January 2008 North American storm complex
The January 2008 North American Superstorm nearing peak intensity, on January 4, 2008 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | December 29, 2007 (2nd storm formed) |
| Dissipated | January 22, 2008 (3rd storm dissipated) |
| Extratropical cyclone | |
| Lowest pressure | 956 millibars (28.2 inHg) |
| Maximum rainfall | 10 inches (250 mm) of rain in Loma Prieta, California 37.7-foot (11.5 m) waves |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | 132 inches (340 cm) of snow at Kirkwood Ski Resort, California |
| Tornado outbreak | |
| Tornadoes | 55 confirmed |
| Maximum rating | EF3 tornado |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | At least 16 1 missing |
| Damage | At least $129 million |
| Areas affected | Eastern Russia, Alaska, Contiguous United States, Canada, Northern Mexico, Iceland, United Kingdom, Northern Europe, European Russia |
Part of the 2007–08 North American winter and the Tornadoes of 2008 | |
The January 2008 North American storm complex was a powerful Pacific extratropical cyclone that affected a large portion of North America, primarily stretching from western British Columbia to near the Tijuana, Mexico area, starting on January 3, 2008. The system was responsible for flooding rains across many areas in California along with very strong winds locally exceeding hurricane force strength as well as heavy mountain snows across the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain chains as well as those in Idaho, Utah and Colorado. The storms were responsible for the death of at least 12 people across three states, and extensive damage to utility services as well, as damage to some other structures. The storm was also responsible for most of the January 2008 tornado outbreak from January 7–8.