PlainHazard

Winter Storm

NOAA Storm Events type · 92,199 records since 1996 · 51 states and territories

The National Weather Service defines winter storm as: "A winter weather event that has more than one significant hazard (i.e., heavy snow and blowing snow; snow and ice; snow and sleet; sleet and ice; or snow, sleet and ice) and meets or exceeds locally/regionally defined 12 and/or 24 hour warning criteria for at least one of the precipitation elements." NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 92,199 winter storm records from 1996 through June 30, 2026, the most in Colorado (5,496), with 635 deaths recorded.

How the National Weather Service files winter storm

A winter weather event that has more than one significant hazard (i.e., heavy snow and blowing snow; snow and ice; snow and sleet; sleet and ice; or snow, sleet and ice) and meets or exceeds locally/regionally defined 12 and/or 24 hour warning criteria for at least one of the precipitation elements. If the event that occurred is considered significant, even though it affected a small area, it should be entered into Storm Data.
National Weather Service Instruction 10-1605, Storm Data Preparation (July 26, 2021), Appendix A, entry 54

Source: National Weather Service Instruction 10-1605. Read the instruction (PDF).

Winter Storm, 1996 to 2026

Records per year (2026 to June 30, 2026).

  • recorded, no damage figure
  • under $10 million
  • $10 million or more
  • $100 million or more
  • $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
  • $10 billion or more, or 1,000 deaths
  • a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
  • a year with a death
Records
92,1991996 to June 30, 2026
Deaths
6353,444 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$4.0Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Counties with a record
3,036of 3,266

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026. Search the record at NCEI.

Where do winter storm records happen?

States

  1. Colorado 5,496
  2. Minnesota 5,122
  3. Michigan 4,104
  4. Nebraska 4,055
  5. Wyoming 4,039
  6. New York 3,970
  7. Iowa 3,848
  8. Virginia 3,802
  9. Wisconsin 3,692
  10. Montana 3,626
  11. Missouri 3,097
  12. Illinois 2,927
  13. South Dakota 2,895
  14. Kansas 2,730
  15. Ohio 2,524

Counties

  1. Carbon County, WY 864
  2. Garfield County, CO 765
  3. Albany County, WY 670
  4. Routt County, CO 626
  5. Fremont County, WY 588
  6. Moffat County, CO 588
  7. Huerfano County, CO 577
  8. Saguache County, CO 535
  9. Sublette County, WY 501
  10. Gunnison County, CO 478

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (forecast-zone records count on every county the zone covers).

When do winter storm records happen?

52% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The busiest month is January.

The values, month by month

Jan 25,569 · Feb 22,283 · Mar 12,922 · Apr 5,397 · May 713 · Jun 21 · Jul 0 · Aug 1 · Sep 183 · Oct 1,731 · Nov 5,742 · Dec 17,637 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

The deadliest winter storm records

The winter storm records with the most deaths
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2024-01-12 Winter StormClackamas County and 2 more, OR · forecast zone Greater Portland Metro Area Blizzard-like conditions were observed at the height of the storm with roughly 1 to 4 inches of a snow/sleet across the Portland and Vancouver metro area and widespread east wind gusts of 35-55 mph. This led to hundreds of downed trees and limbs, resulting in widespread and extended power outages. Multnomah County, ... 9 16 $9.6M
2007-01-12 Winter StormWashita County, OK · forecast zone Washita A strong winter storm crippled much of Oklahoma from January 12th through the 14th, spreading snow, freezing rain and sleet across the state. The snow and sleet was confined to northern and western Oklahoma. The freezing rain and sleet occurred mainly over central and southwest Oklahoma, with mainly freezing rain over ... 7 0 $7K
1997-01-15 Winter StormCook County, IL · forecast zone Cook On January 15th, 4 to 6 inches of snow fell across much of northern Illinois. A narrow band of heavy snow fell from Aurora, in southeast Kane County, to southern Lake County Illinois. Snowfall totals: officially 4.2 inches fell at O'hare, 8.5 inches at Aurora, 10 inches at Lincolnshire, 5.3 inches at Midway, 5.5 ... 5 0 –
2000-03-20 Winter StormNavajo County, AZ · forecast zone Little Colorado River Valley In Navajo County A powerful winter storm blanketed northern Arizona with heavy snow. Some of the highest elevations reported around 2 feet of snow. There were a number of trafic accidents with some fatalities. A DPS officer and 3 residents of the Navajo Reservatioin were killed on US Highway 89 in Page and two children were injured. A ... 5 0 –
2025-03-13 Winter StormCoconino County, AZ · forecast zone Western Mogollon Rim Snow started falling across the Western Mogollon Rim by late morning on Thursday March 13. A snow squall started moving across the zone around 320 PM with strong winds (40 MPH +) and very low visibility. An 18 to 22 car pile-up occured west bound on Interstate 40 at mile post 159 just west of Williams. The wreck ... 5 0 –
2025-02-13 Winter StormFlathead County and 2 more, MT · forecast zone Flathead/Mission Valleys Multiple social media reports indicated that roads became very slick during the evening of the 14th. One individual noted that while at the ER, three or four separate people were being treated for serious injuries from vehicle accidents that evening. Another person stated, 'Highway 2 between Evergreen and Columbia ... 4 4 –
2011-10-29 Winter StormBucks County, PA · forecast zone Bucks An unprecedented winter storm for late October not only dropped heavy snow across most of Eastern Pennsylvania, but caused widespread power outages and road closures as many deciduous trees still had foliage. Nearly one million utility customers in Eastern Pennsylvania lost power and power was not fully restored until ... 4 2 –
1998-01-11 Winter StormJuab County and 4 more, UT · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains South Of I80 A broad Pacific trough moved through the region. High winds occurred with the cold front on the 11th. Some of the highest gusts included: Mt. Ogden 107 mph (93kts), Hidden Peak 71 mph (62kts), Bountiful 50 mph (43kts), NWSFO SLC 47 mph (41kts) and Logan 43 mph (37kts). Criteria snow fell in all listed zones with Alta ... 4 0 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, deaths direct and indirect as filed.

The most recent winter storm records

To June 30, 2026
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-05-20 Winter StormCarbon County and 3 more, MT · forecast zone Absaroka / Beartooth Mountains 0 0 –
2026-05-18 Winter StormNatrona County, WY · forecast zone Natrona County Lower Elevations 0 0 –
2026-05-17 Winter StormSweetwater County, WY · forecast zone East Sweetwater County 0 0 –
2026-05-17 Winter StormFremont County, WY · forecast zone Lander Foothills 0 0 –
2026-05-17 Winter StormNatrona County, WY · forecast zone Casper Mountain 0 0 –
2026-05-17 Winter StormFremont County and 2 more, WY · forecast zone Green Mountains & Rattlesnake Range 0 0 –
2026-05-17 Winter StormFremont County and Sublette County, WY · forecast zone Wind River Mountains East 0 0 –
2026-05-17 Winter StormBoulder County and 3 more, CO · forecast zone S & E Jackson / Larimer / N & Ne Grand / Nw Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet 0 0 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

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