston | 12.2 inches (31 cm) |
Pennsylvania
| County | Location | Storm total | Report date | Report time | Snow measurement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berks | Morgantown | 10.0 inches (25 cm) | ||||
| Bucks | Langhorne | 13.0 inches (33 cm) | ||||
| Perkasie | 12.0 inches (30 cm) | |||||
| Yardley | 15.8 inches (40 cm) | |||||
| Carbon | Albrightsville | 13.0 inches (33 cm) | ||||
| Lehighton | 11.5 inches (29 cm) | |||||
| Chester | Honey Brook | 8.0 inches (20 cm) | ||||
| Phoenixville | 11.8 inches (30 cm) | |||||
| Delaware | Boothwyn | 11.0 inches (28 cm) | ||||
| Radnor | 13.6 inches (35 cm) | |||||
| Lehigh | Germansville | 10.2 inches (26 cm) | ||||
| Lehigh Valley International Airport | 10.6 inches (27 cm) | |||||
| Monroe | Pocono Summit | 10.0 inches (25 cm) | ||||
| Saylorsburg | 11.0 inches (28 cm) | |||||
| Montgomery | Conshohocken | 13.5 inches (34 cm) | ||||
| Green Lane | 11.0 inches (28 cm) | |||||
| Palm | ||||||
| Northampton | Easton | 12.0 inches (30 cm) | ||||
| Forks Township | 14.9 inches (38 cm) | |||||
| Philadelphia | Northeast Philadelphia | 13.4 inches (34 cm) | ||||
| Philadelphia International Airport | 12.6 inches (32 cm) |
Rhode Island
| County | Location | Storm total | Report date | Report time | Snow measurement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol | Bristol | 21 inches (53 cm) | January 23 | 5:02 p.m. | ||
| Kent | Warwick | 23.4 inches (59 cm) | 1:02 p.m. | TF Green (Pvd) | ||
| 20.9 inches (53 cm) | 3:16 p.m. | |||||
| West Warwick | 24.5 inches (62 cm) | 2:51 p.m. | ||||
| Providence | Cranston | 21.0 inches (53 cm) | 2:53 p.m. | |||
| Greenville | 21.5 inches (55 cm) | 1:13 p.m. | ||||
| Johnston Memorial | 22.5 inches (57 cm) | 4:03 p.m. | Measurement from a NWS employee | |||
| North Cumberland | 27.0 inches (69 cm) | 7:45 p.m. | ||||
| Pawtucket | 16.0 inches (41 cm) | 2:10 p.m. | ||||
| Rumford | 19.0 inches (48 cm) | 10:46 p.m. | ||||
| Woonsocket Reservoir | 18.9 inches (48 cm) | 1:55 p.m. | 1.36 inches (3.5 cm) | |||
| Rhode Island | Hopkinton | 21.0 inches (53 cm) | 2:36 p.m. | |||
| North Kingstown | 17.0 inches (43 cm) | 1:02 p.m. | ||||
| Westerly | 20.0 inches (51 cm) | 5:35 p.m. | 5 feet (1.5 m) drifts |
See also
References
- ^"Blizzard in U.S. ranked among century's worst". The New York Times. January 25, 2005. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
External links
