 NOAA-20 imagery of the blizzard near peak intensity off the coast of New England at 17:21 UTC (12:21 p.m. EST) on January 29, 2022 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 27, 2022 |
| Exited land | January 30, 2022 |
| Dissipated | January 31, 2022 |
| Category 1 "Notable" winter storm | |
| Regional Snowfall Index: 2.29 (NOAA) | |
| Highest winds | 75 mph (120 km/h) (1-minute sustained winds) |
| Highest gusts | 99 mph (159 km/h) in Truro, Massachusetts |
| Lowest pressure | 969 mbar (hPa); 28.61 inHg |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | 35.7 in (91 cm) near Bridgewater, Massachusetts |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 2 direct, 2 indirect |
| Damage | $50 million (2022 USD) |
| Areas affected | Northeastern United States, New England, Maritime Provinces of Canada |
| Power outages | 130,000 |
| [1][2] | |
Part of the 2021–22 North American winter | |
The January 2022 North American blizzard caused widespread and disruptive impacts to the Atlantic coast of North America from northern Delaware to Nova Scotia with as much as 2.5 feet (30 in) of snowfall, blizzard conditions and coastal flooding at the end of January 2022. Forming from the energy of a strong mid- to upper-level trough, the system developed into a low-pressure area off the Southeast United States on January 28. The system then quickly intensified that night as it traveled northeast parallel to the coast on January 29, bringing heavy snowfall blown by high winds to the upper East Coast of the continent. Further north, it also moved inland in Maine and its width meant it strongly impacted all three of Canada's Maritime provinces. In some areas, mainly the coastal regions due to the wind (not the snow), areas of New Jersey, Long Island and Massachusetts, it was the first blizzard since a storm in January 2018.[3] The storm was considered a "bomb cyclone" as it rapidly intensified and barometric pressure dropped at least 24 millibars over a 24-hour period.[4] The storm was given names such as Blizzard of 2022 and Winter Storm Kenan.[5][6]
Several states in the Mid-Atlantic area and New England declared states of emergency ahead of the storm as it developed. In most areas, some transportation services, such as rail, buses, ferries and highway bridges, were closed or postponed, including thousands of flights being cancelled. Strong winds created snow drifts as high as 3 feet in some areas of South Jersey. Road conditions were dangerous in all areas with many roads unable to be traveled on due to the depth of snow. Strong wind gusts as high as 99 mph (159 km/h) knocked out power to over 130,000 residents in the affected regions. At least 4 people died as a result of the blizzard, all on Long Island, with two occurring indirectly from shoveling snow. The impact of the storm was reduced because it occurred on Friday night and Saturday when schools were closed and few people were commuting.[7] The blizzard caused at least $50 million in damages.[2]
- ^ "Four blizzard-related deaths on Long Island, three while shoveling snow". NY Daily News. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
- ^ a b Q1 Global Catastrophe Recap, Aon, April 2022
- ^ "Thousands of flights canceled as 10 million under blizzard warnings along East Coast". NBC News.
- ^ Rai, Sarakshi (January 28, 2022). "What is a bomb cyclone and what states is it hitting?". TheHill. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
- ^ Noyes • •, Danielle. "Timeline: Everything You Need to Know About the Blizzard of 2022". Archived from the original on January 29, 2022. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
- ^ "Winter Storm Kenan, a Major Nor'easter Packing Blizzard Conditions, Takes Aim at the East Coast | The Weather Channel - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on January 29, 2022. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
- ^ "Big Cleanup Underway After Record-Setting Snowfall". NBC Boston.