By: By Jon Erdman
Published: November 26,2013
Tom Niziol, winter weather expert for the Weather Channel (Facebook | Twitter), says that roughly 58 million Americans were affected by either snow or ice from the Desert Southwest to northern New England, an area over 2.5 million square miles.
Let's break down the weather statistics on a state-by-state basis from Boreas.
Southwest
Selected snowfall totals, in inches, from Winter Storm Boreas in the Southwest.
The estimated total in southeast Utah remains the highest snow total from Boreas. Moab, Utah, known as a destination for slick-rock biking and for its proximity to both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, picked up almost an entire season's worth of snow (6.9 inch average for season) in just one storm (6.5 inches).
At least 50 motorists were stranded on a snow-covered stretch of U.S. 93 in Lincoln County, Nevada.
It wasn't just about the snow in the Southwest.
High winds in the Sierra and hills east of Oakland, Calif. downed trees and powerlines, some on homes, claiming three lives. Wind gusts exceeded 100 mph on and off for over 24 hours at Ward Mountain.
Downed trees, impressive waves on W shore of Lk. Tahoe. Peak gust 129 mph at Ward Mt. - Alpine Meadows (HT @NWSReno) http://ow.ly/i/3OuPh
The rain also made some headlines in the Desert Southwest.
Much of the Phoenix valley picked up over 2 inches of rain, most of it falling on Nov. 22. Officially, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport chalked up its second wettest November day on Nov. 22, picking up 1.60 inches. Only a day 90 years ago exceeded this soaking day, in November records dating to 1895. It hadn't rained measurably in Phoenix since Sept. 9.
Las Vegas also saw raindrops for the first time in over two months. Nov. 21 was its wettest November day since 1972 (0.90 inches). In total, McCarran Airport measured 1.37 inches from Nov. 21-23.
In a five-hour period on Nov. 21, Las Vegas metro police reported a total of 112 vehicle crashes in the wet conditions.
With a potent cold air mass plunging well into the Southern Plains,
the stage was set for a wintry mess once the lumbering upper-level low
and its attendant moisture arrived over the cold air.
As you can see, some areas picked up some impressive snow totals.
Vinson, Okla. (13 inches) was the Plains winner, while 10 inches piled up in both Hedley and near Wellington, Texas.
But arguably the bigger headache from Boreas was ice.
At least a light ice accumulation in trees was observed as far south as near Boerne, Texas, just northwest of San Antonio. Power outages from ice accumulation and winds plagued parts of West Texas, the Texas Panhandle, north Texas, Oklahoma, and eastern New Mexico.
Marathon, Texas reported one-half inch of ice on roads with power outages. Up to two inches of accumulated sleet and freezing rain turned Interstate 20 into an ice rink near Odessa, Texas, shutting down overpasses and stranding motorists for a period of time on Nov. 24.
Boreas prompted the National Weather Service office in Lubbock, Texas to issue its first ice storm warning since Jan. 28, 2010.
The wintry mess then spread into north Texas, parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas and extreme northern Louisiana on the Monday of Thanksgiving week.
Generally speaking, most ice accumulations were on elevated surfaces, bridges and overpasses, including the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex, as surface temperatures remained marginal for icing. However, just enough icing occurred to trigger at least 13,000 outages in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metro.
Trees were downed due to the weight of ice in Polk, Iredell and Henderson Counties, in western North Carolina. Some light icing was also observed into western Virginia, including around Lynchburg.
Fortunately, warmer air was starting to work in, changing precipitation to rain in most areas.
Incidentally, precipitation from Boreas pushed Asheville, N.C. to a new yearly precipitation record, topping the previous record of 64.91 inches set in 1973.
(BOREAS COVERAGE: Forecast | Live Blog | News)
MORE: Winter Storm Boreas Photos
Much of the Phoenix valley picked up over 2 inches of rain, most of it falling on Nov. 22. Officially, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport chalked up its second wettest November day on Nov. 22, picking up 1.60 inches. Only a day 90 years ago exceeded this soaking day, in November records dating to 1895. It hadn't rained measurably in Phoenix since Sept. 9.
Las Vegas also saw raindrops for the first time in over two months. Nov. 21 was its wettest November day since 1972 (0.90 inches). In total, McCarran Airport measured 1.37 inches from Nov. 21-23.
In a five-hour period on Nov. 21, Las Vegas metro police reported a total of 112 vehicle crashes in the wet conditions.
Southern Plains
Winter Storm Boreas peak snow totals (inches) in the Southern Plains.
As you can see, some areas picked up some impressive snow totals.
Vinson, Okla. (13 inches) was the Plains winner, while 10 inches piled up in both Hedley and near Wellington, Texas.
But arguably the bigger headache from Boreas was ice.
At least a light ice accumulation in trees was observed as far south as near Boerne, Texas, just northwest of San Antonio. Power outages from ice accumulation and winds plagued parts of West Texas, the Texas Panhandle, north Texas, Oklahoma, and eastern New Mexico.
Marathon, Texas reported one-half inch of ice on roads with power outages. Up to two inches of accumulated sleet and freezing rain turned Interstate 20 into an ice rink near Odessa, Texas, shutting down overpasses and stranding motorists for a period of time on Nov. 24.
Boreas prompted the National Weather Service office in Lubbock, Texas to issue its first ice storm warning since Jan. 28, 2010.
The wintry mess then spread into north Texas, parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas and extreme northern Louisiana on the Monday of Thanksgiving week.
Generally speaking, most ice accumulations were on elevated surfaces, bridges and overpasses, including the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex, as surface temperatures remained marginal for icing. However, just enough icing occurred to trigger at least 13,000 outages in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metro.
Southeast
Monday night into Tuesday morning (Nov. 25-26), just enough cold air remained trapped in a few areas to allow freezing rain to become a nuisance.Trees were downed due to the weight of ice in Polk, Iredell and Henderson Counties, in western North Carolina. Some light icing was also observed into western Virginia, including around Lynchburg.
Fortunately, warmer air was starting to work in, changing precipitation to rain in most areas.
Incidentally, precipitation from Boreas pushed Asheville, N.C. to a new yearly precipitation record, topping the previous record of 64.91 inches set in 1973.
(BOREAS COVERAGE: Forecast | Live Blog | News)
MORE: Winter Storm Boreas Photos
Travelers who arrived on a bus from Virginia
pull their suitcases along a sidewalk in the Chinatown section of New
York, Nov. 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
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