North American ice storm of January 1961

Ice Storm of January 1961
TypeIce storm
FormedJanuary 1, 1961
DissipatedJanuary 3, 1961
Lowest pressureUnknown
Maximum snowfall
or ice accretion		~8 inches (freezing rain)
DamageUnknown
Areas affectednorthern Idaho

The North American ice storm of January 1961 was a massive ice storm that struck areas of the Idaho Panhandle in the United States on January 1–3, 1961.[1] The storm set a record for thickest recorded ice accumulation from a single storm in the United States, at eight inches.[2][3]

The storm's swath covered areas from Grangeville, Idaho, to the Canada–United States border. According to the National Weather Service, a combination of dense fog, sub-freezing temperatures, and occasional freezing rain led to the heavy ice accretions. Catastrophic damage to trees and utilities resulted in widespread power outages.[2][4]

Prior to the storm, previous records of between four and six inches of ice were recorded in New York City and Texas.[2]

  1. ^ Paul, Bimal Kanti (2020-12-07). Natural Hazards and Disasters: From Avalanches and Climate Change to Water Spouts and Wildfires [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-6214-4.
  2. ^ a b c National Weather Service — January 3, 2010. Accessed 1-3-2010.
  3. ^ Salzmann, Mary Elizabeth (2015-01-01). Biggest, Baddest Book of Storms. ABDO. ISBN 978-1-62969-404-7.
  4. ^ "The Nation's Worst Ice Storms". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 2021-09-22.