2014–15 North American winter#Events

{{multiple image

| width = 200

| image1 = US temp outlook winter 2014–15 NOAA.jpg

| caption1 = Temperature outlook

| image2 = US precip outlook winter 2014–15 NOAA.jpg

| caption2 = Precipitation outlook

| caption_align = center

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On October 16, 2014, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center issued its U.S. Winter Outlook. This outlook indicated that below-average temperatures in parts of the south-central and southeastern United States would be favored, with above-average temperatures favored in the western U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, and New England. Drought conditions were expected to improve in California's southern and northwestern regions, but no improvements were expected earlier than December or January. Above-average conditions were also expected to pervade the winter months in the western U.S., the Intermountain West extending across the U.S.–Canada border through New York and New England, and Alaska and Hawaii. The Precipitation Outlook favored above-average precipitation across the southern tier and Atlantic coast of the United States, with above-average precipitation also favored in southern Alaska and the Alaska panhandle. Below-average precipitation was favored in Hawaii, the northwestern United States, and near the Great Lakes region. The rest of the country was given an "equal chance" for either above- or below-average temperatures and/or precipitation.{{cite news|title=NOAA: Another warm winter likely for western U.S., South may see colder weather|url=http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2014/20141016_winteroutlook.html|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|date=October 16, 2014|access-date=December 21, 2014}}

On November 30, 2014, Environment Canada's monthly prediction system produced a forecast for the months of December, January, and February across Canada. Areas in and just off the western coast of British Columbia were considered the most likely areas for above-average temperatures. Other areas where above-average temperatures were favored by the forecast included Yukon, the Northwest Territories, northern parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and northwestern parts of Manitoba. Below-average temperatures were favored in and near Lake Superior in Ontario, across much of Hudson Bay, in far-eastern parts of Nunavut, and in northern parts of Quebec. The most favorable locations for above-average precipitation were northwestern British Columbia, southwestern Yukon, eastern parts of the Northwest Territories, western parts of Nunavut, and Newfoundland. The most favorable areas for below-average precipitation were southeastern British Columbia, southern Alberta, southern Saskatchewan, some northern parts of Quebec, and an isolated spot in the northern half of Nunavut.{{cite report|title=Monthly Temperature Forecasts (Period: December 2014 January-February 2015)|publisher=Government of Canada|work=Environment Canada|date=November 30, 2014}}

File:US West Coast storm 2014-12-12 1830Z.png

The North American winter season of 2014–15 expressed a significant level of variance. First, a cyclone in the Bering Sea enabled a change in the atmospheric pattern to occur; according to Jeff Masters from Weather Underground, this cyclone brought about a "ripple" in the jet stream, and the presence of a high-pressure ridge over the western United States and a low-pressure trough over the southern and central United States enabled a great intrusion of very cold air to pervade southward out of Canada. Following the onset of the cold wave, multiple snow events occurred; one significant storm dropped as much as {{convert|88|in|cm}} of snow in a single area, and impacts covered a broad area. In late November, around Thanksgiving, a nor'easter traveled up the East Coast, dropping up to a foot of snow in some areas, and causing major travel headaches for much of the country.{{cite web|url=https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-cato-thanksgiving-travel-east-coast-2014|title=Winter Storm Cato Recap: Rain, Snow Hampered Thanksgiving Travel|work=The Weather Channel|date=November 27, 2014|accessdate=April 8, 2016}} Due to the storm, over 4,500 flights were canceled and over 400,000 people were without power on November 27; southern New Hampshire was the worst hit, experiencing up to 200,000 outages. December was, at the time, the second warmest across the US.[https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/national/201412 December 2014 National Climate Report], NOAA However, 2015, 2021 and 2023 have since had warmer Decembers, leaving 2014 in fifth.[https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/national/201512 December 2015 National Climate Report], NOAA[https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/national/202112 December 2021 National Climate Report], NOAA[https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/national/202312 December 2023 National Climate Report], NOAA In December, yet another storm impacted parts of North America; the storm brought relief to drought-stricken parts of California, but it also brought dangerous mudflows to fire-ravaged areas where the soil could not handle the excess precipitation.{{cite news|title=Rain brings relief and fear to drought-stricken California|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rain-brings-relief-and-fear-to-drought-stricken-california/|publisher=CBS Interactive Inc.|work=CBS News/Associated Press|date=December 2, 2014|access-date=December 22, 2014|location=Los Angeles, California}} Less than two weeks after this event, another storm impacted the Pacific coast of the United States; this storm, fueled by the "Pineapple Express", knocked out power to over one hundred thousand customers in the San Francisco Bay Area after producing strong winds. Hurricane-force winds were reported in parts of the northwestern United States. Regions reported as much as {{convert|9|in|cm}} of rainfall, and parts of the Sierra Nevada reported {{convert|19|in|cm}} of snowfall.{{cite news|last1=Erdman|first1=Jon|last2=Wiltgen|first2=Nick|last3=Lam|first3=Linda|title=Recap: Storm Fueled By 'Pineapple Express' Brought Hurricane-Force Winds to California, Oregon, Washington|url=http://www.weather.com/forecast/regional/news/california-rain-flood-threat-drought-relief-middec2014|publisher=The Weather Channel, LLC|date=December 17, 2014|access-date=December 22, 2014}}

