22-28, 1969, snowstorm that impacted portions of the Northeast. The Superstorm of 1993 ranks second on the overall list, behind the Feb. Every major airport on the East Coast closed for a time during the storm, and most interstates north of Atlanta were closed. This storm produced record snowfall, with up to 60 inches reported, and caused $5.5 billion in damage. One of the biggest snowstorms is the Superstorm of 1993, which was rated category 5 and impacted the Northeast, Ohio Valley and Southeast from March 11-14. Satellite image from March 12, 1993, of the "Superstorm of 1993." (NOAA)
Northeast: 6Northern Rockies and Plains: 9Ohio Valley: 2South: 4Southeast: 5Upper Midwest: 4 Numerous major snowstorms have occurred in March, and even into early April, for areas east of the Rockies.Īs categorized by the Regional Snowfall Index (RSI), ranking snowstorm impacts ranging from category 1 to category 5 based on spatial extent, amount of snowfall and population impacted, here is a look at how many category 4 or 5 snowstorms have occurred in each region in March or April since 1900: (MORE: 5 Reasons March Weather is Frustrating ) Biggest March or Later Snowstorms Wrapped-up low-pressure systems near the East Coast, and tracking into the upper Midwest and Great Lakes, occasionally are able to tap just enough cold air near the surface to produce snow, particularly in northern New England and the northern Great Lakes. Of course, snow isn't confined to the Rockies and High Plains after March 1.Ī broad swath from New England to the Great Lakes, northern Plains, Rockies, Cascades and Sierra Nevada picks up at least 6 inches of snow each season after March 1.Īt times, the jet stream aims its moisture at parts of the West Coast for days at a time, wringing out feet of mountain snow when a plume of moisture called an atmospheric river is tapped. Mount Rushmore, South Dakota: 11.3 inches.Here are a few locations where April is the snowiest month (average April snowfall is noted): Some cities where March is the snowiest include (average March snowfall is noted): claim March as their snowiest month, and another 34 claim April as their snowiest month. Brian Brettschneider Data: NOAA/NCEI)īrettschneider said 346 reporting stations in the U.S. The average snowiest month in areas that typically pick up over 3 inches of snow each year, based on 1981-2010 average snowfall data.