December 2010 North American blizzard
Visible satellite imagery of the nor'easter from the Aqua satellite offshore Cape Cod near peak intensity, during the afternoon of December 27. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | December 22, 2010 |
| Exited land | December 28, 2010 |
| Dissipated | December 30, 2010 |
| Category 2 "Minor" blizzard | |
| Regional snowfall index: 3.27 (NOAA) | |
| Highest winds | 65 mph (100 km/h) (1-minute sustained winds) |
| Highest gusts | 95 mph (153 km/h) in Scituate, Massachusetts |
| Lowest pressure | 960 mbar (hPa); 28.35 inHg |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | 36 inches (91 cm) at Brick, New Jersey |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 7 total |
| Damage | $60 million (2010 USD) |
| Areas affected | Western United States, Central United States, East Coast of the United States, Eastern Canada, Bermuda |
Part of the 2010–11 North American winter | |
From December 26–28, 2010, a historic and severe blizzard, known commonly as the Blizzard of 2010 or the Boxing Day Blizzard, affected the Northeastern United States with coastal flooding and heavy snowfall of up to 2–3 feet (24–36 in) just after Christmas Day. It was the first significant winter storm of the 2010–11 North American winter storm season and the fifth North American blizzard of 2010. The blizzard affected the northeast megalopolis, which includes major cities such as Norfolk, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Newark, New York City, Hartford, Providence, and Boston. In some locations, it was the heaviest since the January 1996 blizzard.
The storm had many similarities to the North American blizzard of 2006. The storm also generated a rare meteorological phenomenon known as thundersnow in which thunder and lightning occur concurrently with the falling snow. Several synoptic factors contributed to the intensity of this blizzard. At least 7 people were confirmed to have died from the blizzard, and damages are estimated to be around US$60 million.