File:2014–15 United States winter average temperature anomaly.png

Due to a persistent stationary high-pressure pattern over the west coast that redirects the jet stream, it remained (and remains) in a wavy ideal configuration to bring warm air north over the western U.S. and cold air towards the south over the continental states, and to favor winter storms over the East Coast. Severe winter blizzards over New England are often associated with this configuration, and nearly all of the snow storms this season followed very similar tracks and had marked similarities in their synoptic evolution. Boston in particular saw the effects of this, experiencing six major snow storms in the first two months of the year, leaving it with over {{convert|105|in|cm}} of snow. January 27 saw first major snowfall of 2015, with observations showing a blocked flow with warm air over the west coast, accompanied by a pronounced cold trough downstream, which pattern looks very similar to the blizzard that Boston saw on January 23, 2005.{{cite web|last1=Martin|first1=Cassie|title=Falling Snow Records|url=http://eapsweb.mit.edu/news/2015/falling-snow-records|website=eapsweb.mit.edu|publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology|access-date=March 15, 2015}}

As a result, February was record-breaking for many cities in the United States, yet in opposite extremes. Much of February saw below-average cold in the eastern part of the country, it was markedly warm in the West. A multitude of cities east of the Mississippi experienced their coldest February in decades, including Chicago, Ill.; Cleveland, Oh.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Harrisburg, Pa.; Hartford, Conn.; and Portland, Maine. Marquette, Mich. Syracuse, Buffalo and Rochester, N.Y. also set records for coldest month overall,{{cite news|url=http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2015/02/26/rochester-weather-february-2015-winter-coldest-month-ever/24067501/ |title=Rochester's coldest month. Ever. |first=Steve |last=Orr |date=February 26, 2015 |work=Democrat & Chronicle |access-date=December 24, 2015}} as did Bangor, Maine where the average temperature was {{convert|6.1|°F|°C}}. And with an average temperature of {{convert|2.5|°F|°C}}, the state of Maine itself also set a record low. For Worcester, Mass, February was the coldest month out of any month on record with an average temperature of just {{convert|14.2|°F|°C}}, while also accumulating more than {{convert|110|in|cm}} of snow this winter.

