December 2014 North American storm complex

December 2014 North American storm complex
Satellite image of the system off the coast of California, on December 10, 2014, with the flow of the Pineapple Express marked by the yellow arrow
TypeExtratropical cyclone
Bomb cyclone
Blizzard
Nor'easter
Winter storm
Tornado outbreak
European windstorm
FormedNovember 30, 2014
DissipatedDecember 28, 2014[2]
Highest gust139 mph (224 km/h) (White Mountain Peak)[3]
Lowest pressure960 mbar (28 inHg)[4]
Tornadoes
confirmed		6 confirmed[1]
Max. rating1EF0 tornado
Duration of
tornado outbreak2		2 days, 12 hours and 3 minutes
Maximum snowfall
or ice accretion		14.6 in (37 cm) of rainfall (Petrified Forest)[3]
Fatalities2 confirmed[5]
Areas affectedSoutheast Alaska, Western Canada, Contiguous United States, Great Lakes region, Eastern Canada, Southern Greenland, Iceland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe, Western Russia

1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale
2Time from first tornado to last tornado

The December 2014 North American storm complex was a powerful winter storm (referred to by some as California's "Storm of the Decade"[6][7]) that impacted the West Coast of the United States, beginning on the night of December 10, 2014, resulting in snow, wind, and flood watches.[8] Fueled by the Pineapple Express, an atmospheric river originating in the tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean adjacent to the Hawaiian Islands, the storm was the strongest to affect California since January 2010.[7][9][10] The system was also the single most intense storm to impact the West Coast, in terms of minimum low pressure, since a powerful winter storm in January 2008. The National Weather Service classified the storm as a significant threat,[11] and issued 15 warnings and advisories,[7] including a Blizzard Warning for the Northern Sierra Nevada (the first issued in California since January 2008).[12]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference December 2014 California monster storm spawns a tornado was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Freia is absorbed was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Freia becomes bomb cyclone was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference afp was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference huffpo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference cbslocal was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Fritz, Angela (December 10, 2014). "Strongest West Coast storm in five years promises flooding rain, heavy snow, and extreme wind". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
  9. ^ Rice, Doyle (December 10, 2014). "California braces for fiercest storm in 5 years". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 10, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  10. ^ "California: State Braces for Powerful Wind and Floods". The New York Times. No. December 10, 2014. December 10, 2014. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  11. ^ "NorCal storm continues". National Weather Service Forecast Office, Sacramento. December 11, 2014. Archived from the original on March 7, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  12. ^ Rocha, Veronica (December 10, 2014). "California braces for major winter storm". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 11, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2014.