The 2021–22 North American winter was not as significant and record-breaking as the previous winter season. Despite this, several notable and significant events still occurred, including two separate record-breaking tornado outbreaks in mid-December, a significant winter storm in the South in mid-January, a powerful blizzard that impacted the Northeast coast at the end of January and a wide-ranging, significant winter storm that affected most of the eastern half of the country in early February. Additional significant events included a late-season winter storm in March that affected the Appalachian Mountains, and a major blizzard that affected North and South Dakota in mid-April. Additionally, a very late out-of-season snowstorm struck the Rocky Mountains in late May. During the season, four storms have been ranked on the Regional Snowfall Index (RSI), although none attained the “Major” category. Similar to the previous winter, a developing La Niña was expected to influence weather patterns across the continent.
Based on the astronomical definition, winter began on the winter solstice on December 21, 2021 and ended on the spring equinox on March 20, 2022. Based on the meteorological definition, the first day of winter started on December 1 and the last day was February 28. These dates historically describe the period in each year when winter storms are most likely to occur. However, winter storms may occur outside of these limits, as shown by the early formation of this season's mid-October winter storm on October 12. Since both definitions of winter span the start of the calendar year, it is possible to have a winter storm spanning two different years. In addition, major winter events can occur well after the official start of spring, as close as June in some cases, as shown by a very late-season winter storm that impacted Colorado in late May 2022 with heavy snow following warm temperatures just a day beforehand.
Seasonal forecasts
On October 13, 2021, The Weather Channel (TWC) released its U.S. winter temperature outlooks for the 2021–22 winter season. The forecasts reflected the likelihood of a weak La Niña pattern and weak polar vortex during much of the season. Overall for the winter, significantly above-average temperatures were forecast for most of the Southern Tier, with near-average temperatures in the Central and much of the Northeastern United States. Slightly below-average temperatures were expected in most of the north-central and northwestern U.S. During the first half of the season, a relatively weak La Niña was expected to result in widespread below-average temperatures across the northern half of the country, with widespread above-average temperatures in the southern half. However, as both the La Niña and polar vortex were expected to strengthen later in the season, widespread above-average temperatures were forecast in most of the U.S. during the latter half of the winter, especially in the South and East. Below-average temperatures were still expected to continue in the far Northwestern U.S.
On October 21, 2021, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center released its U.S. Winter Outlook for the upcoming winter. The temperature and precipitation outlooks reflected a typical La Niña weather pattern during the winter. Significantly above-average temperatures were forecasted across the Southern Tier, especially in the Southeast, with slightly above-average temperatures forecast in the Ohio Valley and Northeast. Near to below-average temperatures were expected in the far northwestern U.S. Below-average precipitation was expected across the far Southern Tier, with particularly in the Southwest, with above-average precipitation forecast in the far Northwestwern U.S., as well as the Ohio Valley and surrounding regions. Near-average precipitation was expected in the Central U.S., Northern Plains, and Northeast. Drought was forecasted to improve and end in the Pacific Northwest, while it was expected to develop or worsen across the Southwest. Drought was not expected in the eastern half of the country.
Seasonal summary
The 2021–22 winter season began with the formation of a significant winter storm in the Western United States on October 12, resulting in heavy snow accumulations of up to across much of the Intermountain West and over 80 rescues due to blizzard-like conditions in Utah. The system was estimated to have caused at least $50 million in damages. After a one-month break in winter weather events due to unfavorable conditions for winter storms, a blizzard began to develop across south-central Canada and the Upper Midwest on November 11. December 2021 saw a record warm month across the Lower 48. Ten states (New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska) saw record warm December's.December 2021 National Climate Report, NOAA An early December heat wave set all-time record highs in Montana, Washington, Wyoming, and North Dakota. Parts of British Columbia saw temperatures of , tying it for an all time Canadian high in December. In early-to-mid December, a major system produced a historic tornado outbreak along with wintry weather in the Upper Midwest, followed by another powerful storm that produced an ever larger tornado outbreak along with strong winds across the High Plains just a few days later. The storm, being a category 3 atmospheric river event, brought heavy rain and snowfall to the Western United States. Over of rain during the storm were recorded on Mount Tamalpais, a mountain in the San Francisco Bay Area, with San Francisco itself receiving around two inches of rain from the event. Around of snow was recorded in Pinecrest, California. The storm caused statewide snowpack in California to increase from 19% of normal to 83% of normal.