In contrast, in the West a persistently strong ridge of high pressure over the warm eastern Pacific Ocean and western North America elevated temperatures to record levels from Arizona to Washington. It was the warmest winter month (December, January, February) on record in San Francisco; Seattle; Portland, Ore.; Reno, Nev.; Las Vegas; and Salt Lake City, with the latter realizing an average temperature for February of {{convert|43.9|°F|°C}}, breaking the old record set in 1907. Meanwhile, just {{convert|1.1|in|cm}} of snow fell in the entire month in Anchorage, Alaska, making it the fifth-least-snowy February on record.{{cite news|last1=Fritz|first1=Angela|title=U.S. runs hot and cold in record-shattering February|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/03/02/u-s-runs-hot-and-cold-in-record-shattering-february/|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=March 14, 2015}}

Portland and Salem had their warmest February on record, with the latter tying the record set in 1934 for their warmest at {{convert|45.9|°F|°C}} degrees with the year. For the first time in record keeping, every day in February was at least {{convert|50|°F|°C}} in Salem.{{cite web|last1=Harbarge|first1=Molly|title=5 things to know about the warmest winter, February in Portland and beyond|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/weather/index.ssf/2015/03/5_things_you_might_not_know_ab.html|website=oregonlive.com| date=March 2, 2015 |access-date=March 15, 2015}}

California averaged {{convert|1.5|F-change}} warmer than the previous warmest winter (2013–14), which had broken the previous record (1980–81) by {{convert| 0.8|°F|°C}}. February was the warmest on record in Washington, California, Utah and Arizona, while February was among the top 10 warmest in four other states. Overall, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that about 30.6 percent of the country was "very warm" – meaning February was in the warmest 10 percent of the historical record – while 31.5 percent of the country was "very cold," or in the coldest 10 percent historically.

There were several winter weather events during the 2014–15 North American winter. Significant events include cold waves, snowstorms, and other notable events outside the conventional limits of winter.

{{Infobox winter storm small

| RSI = 0

| Image = November 2014 Bering Sea bomb cyclone peak, on November 8.png

| Track = November 2014 Bering Sea bomb cyclone track.png

| lowest pressure = 920

| max snow =

| duration = November 8–13, 2014

| fatalities = 0 fatalities

| damage = Unknown (2014 USD)

}}

{{main|November 2014 Bering Sea cyclone}}

{{see also|Typhoon Nuri (2014)}}

In early November 2014, Typhoon Nuri peaked in intensity as a Category 5-equivalent typhoon on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. The storm became extratropical on November 8, and it was absorbed by a new center of circulation. The new, more powerful cyclone entered the Bering Sea, and intensified to become the most powerful storm to ever impact the region, with a minimum barometric pressure of {{convert|924|mbar|inHg|abbr=off}}. This compares to the previous record of {{convert|925|mbar|inHg|abbr=on}} from a storm on October 25, 1977. In association with the storm, there were winds exceeding hurricane-force with a wind gust of {{convert|97|mph|km/h}} recorded at Shemya, Alaska. The storm also produced waves as high as {{convert|45|ft|m}}, although waves were lesser on the Alaska coast.{{cite news|last=Lada|first=Brian|title=Monster Storm Becomes Strongest on Record for Alaska|url=http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/monster-storm-to-pound-bering/36927708|publisher=AccuWeather, Inc.|date=November 12, 2014|access-date=December 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108223350/http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/monster-storm-to-pound-bering/36927708|archive-date=November 8, 2014|url-status=dead}} The storm weakened as it moved westward, and it produced a "ripple" in the jet stream which allowed for a strong cold front to dive southward out of Canada into the United States, producing a cold wave.

