At least 4 killed as powerful storm dumps record-breaking snow, U.S.

At least 4 people died and more than 120 000 customers were left without power after a powerful Nor'easter hit the U.S. East Coast on Saturday, January 29, and Sunday, January 30, 2022. More than 16 million people were placed under winter weather alerts.

The storm rapidly intensified into a bomb cyclone on January 29 dropping heavy snow and producing hurricane-force winds. The heaviest snow was recorded in eastern Massachusetts where 78.48 cm (30.9 inches) was registered in Stoughton, about 32 km (20 miles) SW of Boston.

Snowfall rates in Boston reached 5 – 10 cm (2 – 4 inches) per hour, but even higher rates were registered in Norfolk County.¹

Numerous locations broke daily snowfall records on January 29, including Boston which tied the record for biggest 1-day snowfall with 59.9 cm (23.6 inches).

The storm total is 60.4 cm (23.8 inches) but 5 mm (0.2 inches) fell on January 28. Its previous daily snowfall record for January 29 was just 93.9 cm (3.7 inches) set in 1928.

According to an AccuWeather analysis, the total of 60.4 cm (23.8 inches) makes for the seventh-largest snowfall event in Boston history.

Atlantic City, New Jersey crushed its all-time January snowfall record by Saturday, reaching a monthly total of 84.3 cm (33.2 inches) of snow. The previous record of 51.5 cm (20.3 inches) was set in 1987.

The city's 35.5 cm (14 inches) of snow Saturday also beat its previous record for the calendar date, which was set in 2014 at 18.5 cm (7.3 inches).²

Final snowfall reports from the January 28-29, 2022 blizzard. Highest totals by state:
MA-Stoughton 30.9"
NY-Islip 24.7"
RI-Warren 24.6"
CT-Norwick 22"
ME-Veazie 22"
NJ-Bayville 21"
DE- Lewes 14.2"
MD-Ocean Pines 14"
NH-Rye 13.5"
VA-Wallops Island 9.5"
PA-Lower Makefield 9" pic.twitter.com/qIzPHUM4pD

— NWS Eastern Region (@NWSEastern) January 30, 2022

BOMBOGENESIS! The latest @NWSWPC and @NWSOPC surface map analyzed the rapidly strengthening low-pressure system at 975 mb, a 35 mb drop in the last 18 hours! Visible satellite imagery reveals a classic, "comma-shape" system, indicative of a maturing cyclone. pic.twitter.com/ry4a0iIhTm

— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) January 29, 2022

Updated 2021-2022 seasonal snowfall totals at Eastern US NWS climate stations as of 5 pm Sunday January 30th. pic.twitter.com/J6fMAojRQ5

— NWS Eastern Region (@NWSEastern) January 30, 2022

Blizzard 2022. I think this best captured what yesterday’s blizzard felt like in Boston. The Old State House (and me) just getting battered with wind and snow. @ericfisher @growingwisdom @wbz @JimCantore @TheBostonCal @NatlParkService #Boston #bostonblizzard pic.twitter.com/VzM9YdQcJ9

— JackDarylPhotography (@jackdaryl) January 30, 2022

The entire Northeast was covered in snow before the event was over. The average snow depth, as of January 30, was 31.4 cm (12.4 inches) while the maximum was 117 cm (46.1 inches).

Image credit: NOAA/GOES-16, RAMMB/CIRA, TW. Acquired at 14:30 UTC on January 30, 2022

The storm is blamed for the deaths of at least 4 people. 

Three of the dead were found in the snow next to their shovels on Long Island, New York, on Saturday, while a snowplow driver found an elderly woman dead inside her vehicle overnight in Uniondale, NY.

The total number of flight cancellations within, into, or out of the United States reached 5 000. More than 2 600 flights were delayed within the country alone.

References:

¹ Boston buried after nor'easter dumps 23.8 inches of snow – AccuWeather

² Thousands lose power in the brutal cold after a bomb cyclone dumps record-setting snow – CNN

Featured image credit: NOAA/GOES-16, RAMMB/CIRA, TW. Acquired at 14:30 UTC on January 30, 2022