 Snow falling at the Aubrey K. Lucas Administration Building at the University of Southern Mississippi on December 8 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | December 8, 2017 |
| Dissipated | December 18, 2017 |
| Category 2 "Minor" winter storm | |
| Regional Snowfall Index: 3.08 (NOAA) | |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | 25 in (64 cm) at Mount Mitchell, North Carolina, US |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 8 |
| Injuries | ≥45 |
| Damage | $1.06 million |
| Areas affected | Southern, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeastern United States |
| Power outages | >699,660 |
Part of the 2017–18 North American winter | |
A winter storm, unofficially named Winter Storm Benji by The Weather Channel and Storm Zubin by the Free University of Berlin, impacted portions of the Southern, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeastern United States, and later across portions of Europe in December 2017. First developing as a low-pressure area in the Gulf of Mexico, the storm system impacted the Southern United States on December 8, producing rare snowfall totals and causing hazardous travel impacts across the South. The low then moved northeastward, reaching the Big Bend and western portions of Florida, while continuing to produce snowfall totals north of the low, across a narrow band stretching from Alabama to North Carolina. A second low-pressure area formed thereafter on December 9, producing additional snow totals across the East Coast of the United States, including portions of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, before the low moved inland over Nova Scotia and The Maritimes the day after. After moving offshore, the low-pressure area strengthened, progressing over the northern Atlantic Ocean before moving over Sweden and Finland and subsequently dissipating.
The impacts of the winter storm in the Southern United States set numerous snowfall records across Texas and Louisiana and caused extensive damage to power infrastructure and property damage that totaled $965,000, including $820,000 in Mississippi alone. Additionally, snow accumulated across parts of the Florida panhandle, with snow flurries being reported as far south as Miramar Beach, Destin, and Pensacola. In southern Florida, severe weather also occurred after a squall line developed along a cold front, which produced wind damage that caused $50,000 in property damage across western and southern parts of the state. In the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, hundreds of vehicle accidents occurred from the heavy snowfall and resulted in New York City receiving its first major snowfall of the 2017–18 winter season. The low-pressure area associated with the winter storm also caused high winds across Germany and severe weather in Switzerland. Overall, the impacts from the winter storm killed eight people and injured at least 45[a] others.
- ^ Koerting, Katrina (December 10, 2017). "Season's first snow leaves several inches for western Connecticut". The News-Times. Archived from the original on December 12, 2017. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
- ^ Dowling, Brian (December 10, 2017). "Winter blows into Bay State". Boston Herald. Archived from the original on November 28, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
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