The 2013–14 North American winter was extremely active, deadly, record-breaking and bitterly cold for the United States and North America as a whole, due in part to the collapse of the polar vortex in November 2013, which allowed very cold air to travel down into the United States, leading to an extended period of very cold temperatures. The pattern continued mostly uninterrupted throughout the winter and numerous significant winter storms affected the Eastern United States. The Weather Prediction Center (WPC) tracked a total of 27 significant winter storms from November to May, underlining the hyperactivity during the winter months. Several of these events included a massive storm complex that affected most of the country and Canada before Christmas, two separate blizzards that affected the Northeast during the month of January with up to of snow, and a rare Gulf Coast winter storm. The most notable of these events ended up being a powerful winter storm and nor’easter that dumped ice and snow in the Southeastern United States and the Northeastern United States in mid-February. Most of the cold weather abated by the end of March, though a few winter storms did affect the Western United States towards the end of the winter.
Due to the polar vortex phenomenon, a majority of the United States had one of their coldest and snowiest years on record, particularly in cities east of the Mississippi River, as a result of several storms taking a favorable path through the Northeast and along the coastline, supplied by plentiful cold air. The city of Detroit ended up having its snowiest winter on record. Additionally, arctic air plunged south enough that areas along the Gulf Coast of the United States experienced wintry precipitation, which is a rarity and left many citizens unprepared there as a result. Collectively, the wintry weather resulted in approximately 134 deaths in total across the continent, with damage estimated to be over US$5 billion (2014 USD).
While there is no well-agreed-upon date used to indicate the start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, there are two definitions of winter which may be used. Based on the astronomical definition, winter begins at the winter solstice, which in 2013 occurred on December 21, and ends at the March equinox, which in 2014 occurred on March 20. Based on the meteorological definition, the first day of winter is December 1 and the last day February 28. Both definitions involve a period of approximately three months, with some variability.
Seasonal forecasts
On November 21, 2013, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center issued its U.S. Winter Outlook. Sea surface temperatures had been near average since spring 2012, and forecasters expected these conditions to continue through winter 2013–14, with neither El Niño nor La Niña conditions expected to affect the season's climate. In the outlook, little rainfall was anticipated in the Southwestern United States, and the development of drought was expected in the Southeastern United States. Below-average levels of precipitation and below-average temperatures were expected in the Alaskan panhandle. Below-average temperatures were also favored in the Northern Plains, while above-average temperatures were favored in New England, the South-Central, Southeastern, and Southwestern United States, and western Alaska. The remainder of the country fell into the outlook's "equal chance" category, with an equal chance of above-average, below-average, and near-average temperatures and/or precipitation.
Seasonal summary
The 2013–14 winter season was characterized by prolonged periods of extremely cold temperatures across the eastern half of United States, as well as numerous high-impact winter storms, caused by a persistent pattern of strong mid-level ridging over the western half of the continent and mid-level troughiness over the eastern half – due in part to the weakening of the phenomenon known as the polar vortex. Many areas saw some of their coldest temperatures in decades or broke said records. Additionally, notable events and below-average temperatures continued well into March and past the official end of winter, with total damages as a result of the winter weather and cold temperatures exceeding $5 billion. Significant winter weather events began early, with a major storm system affecting the Great Plains and Deep South in early October. Some of the mountainous areas received nearly of snow along with gusty winds creating blizzard conditions, while a significant tornado outbreak occurred further southeast in the warm sector. The system also absorbed the dissipating Tropical Storm Karen, whose remnants went on to develop into a nor'easter along the Northeastern U.S. coastline. Afterwards, little activity occurred until mid-November, where an arctic front brought the first snowfall and cold temperatures to much of the Northeastern United States. Shortly before and throughout the Thanksgiving holiday, a widespread and large winter storm caused numerous impacts in areas ranging from the Texas panhandle to the interior Northeastern U.S., with heavy snow totals and ice accumulations occurring in the state; the same storm would then bring mostly rain to the Northeast. December would begin with two winter storms impacting the contiguous U.S., accompanied with another arctic front that ushered in frigid air and led to record low temperatures for December in roughly half of the country. Snow cover reached from the Plains to the Ohio Valley, one of the most expansive for the month of December. Another winter storm on December 8 and 9 would bring moderate snowfall to more of the Mid-Atlantic states. The first significant winter storm for the Northeast occurred by mid-month, with a coastal low developing close to the Mid-Atlantic, bringing significant snowfall to parts of the Northeast and New England. Following a brief warm-up that occurred afterwards, from December 20–22, a massive winter storm developed in the central U.S. out of an upper-level low, bringing a trio of different weather conditions, with blizzard conditions from the Plains to Upper Midwest, a severe weather outbreak and flooding in the Southern states, and a crippling ice storm in Canada that was responsible for at least 29 deaths. Activity then quieted down until the end of the year.
