North American blizzard of 2003 facts for kids

42nd street, NYC, near the UN, looking West during the February 2003 winter storm.

The Blizzard of 2003 was a huge snowstorm that hit the East Coast of the United States and Canada. It's also known as the Presidents' Day Storm of 2003. This big storm started on February 15 and lasted until February 18, 2003.

Many cities in the Northeast US got tons of snow. It was the biggest snowstorm of the winter of 2002-2003. Places like Washington, D.C. and Boston were covered in deep snow. It made it very hard for people to travel. For cities like Baltimore and Boston, this was the biggest snowstorm they had ever seen!

How the Storm Started

The Blizzard of 2003 began in the southern Rocky Mountains on February 14. From there, it slowly moved east. It traveled towards southern Missouri and the Lower Tennessee Valley.

As the storm moved, it brought different kinds of weather. In the Deep South, it caused heavy rain and even the first tornado of 2003. In the Midwest, people saw lots of snow and ice.

Snow and Ice Across the Midwest

Some areas in the Midwest got a lot of snow. Southern Iowa and eastern Illinois were hit hard. For example, Des Moines received about 11 inches (28 cm) of snow.

In Kentucky, the storm was mostly an ice storm. Some places there got up to 3/4 inch (2 cm) of ice. Meanwhile, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore had a little snow on February 15. The weather was very cold, and the storm moved slowly.

The Storm Hits the Northeast

Early on February 16, heavy snow began to fall in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Soon after, the snow started in Philadelphia. The snow fell very fast and kept piling up because it was so cold.

The heavy snow continued all day. By evening, it reached New York City. Around the same time, the snow in Washington, D.C. changed to sleet. This is why Washington, D.C. ended up with less snow than other cities.

Snow Continues in Other Cities

In the rest of the Northeast, the snow kept falling for most of the night. In Washington, D.C., the sleet turned back into snow by the next morning before stopping completely.

Blizzard Warnings were issued for New York City and Boston. The snow began in Boston on February 17. By the evening, the heavy snow stopped in New York City. It finally ended in Boston on the morning of February 18. After that, the storm became weaker and brought only a few inches of snow to other parts of New England.

What Happened Because of the Storm

This huge snowstorm really slowed down life across the East Coast. The heavy snow made travel very difficult.

Airport Closures

Many major airports had to close. These included Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport in New York. Dulles Airport only had one runway open.

Driving Was Impossible

With so much snow falling, driving was almost impossible in many areas. Roads were covered, and many people stayed home.

Museum Roof Collapses

In Baltimore, the roof of the historic B&O Railroad Museum collapsed because of the heavy snow. This sad event damaged many valuable old train engines, railroad cars, and other train items.

Images for kids

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  The B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore on February 17, 2003, shortly after its roof collapsed

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  Madison Avenue, NYC, near Grand Central Terminal, looking South during the February 2003 winter storm.

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  Times Square, NYC, during the February 2003 winter storm. Image shows the city garbage collection trucks outfitted with snow plows and scoops.

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  Corner in Hells Kitchen neighborhood, NYC, during the February 2003 winter storm.