{{clear}}

{{main|November 2014 North American cold wave}}

In early November, a cyclone in the Bering Sea entered Alaska, generating a ripple in the jet stream. The coincident presence of high pressure over the western United States and low pressure over the southern and central United States enabled very cold air in Canada to travel southward. Denver, Colorado experienced a record low temperature for November 13 when temperatures dropped to {{convert|-14|F|C}}, breaking the previous record of {{convert|-3|F|C}} set in 1916, and Freeze Watches and Freeze Warnings were issued across the Deep South by the National Weather Service.{{cite news|last=Rice|first=Doyle|title=The big chill: Coast-to-coast cold strikes USA|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/11/13/winter-cold-wave/18961891/|publisher=Gannett Satellite Information Network, Inc.|work=USA Today|date=November 13, 2014|access-date=December 21, 2014}} The cold wave was accompanied by multiple snow events as well. By November 10, Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories had been issued across most areas from the northern Rocky Mountains to the Great Lakes.{{cite report|last=Monarski|first=Allison Ann|title=Storm Summary Number 01 for Northern Rockies to Upper Great Lakes Early Season Winter Storm|url=http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/winter_storm_summaries/storm25/stormsum_1.html|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|work=Weather Prediction Center|date=November 10, 2014|access-date=December 22, 2014|location=College Park, Maryland}} Michigan received snow totals as high as {{convert|36.1|in|cm}} through December 12 from a system associated with the early cold wave.{{cite report|last=Krekeler|first=Jason A.|title=Storm Summary Number 10 for Northern Rockies to Upper Great Lakes Early Season Winter Storm|url=http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/winter_storm_summaries/storm25/stormsum_10.html|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|work=Weather Prediction Center|date=November 12, 2014|access-date=December 22, 2014|location=College Park, Maryland}} The storm also brought high winds; Snowbasin, Utah even received wind gusts of {{convert|84|mph|km/h}}, and parts of several mountain states and Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma recorded gale-force winds.

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{{Infobox winter storm small

| RSI = 0

| Image = North American winter storm 2014-11-17 1445Z.png

| Track =

| lowest pressure = 961

| max snow = 88

| duration = November 13–21, 2014

| fatalities = 24 fatalities

| damage = $46 million (2014 USD)

}}

{{main|November 13–21, 2014 North American winter storm}}

While the cold wave was still ongoing, a storm entered the northwestern United States transporting much warmer and moister air over shallow cold air near the surface. On November 13, Portland, Oregon recorded {{convert|.1|to|.25|in|cm}} accumulation of ice. Other areas in the state recorded additional ice accumulations and one area recorded {{convert|1|ft|m}} of snow. By state, maximum snow totals as high as {{convert|33|in|cm}} were recorded near Ouray, Colorado, with six other states reporting totals of at least {{convert|1|ft|m}}. Several states in the Great Plain region received over {{convert|4|in|cm}} of snow, and Dallas–Fort Worth reported a trace of snow on November 16 for the first time in 117 years of records.{{cite news|last1=Wiltgen|first1=Nick|last2=Erdman|first2=Jon|title=Winter Storm Bozeman Recap: Snow Blankets Northwest, Rockies, Plains, Midwest, Northeast|url=http://www.weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-bozeman-forecast-oregon-idaho-washington-wyoming-colorado-20141113|publisher=The Weather Channel, LLC|date=November 17, 2014|access-date=December 22, 2014}} An Oklahoma Mesonet station in Boise City, Oklahoma recorded a high temperature of {{convert|15|F|C}} on November 12 only two days after recording a high temperature of {{convert|81|F|C}}. Snow accumulations of {{convert|3|to|4|in|cm|sigfig=1}} and greater occurred across western, northern, and central Oklahoma. On November 13, a total of {{convert|0.1|in|cm|sigfig=1}} of snow was recorded in Little Rock, Arkansas, the earliest accumulating snow measured in the area in over 20 years. Gaylord, Michigan received a record amount of snow for any time of the year, with {{convert|29.6|in|cm}} from November 18–20. In Buffalo, New York, significant snowfall occurred during the November 17–21 period, with {{convert|88|in|cm}} of snow recorded.

