January 2016 United States blizzard facts for kids
.jpg)
The intensifying extratropical cyclone responsible for the blizzard over the Northeastern United States, at 2:15 a.m. EST (07:15 UTC) on January 23, 2016.
|
|
| Type | Extratropical cyclone Nor'easter Winter storm Ice storm Blizzard |
|---|---|
| Formed | 2016 |
| Dissipated | 2016 |
| Damage | $500 million – $3 billion in economic losses |
| Power outages | 631,000+ people affected |
| Total fatalities | At least 55 fatalities |
| Areas affected | Pacific Northwest, Great Plains, South Central United States, Eastern United States (especially the Mid-Atlantic states), Atlantic Canada, British Isles, Finland |
The January 2016 United States blizzard was a very big severe weather event. It caused many states in the Mid-Atlantic region to declare a state of emergency. This means they needed to prepare for a serious situation. The blizzard happened between January 20 and 25, 2016.
From January 20 to 22, the leaders of eleven states and the mayor of Washington, D.C. announced a state of emergency. They did this because they expected a lot of snow and blizzard conditions. About 103 million people were affected by this storm. Also, 33 million people were under official blizzard warnings.
More than 13,000 flights were cancelled because of the storm. Its effects were felt even in other countries. Thousands of National Guardsmen were ready to help. States used millions of gallons of brine (salty water) and thousands of tons of road salt. This was to make roads safer. A travel ban was put in place for New York City and Newark, New Jersey on January 23–24. People gave the storm different unofficial names. Some called it Winter Storm Jonas, Blizzard of 2016, or Snowzilla.
Two to three feet of snow fell from Virginia all the way to New England. Snow also fell in Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The storm even caused tornadoes and hail from Louisiana to Florida.
How the Storm Affected People
The storm caused huge problems for travel across the eastern United States. It brought more than 20 inches (51 cm) of snow to a large area near the Appalachian Mountains. At least 55 people died because of the storm or its aftermath. Across the affected areas, more than 631,000 people lost electricity.
Images for kids
-
The developing storm system at 9:30 p.m. EST on January 21 (02:30 UTC, January 22), over the southern United States
-
The January 2016 United States blizzard seen from the International Space Station (ISS).
-
Highway signs in Maryland and Virginia warned about the coming blizzard.
-
Forecast of expected weather conditions across the eastern United States for Saturday, January 23. Blue shows snow, green shows rain, and purple shows mixed precipitation. Darker colors mean heavier precipitation.
-
Cars buried in snow in suburban Washington, DC.
-
Five-foot snow drifts in Reading, Pennsylvania.
-
Emergency services in New York City, like the fire department (pictured), kept working during the snowstorm.
-
A service advisory in an unusually empty Grand Central–42nd Street station. It warned that elevated subway service would soon stop.
-
Snowfall at the Belle Meade Plantation in Tennessee on January 22.
-
What the area looked like after the storm in Cleveland Park, Washington D.C.
-
Heavy snowfall at Pershing Square, Manhattan, New York.
-
Street flooding in Ocean City, New Jersey, on January 23.
-
Snow depth in Montgomery County, Maryland.
-
A partially frozen pond in Central Park, New York City.
-
A car stuck in snow on an unplowed road in Northern Virginia on January 24.
-
The aftermath of the blizzard in the Fairfax Villa neighborhood in Fairfax, Virginia. You can see unplowed streets and buried cars here.
_in_McLean,_Fairfax_County,_Virginia-cropped.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Tormenta de invierno en Estados Unidos de enero de 2016 para niños