Later that month and into early January, a series of winter storms brought a cold snap and heavy snowfall to parts of the West Coast, particularly areas in the Pacific Northwest region. Several weather stations in Washington state recorded record-breaking low temperatures for December 26 and 27, with temperatures at in Seattle and in Bellingham. This became Seattle's coldest day in 31 years, because the high for the day was only .Seattle experiences coldest day in 31 years , King5, December 28, 2021 Seattle recorded of snow in December, exceeding the city's normal winter average, while some parts of the region had more than . With five days of snow in a row, Seattle saw the most consecutive snowy days on record since 1969.Seattle-area sets mark for longest snowy period in 52 years, MyNorthwest, December 31, 2021 Another storm on January 6 led to the closure of several mountain passes in the Cascade Range, leaving only one east–west route across Washington. Snoqualmie Pass reopened to limited traffic four days later. In Vancouver, British Columbia, the temperature dropped to on December 27, the coldest temperature there since 1969.Vancouver saw its coldest temperature in over half a century this winter (INFOGRAPHICS) , Vancouver Is Awesome, December 30, 2021
Before additional snow events occurred throughout January, with below-average temperatures being common, Falcon Lake, Texas, set a record for the highest January temperature in the contiguous United States on January 1, at .BREAKING! Falcon Lake, Texas, +37,2°C / 99°F: the highest January temperature in US history! , Mkweather, January 2, 2022 One such storm in January was the a significant winter storm in the eastern half of the country in mid-January with snow and ice, causing Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina to all declare a state of emergency in preparation for the winter storm. The most significant event occurred at the end of the month, when a major blizzard struck the Northeastern United States on January 28–29. This storm brought up to across a swath of New England and caused widespread impacts. Blizzard conditions were confirmed at multiple locations in New England, including Providence, Boston, and Worcester, in addition to some areas on the Jersey Shore receiving blizzard conditions. In early February, another major winter storm affected the country, with areas as far south as Texas to as far north as Maine receiving significant snowfall, though in the former it was not as bad as the previous year's storm which crippled the state's power grid. Howard Pass, Alaska saw a wind chill of on February 7.At minus 91 degrees, Alaska's feels-like temperature was colder than the state's all-time record low , Fox Weather, February 7, 2022
The rest of February saw less significant wintry events aside from a few concentrated snowstorms in some areas, particularly the Northeast, but activity increased again in mid-March after a significant winter storm affected a wide swath of areas from Louisiana to Maine, dropping widespread snow amounts of . After a few late-season cold snaps, a a major blizzard struck the Dakotas in mid-April, dropping as much as of snow, unusual for so late in the season. The last significant event occurred in late May after a record-late snowstorm struck Colorado just days after temperatures had been near . However, on June 19, 2022, a hiker died due to hypothermia in Maine, and temperatures below freezing were recorded that morning in Canaan Valley in West Virginia, Mount Washington in New Hampshire, and Waverly, New York. Caribou, Maine, saw their latest day where the high failed to reach , with highs of .
Events Late October West Coast bomb cyclone
In late October 2021, a powerful bomb cyclone struck the Western United States and Western Canada, bringing severe impacts to the region. The cyclone tapped into a large atmospheric river and underwent explosive intensification, becoming a bomb cyclone on October 24. The bomb cyclone had a minimum central pressure of at its peak, making it the most powerful cyclone recorded in the Northeast Pacific. The system had severe impacts across Western North America, before dissipating on October 26. The storm shattered multiple pressure records across parts of the Pacific Northwest. Additionally, the bomb cyclone was the most powerful storm on record to strike the region, in terms of minimum central pressure. The bomb cyclone brought powerful gale-force winds and flooding to portions of Western North America. At its height, the storm cut the power to over 370,500 customers across the Western U.S. and British Columbia. The storm killed at least two people; damage from the storm was estimated at four hundred million dollars (2021 USD). The bomb cyclone was compared to the Columbus Day Storm of 1962, in terms of ferocity.
Pre-Halloween nor'easter
A strong nor'easter in late October brought high winds, cutting power to more than 600,000 people in New England. Category 3 hurricane-force wind gusts of were recorded in Truro, Massachusetts, in Duxbury, Massachusetts, and in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts reported a wind gust to and Scituate reported a gust of . Unofficial wind gusts of in Wellfleet and in Provincetown, Massachusetts were recorded at exposed coastal locations.
A plane was damaged at the New Bedford Regional Airport after being blown off the runway. In Hingham, a large tree brought down wires. According to Aon Benfield, damage was estimated at over $200 million (2021 USD). The system would later move out to sea and acquire subtropical characteristics, becoming Subtropical Storm Wanda on October 31, later becoming a full-fledged tropical cyclone two days later. The precursor of Wanda caused a lot of flooding in the tri-state area with heavy amounts of rain, which killed two people.
Mid-December storm complex