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{{Infobox winter storm small

| RSI = 1.756

| Image = 112514nor'easter.jpg

| Track =

| lowest pressure = 987

| max snow = 13

| duration = November 25–27, 2014

| fatalities = 0 fatalities

| damage = Unknown (2014 USD)

}}

In late November, around Thanksgiving, a nor'easter traveled up the East Coast, dropping up to a foot of snow in some areas, and causing major travel headaches for much of the country. The storm originated from a stationary front that was situated off Florida late on November 25. The entire system was rain at this point. An area of low pressure formed around midnight November 26, and this low began to track up the East Coast. With cold air in place, snow began to break out in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, all the way to Vermont, with the rain/snow line in central New Jersey. The winter storm ended up dropping up to {{convert|13|in|cm}} of snowfall in a swath extending up the Appalachian Mountains into Canada. The storm moved out into the northern Atlantic Ocean by November 27. Due to the storm, over 4,500 flights were canceled and over 400,000 people were without power on November 27; southern New Hampshire was the worst hit, experiencing up to 200,000 outages, becoming the 4th largest power outage in state history.{{cite web|url=https://www.weather.gov/media/btv/events/2014-11-26/2014-11-26_SnowStorm.pdf|title=Snow Storm|date=November 26, 2014|website=weather.gov}} The nor’easter was dubbed Winter Storm Cato by The Weather Channel.

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{{Infobox winter storm small

| RSI = 1.881

| Image = Nor'easterDec92014.jpg

| Track =

| lowest pressure = 990

| max snow = 27.5

| duration = December 8–11, 2014

| fatalities = 0 fatalities

| damage = Unknown (2014 USD)

}}

On December 9, a strong nor'easter moved ashore over New England, bringing with it heavy rain, wind, some ice, and snow{{cite web|url=https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-damon-northeast-forecast-snow|title=Winter Storm Damon: Nor'easter Brought Snow, Heavy Rain, High Winds, Coastal Flooding (RECAP)|publisher=weather.com|date=December 11, 2014|access-date=March 4, 2016}} in interior parts of the region, some which were battered hard by Hurricane Sandy more than 2 years prior. Developing from a stalled frontal boundary off the East Coast, it then moved up the coast late on December 8 and continued to intensify and then move inland on Long Island around noon December 9, before stalling for a day or so. Cold air coming in from the north resulted in the western side becoming snow. The system gradually moved to the east, before dissipating on December 11. Snowfall totals peaked at {{convert|27.5|in|cm}} from this system. The Nor’easter was Named Winter Storm Damon by the weather channel. At JFK Airport, a daily record of {{convert|2.95|in|cm}} of rain was set.{{cite news |last1=Almasy |first1=Steve |title=Nor'easter brings record rain to New York – and West Coast, you're not off the hook |url=https://www.cnn.com/2014/12/09/us/weather-record-rain/index.html |access-date=July 4, 2022 |publisher=CNN |date=December 9, 2014}}

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{{Infobox winter storm small

| RSI = 0

| Image = December 2014 California monster winter storm, on December 10, 2014.jpg

| Track =

| lowest pressure = 960

| max snow =

| duration = December 9–18, 2014

| fatalities = 2 fatalities

| damage = Unknown (2014 USD)