January opened with a significant pattern change that would later go on to define the rest of the winter season. A significant blizzard struck the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on January 2–3 as it re-developed off the coast as a strong nor'easter, bringing as much as of snow across much of the affected regions, causing significant disruptions and at least 11 deaths. The storm also traveled along an arctic front that brought extremely cold temperatures across the eastern half of the United States in its aftermath. A second, more powerful winter storm followed days later on January 6 and ushered in the coldest temperatures of the winter season and breaking hundreds of records as a result. Business, school, and road closures were common, as well as mass flight cancellations across some airports in the Midwest. Altogether, more than 200 million people were affected, in an area ranging from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean and extending south to include roughly 187 million residents of the Continental United States. On January 21–22, another major blizzard struck the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with snowfall up to and over occurring in a corridor stretching from Philadelphia to Boston, in addition to blizzard conditions occurring in several regions, causing one death. Very cold temperatures followed the storm as well. Several days later, a strong arctic front pushed far south into the Deep South of the U.S., leading to the development of a winter storm along the Gulf Coast, bringing a combination of record-breaking cold temperatures to cities not usually acquainted to them and wintry precipitation that caused gridlock in cities like Atlanta, Georgia due to the unprecedented nature of the system. 13 deaths occurred as a result of the rare winter storm.
Events There were several winter weather events during the 2013–14 North American winter. Significant events include cold waves, snowstorms, and other notable events outside the conventional limits of winter. Early October blizzard
The first winter storm of the season, a significant system, was forecast by the National Weather Service, which issued a blizzard warning on October 3 preceding the storm. The storm occurred as an early season blizzard, and, according to the Weather Prediction Center, was an event of a magnitude unseen for the past decade. Many locations in Colorado, Nebraska, Montana, Wyoming, , and received near or over of snow. Some areas in South Dakota received nearly of snow, with receiving . In many locations, there were high winds of over , with some locations reporting winds of nearly hurricane force, being .
Post-Tropical Cyclone Karen
The remnants of Tropical Storm Karen developed into a nor'easter that ended up affecting the Northeastern United States. The nor'easter generated high wind gusts, heavy rain, and coastal flooding in New Jersey. In Ocean County, minor flooding associated with high tides was reported on Long Beach Boulevard in Beach Haven, along with Long Beach Island. Seaside Park and Lacey Township also experienced minor tidal flooding. At Harvey Cedars, wind gusts of at least were recorded for a record 79 consecutive hours, beginning at 3:00 a.m. EDT on October 9 and ending at 10:00 a.m. EDT on October 12.
In neighboring Delaware, similar coastal flooding and strong wind gusts affected coastal parts of all three counties. Delaware State University cancelled some outdoor activities scheduled for the October 11 and 12. In Sussex County, Long Neck, and the surrounding areas experienced tidal flooding. Roadway tidal flooding occurred in and around Angola and Oak Orchard. Strong waves pushed water over bulkheads. In Milton, minor tidal flooding closed Prime Hook Road for several days. The Delaware Department of Transportation helped residents living along the road reach or exit their homes. Peak gusts were all located in Sussex County: at Dewey Beach, in Lewes, and in Indian River. The strong winds blew sand into the left lane of northbound Delaware Route 1, near the Indian River Inlet Bridge.
US Thanksgiving Week storm complex