The 2024–25 North American winter is the current winter season that is ongoing across the continent of North America. The most notable events of the season so far have been a powerful bomb cyclone that impacted the West Coast of the United States in mid-to-late November, as well as a severe lake-effect snowstorm in the Great Lakes later that month. Additionally, a wide-range blizzard affected much of the central parts of the United States in early January. A weak La Niña or cool-neutral conditions are expected to influence the weather patterns across the continent this winter.
While there is no well-agreed-upon date used to indicate the start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, there are two definitions of winter which may be used. Based on the astronomical definition, winter begins at the winter solstice, which in 2024 occurred on December 21, and ends at the March equinox, which in 2025 will occur on March 20.[1] Based on the meteorological definition, the first day of winter is December 1 and the last day February 28.[2] Both definitions involve a period of approximately three months, with some variability. Winter is often defined by meteorologists to be the three calendar months with the lowest average temperatures. Since both definitions span the calendar year, it is possible to have a winter storm spanning two different years.
Seasonal forecasts
Temperature outlook
Precipitation outlook
The Farmers' Almanac predicted that the winter would be wet and cold with several winter storms.[3]
The blizzard on November 9 over the Rocky Mountains. Tropical Storm Rafael is also visible in the Gulf of Mexico, which it interacted with
A historic[5]blizzard, unofficially namedWinter Storm Anya by The Weather Channel, affected the Southern Rocky Mountains and adjacent High Plains starting on November 6, producing blizzard conditions across a large portion of the region.[6] At least 40.7 inches (103 cm) of snow fell in Colorado, at least 27.31 inches (69.4 cm) in New Mexico, 6 inches (15 cm) in Nebraska, 4 inches (10 cm) in Oklahoma, and 3.3 inches (8.4 cm) in Kansas.[7][8][6] In the early hours of November 7, the Weather Prediction Center, noted a large area of "extreme and widespread disruptions" was expected in parts of Colorado and New Mexico.[9] Over 52,000 customers lost power in New Mexico during the storms.[10]
A very strong bomb cyclone struck the Pacific Northwest on November 19, resulting in the death of two people and 953,000 without electric power.[11] The storm underwent bombogenesis, rapidly dropping its central pressure[12] to a record-tying level of 942 millibars (27.8 inHg).[11] The storm was associated with an atmospheric river that dropped large amounts of rain in Oregon and California.
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) issued a rare high risk of excessive rainfall in parts of Northern California, warning of "life-threatening flooding".[13] In British Columbia, Canada, over 200,000 customers of BC Hydro were left without power.[14]Highways 4, 14, 18, and 28—all on Vancouver Island—were closed due to debris and downed power lines. On Sartine Island, a gust of 159 kilometres per hour (99 mph) was reported.[15]Interstate 5 was closed due to heavy snow near the Oregon and California border. In California, some areas received up to ≥20 inches (508 millimeters) of rain.[16][17][15]
Late November–early December lake-effect snow
Lake effect snow impacted portions of northeastern Ohio and Pennsylvania near Lake Erie.[18] Storm totals of 4–5 ft (1.2–1.5 m) were expected in Ashtabula and Lake counties in Ohio and 4–6 ft (1.2–1.8 m) in Northern Erie and Southern Erie counties.[19] In preparation of the storm, Interstate 90 shut down over 80 mi (130 km) of highway. Snow also resulted in portions of Interstate 94 and Pennsylvania State Route 5 closing.[20] Snowfall totals reached 65.5 in (166 cm) in Pinckney, New York. In Erie, Pennsylvania, an all time single day snowfall record was set at 22.6 in (57 cm) with a total of 42.5 in (108 cm) of snowfall.[21] Areas slightly further north in Ontario also were severely affected, with 100 centimetres (39 in) of snow being reported in Echo Bay and 73–82 centimetres (29–32 in) in Sault Ste. Marie. Within Ontario, many collisions and accidents were reported on major highways in the Muskoska region.[22]
The winter storm resulted in two fatalities in Upstate New York, as well as 14,000 power outages in the state of Pennsylvania.[23]
December cold waves
