 Satellite image of the storm on October 29, 2011 | |
| Type | Extratropical cyclone Nor'easter Blizzard Winter storm |
|---|---|
| Formed | October 28, 2011 |
| Dissipated | November 1, 2011 (Exited to sea) |
| Lowest pressure | 971 mb (28.67 inHg) |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | 32 inches (81 cm), Peru, Massachusetts[1] |
| Fatalities | 39 total[2][3] |
| Damage | $1-3 billion (2011 USD) |
| Power outages | >3,389,000 |
| Areas affected | Northeastern United States, Atlantic Canada |
Part of the 2011–12 North American winter | |
The 2011 Halloween nor'easter, sometimes referred to as "Snowtober,"[4] "Shocktober,"[5] "Storm Alfred,"[6] and "Oktoberblast," was a large low pressure area that produced unusually early snowfall across the northeastern United States and the Canadian Maritimes. It formed early on October 29 along a cold front to the southeast of the Carolinas. As it moved up the East Coast, its associated snowfall broke records in at least 20 cities for total accumulations, resulting in a rare "white Halloween" two days later.
The storm arrived just two months after Hurricane Irene caused extensive power outages and property damage in the Northeast; with the 2011 New England tornado outbreak also causing damage in Western Massachusetts. It dumped snow on trees that were often still in leaf, adding extra weight, with the ground in some areas still soft from a preceding warm, rainy period that increased the possibility trees could be uprooted. Trees and branches that collapsed caused considerable damage, particularly to power lines, with estimates of storm costs ranging between $1 billion and $3 billion. In all, 3.2 million U.S. residences and businesses[7] in 12 states experienced power outages, with the storm also impacting three Canadian provinces.
Some customers in Connecticut did not get power back until early November;[8] many outages lasted 11 days.[9] Many communities chose to postpone celebrations of Halloween from two days to a week later as a result, or cancel them entirely. Delays in restoring power led to the resignation of the chief operating officer of Connecticut Light & Power amid widespread criticism of the company's mishandling of both the nor'easter and Irene.[10]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
hpc11was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Bloomberg03was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "More than 1.6 million still without power after Northeast storm". CNN. November 1, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
- ^ "Historic October Northeast storm: Epic. incredible. Downright ridiculous". The Washington Post. October 31, 2011.
- ^ "'Shocktober': Unseasonable snow hits US East Coast". BBC. October 31, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
- ^ "CT resumes digging out from 'Alfred'". Hartford Business.com. October 31, 2011. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
- ^ Transmission Facility Outages During the Northeast Snowstorm of October 29–30, 2011, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and North American Electric Reliability Corporation, 2012-05-12, pages 5-8. Retrieved 2014-05-03.
- ^ Mahony, Edmund (December 28, 2011). "Extreme Weather Of 2011: Freak October Snowstorm". The Hartford Courant. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
- ^ Transmission Facility Outages During the Northeast Snowstorm of October 29–30, 2011, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and North American Electric Reliability Corporation, May 12, 2012, 8
- ^ http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Butler-resigns-as-CL-P-chief-2274349.php "Butler resigns as CL&P chief," Connecticut Post, 2011-11-18. Retrieved 2014-05-03.