February 9–11, 2017 North American blizzard
The blizzard rapidly deepening just offshore of the Northeastern United States on February 9 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | February 6, 2017 |
| Exited land | February 10, 2017 |
| Dissipated | February 11, 2017 |
| Category 1 "Notable" blizzard | |
| Regional snowfall index: 2.15 (NOAA) | |
| Highest gusts | 70 mph (110 km/h) near Hyannis, Massachusetts |
| Lowest pressure | 969 mbar (hPa); 28.61 inHg |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | 24.0 in (61 cm) near Cooper, Maine |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 1 total |
| Damage | Unknown |
| Areas affected | Central Plains, Midwest, Ohio Valley, Northeast (Mid-Atlantic states, especially the New England states), Atlantic Canada, Greenland |
| Power outages | 80,000+ |
Part of the 2016–17 North American winter | |
From February 8–9, 2017, a fast-moving but powerful blizzard, unofficially named Winter Storm Niko by The Weather Channel, affected the Northeastern United States with winter weather and very heavy snowfall. Forming as an Alberta clipper in the northern United States, the system initially produced light snowfall from the Midwest to the Ohio Valley as it tracked southeastwards. It eventually reached the East Coast of the United States and began to rapidly grow into a powerful nor'easter. Up to 18 inches (46 cm) of snow as well as blizzard conditions were recorded in some of the hardest hit areas before the system moved away from the coastline early on February 10.
Prior to the blizzard, unprecedented and record-breaking warmth had enveloped the region, with record highs of above 60 °F (16 °C) recorded in several areas, including Central Park in New York City. Some were caught off guard by the warmth and had little time to prepare for the snowstorm, with some meteorologists calling the extreme weather changes "unprecedented".