Beginning in the first few days of December, several periods of widespread below-average temperatures moved throughout the North American continent, affecting over 200 million people in the United States and Canada, in what was the coldest start to meteorological winter for many in several years.[24][25] Temperatures ranged from 10–20 °F (5.6–11.1 °C) below average across the Northeastern United States, with places like New York City having temperatures at 40 °F (4 °C) the first five days of the month, which was the coldest such period since 2019.[24] Additionally, the first cold snap influenced a severe lake-effect snow event in the Great Lakes mentioned previously, as well as bringing colder temperatures to parts of Canada.[26] This pattern was soon replaced by a brief warm-up, before colder temperatures briefly returned by mid-month, with wind chills reaching as Iow as −40 °C (−40 °F) in the Dakotas and single-digit temperatures in Chicago, Illinois, on the morning of December 11[27] followed by another brief warm-up period.[28]
Another large spread of below-average temperatures encompassed the Northeast just as the winter solstice began on December 21, with wind chills reaching as low as −10 °F (−23 °C) in some areas.[29]
Pre-Christmas snowstorm
At the start of the winter solstice on December 20–21, a developing winter storm off the coast of the United States ended up bringing the first accumulating snowfall to many regions of the Northeast and parts of New England as well.[30] The system developed from an Alberta clipper that moved through the Upper Midwest which dropped 3–6 in (7.6–15.2 cm) to a majority of the region, before weakening and merging with a developing coastal low before spreading accumulating snow across the Northeast corridor.[31]
Chicago O'Hare International Airport issued a ground stop in response to the winter weather on December 20,[32] and the airport recorded 2.1 in (5.3 cm), with up to 5 in (13 cm) in parts of the state and up to 9 in (23 cm) fell in Wisconsin.[33] In the Northeast, Central Park in New York City recorded 1.8 in (4.6 cm) of snow, which was their first December snowfall since 2021, and the first over an inch since a nor'easter in 2020.[34] Both LaGuardia Airport at 2.8 in (7.1 cm) of snow and Islip at 2 in (5.1 cm) of snow set daily snowfall records.[35] In New Jersey, close to 5 in (13 cm) fell in the northern and northwestern portions of the state.[30] A ground stop was briefly issued at Newark Liberty International Airport.[36] Further northeast, heavier snow of 6–9 in (15–23 cm) fell in and around Boston, Massachusetts, where several car crashes were reported, road closures occurred and Logan International Airport, which received 5.3 in (13 cm), canceled or delayed dozens of flights in and out of the airport.[32] It was the heaviest snowfall in the city since a blizzard in 2022.[37]
A large-scale winter storm and blizzard began affecting the central U.S. in early January. On January 4, the interaction of the remnants from an extratropical cyclone that moved ashore the Pacific Northwest the previous day and the mountainous terrain of the Rocky Mountains led to the formation of a surface area of low pressure near the New Mexico–Texas border.[38]Atmospheric convection generated by the system over cold air already in place led to wintry precipitation developing across parts of the High Plains later that night and into the early morning of January 5.
Across 27 states within the continental United States, approximately 60 million people across a 2,100 mi (3,400 km)-long path were put under various advisories, watches and warnings, including blizzard warnings, ice storm warnings and winter storm watches and warnings.[39] In the city of Wichita and the surrounding regions, freezing rain led to icy conditions, causing accidents and slideoffs to occur on US 54.[40][41]
A major winter storm began impacting the Deep South on January 8–10. Up to 14.3 in (36 cm) of snow fell in Mena, Arkansas, with 2.2 in (5.6 cm) of snow in Dallas, 3.5 in (8.9 cm) of snow in Oklahoma City and 2.1 in (5.3 cm) of snow in Atlanta, the largest snowstorm in years for these cities.[42]Charlotte also reported 0.4 in (1.0 cm) of snow,[43] breaking the longest snowless streak on record for the city.[44] During the storm, a ground stop was issued at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, with over half of flights cancelled; significant cancellations also occurred at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Charlotte Douglas International Airport. With over 3,000 flights cancelled, it represented the most significant daily delays since July.[45] Four people were indirectly injured in the storm in Atlanta when a flight bound for Minneapolis aborted takeoff due to an engine failure.[46] A basketball game hosted by the Atlanta Hawks was postponed due to the storm.[47]
Mid-January nor'easter
A nor'easter began affecting the Northeast on January 19.
