The February 2019 North American winter storm was one of three powerful winter storms that affected the continent in early February. This storm, in particular, paralyzed travel in parts of the Midwest, Northeast as well as Eastern Canada.
Meteorological history An area of low pressure from the Pacific made landfall and tracked towards the Northern Plains by February 11, 2019. Afterward, the storm affected the Great Lakes region and the Northeast before heading north into Atlantic Canada and eventually, moving out to sea.
Impacts Western United States
Heavy snow in central Washington lead to the closures of US Route 2 and Interstate 90.Seattle receives the most snow in 70 years, bitter cold temperatures expected, CBS News, February 9, 2019 Interstate 82 closed in similar areas as well.Blizzard buffets Yakima Valley with more to come, Yakima Herald Valley, February 9, 2019 At Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Alaska Airlines cancelled 1,100 flights and suffered $15 million in losses.Alaska Airlines struggled to handle last weekend’s snowstorm, The Seattle Times, February 21, 2021 The winter storm killed 1600 cows in the Yakima Valley.Winter storms kills 1,600 dairy cows in region, KimaTV, February 12, 2019 In Southern California, Interstate 5 shut down north of Los Angeles due to the inclement weather.Interstate 5 shut down north of Los Angeles due to snowstorm, Las Vegas Review Journal, February 10, 2019
Northern Plains
Roads and windshields were coated with ice as a result of a period of freezing drizzle in the Kearney, Nebraska area.Winter Storm Maya will hammer the Midwest, Northeast with snow, ice through Wednesday, KVOA, February 13, 2019
Midwest
Several accidents were reported on the I-94 in Wisconsin. Certain highways in Eastern Iowa were left impassible February 12 (the day after the storm) due to a combination of fresh snowfall and strong winds, which resulted in blowing and drifting snow. Negaunee, Michigan received of snowfall. Ice accretion in Northern Illinois and Northern Ohio downed power lines, leaving over 70,000 ComEd customers and some in Henry and Williams counties (Northwestern Ohio) without power.
Northeast
Significant ice accretion, more than a quarter-inch thick, occurred in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland, damaging trees and causing isolated power outages. Boston experienced their largest snowfall thus far this season, with . Over a foot of snow fell in Upstate New York, Northern Vermont, Northern New Hampshire and Western Maine. Further south, of snow fell in New York City.Snow, sleet, freezing rain hits NY, NJ, Pix11, February 12, 2019 A person was killed in a traffic crash relating to the storm in New Jersey.
Eastern Canada
With of snow in the forecast for Southern Ontario and Southern Quebec, widespread school and business closures ensued. 70 km/h northwesterly winds following the storm brought lake effect snow squalls, further increasing snowfall totals. Residents complained of Toronto's snow removal operations.
See also
January 2019 North American winter storm – another crippling winter storm that affected similar areas two weeks prior January–February 2019 North American cold wave – disruptive coldwave occurring simultaneously to the storm
References