Winter Storm Europa Spreads Icy Mess Into Parts of the Northeast as Blizzard Conditions Wind Down in the Northern Plains

December 26,2016
Winter Storm Europa has already dumped over a foot of snow in parts of the West and northern Plains, with blizzard conditions crippling travel in parts of the Dakotas, and now its mess of sleet and freezing rain is impacting eastern New York and northern New England.
Hundreds of miles of interstates were closed across the Dakotas and Wyoming, and a snow emergency has been declared in Bismarck, North Dakota, where over a foot of snow has fallen.
(LATEST NEWS: Winter Storm Europa Brings Travel to a Halt)

Current Radar and Conditions

Freezing rain and winter weather advisories are in effect from parts of northeast Pennsylvania and northwest New Jersey to eastern New York and northern New England as Europa spreads its reach into the interior Northeast.

Winter Weather Alerts

Additional Snow, Ice, Wind Forecasts

Up to a quarter inch of ice is possible in parts of northern New York, northern Vermont, northern New Hampshire and northwest Maine through Monday evening. Locations where freezing rain mixes with snow or sleet will see lesser ice accumulations.
This may lead to icy roads, some accumulation on trees and at least some sporadic power outages.
Over 6 inches of snowfall is possible in far northern Maine.

Additional Snowfall Forecast

Forecast of more significant ice accumulation Monday from Winter Storm Europa.

In the northern Plains, it will take some time after winds die down later tonight into early Tuesday for plows to clear roads plagued by significant drifting snow.

Snowfall Totals, So Far

Here is a list of the highest snowfall totals from each state, separated by region.

West

Arizona: 14.5 inches near Flagstaff; 12.1 inches at Flagstaff Airport
California: 32 inches on top of Mammoth Mountain
Colorado: 18.5 inches at Coal Bank Pass
Idaho: 22.3 inches near Sedwick Peak Snotel
Montana: 14.7 inches near West Yellowstone
Nevada: 18 inches near Pioche
​New Mexico: 10 inches near Arroyo Seco at the Taos Powderhorn Snotel
Oregon: 7 inches near Prineville
Utah: 24.9 inches near Almo at the George Creek Snotel; 4.9 inches in Salt Lake City
Washington: 8.3 inches near Clayton
Wyoming: 15.0 inches in Jackson
Saturday into Sunday, Flagstaff, Arizona, picked up a foot of snow, while Salt Lake City received just shy of 5 inches. Some mountain West locations ended up with more than 2 feet of snow.
It was the snowiest Christmas Day in 110 years of records in Riverton, Wyoming (6.8 inches), with drifts up to 5 feet observed at the National Weather Serivce office, there.
Wind gusts to 110 mph were clocked in Gold Hill, Colorado, in the foothills west of Boulder on Christmas Day. Trees were downed in the city of Boulder, some on vehicles.

Plains

Minnesota: 4.5 inches in Greenbush and Roseau
Nebraska: 6.0 inches in Hemingford
North Dakota: 18 inches in Underwood
South Dakota: 10 inches in near Lead
Blizzard conditions were reported in Rapid City, South Dakota, Bismarck, North Dakota and at Mondell Field in northeast Wyoming. Wind gusts in Rapid City remained over 50 mph for 5 hours Sunday evening.
Drifts up to chest-high were reported near Porcupine, South Dakota. Wind gusts over 60 mph snapped power poles near Philip, South Dakota.
Bismarck, North Dakota, through December 26 has had its snowiest "season-to-date", already piling up 43.5 inches of season snow through Monday morning.
Snow accumulated on Christmas Day at the rate of 4 inches in less than an hour near Morristown, South Dakota. Thundersnow was reported in several locations in the Dakotas.
While all rain, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, saw its first Christmas Day thunderstorm on record.

Ice Accretion, So Far

Iowa: 0.13 inches in Osage
Minnesota: 0.30 inches near Hillman
North Dakota: 0.5 inches in Havana and Jamestown
South Dakota: 1.5 inches in Summit (may be mixed with sleet)
Wisconsin: 0.25 inches near Clayton
Michigan: 0.10 inch in many locations in the U.P., including Ironwood, Munising, and Manistique
Widespread ice accumulations of 0.5 to 1.0 inches occured on Christmas in eastern and southeastern South Dakota. Some may have been mixed with sleet.
Widespread tree damage and isolated power outages occurred in eastern and central South Dakota and eastern North Dakota, as well as in Cass and Crow Wing Counties, Minnesota.
The entire towns of Venturia and Zeeland, North Dakota lost power due to heavy icing.
About one-eighth inch of ice accumulation was observed in the southwest Minneapolis suburb of Eden Prairie late Christmas night.
Europa (your-OH-pah) is named from Greek mythology, the name of a princess who was abducted by Zeus. Europe is named for her.

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