}}

{{main|December 2014 North American storm complex}}

On December 9, 2014, ahead of a system moving onto the California coast, the National Weather Service issued several watches and warnings, including a Gale Warning, a Flash Flood Watch, a High Wind Watch, and a Hazardous Seas Advisory.{{cite news|last=Mercer|first=Brandon|title=Hurricane-Force Winds, Torrential Rain Forecast For What Could Be Storm Of The Decade|url=http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/12/09/hurricane-force-80-mile-per-hour-winds-torrential-rain-forecast-for-what-could-be-storm-of-the-decade/|publisher=CBS Local Media|work=CBS SF Bay Area|date=December 9, 2014|access-date=December 22, 2014|location=San Francisco, California}} The storm complex brought heavy rain and snow to much of California. On hillsides scorched by wildfires, the rains brought down mud and rocks which covered part of California State Route 91.{{cite news|title=Southern California hit with intense series of storms|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/southern-california-hit-with-intense-series-of-storms/|publisher=CBS Interactive Inc.|work=CBS News/Associated Press|date=December 17, 2014|access-date=December 22, 2014|location=Los Angeles, California}} The system brought from about {{convert|10|in|cm}} to over {{convert|2|ft|cm}} of rain in some areas. High snowfall totals were recorded as well, with a maximum snowfall of {{convert|19.8|in|cm}} near Lodgepole, California. Recorded gusts of hurricane-force were recorded in California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, with a peak gust of {{convert|139|mph|km/h}} recorded near Benton, Nevada.{{cite report|last1=Fanning|first1=Amanda K.|last2=Santorelli|first2=A.|title=Storm Summary Number 07 for Powerful West Coast Storm|url=http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/winter_storm_summaries/storm29/stormsum_7.html|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|work=Weather Prediction Center|date=December 12, 2014|access-date=December 22, 2014|location=College Park, Maryland}} On December 12, an EF0-rated tornado struck Los Angeles. It was the most significant Los Angeles tornado since 1983, when a tornado struck the Los Angeles Convention Center.{{cite news|last1=Martinez|first=Michael|last2=Botelho|first2=Greg|title=West Coast storms surprise Los Angeles with...a tornado, captured on video|url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/13/us/california-storm/|publisher=Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.|work=Cable News Network|date=December 14, 2014|access-date=December 22, 2014|location=Los Angeles, California}} While the rain was not great enough to bring an end to the intense drought affecting the area, it did help to bring some places above average in terms of annual precipitation.

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On December 27, an arctic cold front swung into the Northwestern United States, bringing very cold temperatures behind it. An area of low pressure formed along this front, and was originally weak at first and produced moderate to heavy snowfall in the Northwest through December 28. As it approached the Southwest early on December 29, the low intensified somewhat as it neared the subtropical branch of the jet steam, and slowly began to draw moisture from the Pacific Ocean and the western half of the Gulf of Mexico. This resulted in snowfall totals of up to {{convert|2|ft|in}} in the higher elevations, but also moderate to heavy snow in the lower elevations as well.{{cite web|url=https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-frona-forecast-west-plains-midwest|title=Winter Storm Frona Recap: Snow for the Midwest, Northeast|date=January 4, 2015|access-date=April 15, 2016}} As cold air continued to filter in over warm air into the morning of December 30–31, freezing rain began to develop across the southwestern parts of Texas, with accumulations up to {{convert|15|mm|in}}. The low began to coalesce into a winter storm in the first two days of 2015, as the low began to track to the northeast, its sights set on the Upper Midwest, Ohio Valley, and Northeast. On January 3, the winter storm began to develop thunderstorms along its cold front as it tracked into the Deep South, which was also a threat for tornadoes. The storm began to producing a swath of accumulating snow of anywhere from {{convert|2–7|in|cm}} into the Upper Midwest and Northeast. A wintry mix and freezing rain was the majority of the precipitation in southwestern New England; however, areas to the south received rain. The storm system then gradually moved out into Canada by January 4. Sixteen people were killed due to the winter storm.[https://weather.com/safety/winter/news/winter-storm-frona-heavy-snowfall-pacific-northwest-plains-rockies-southwest At Least 16 Deaths Blamed On Winter Storm Frona; Two Pedestrians Killed in Pennsylvania], The Weather Channel, January 7, 2015

While bringing a wide swath of wintry weather from coast to coast, the winter storm also brought along with it a cold wave, in which some places broke record low temperatures.

On January 1, 2015, Los Angeles experienced a record low of {{convert|36|F|C}}, a temperature matched in Pasadena, where the Tournament of Roses Parade was not the coldest in history as forecasters had expected.{{cite news|url=http://ktla.com/2015/01/01/southern-california-cold-snap-breaks-record-but-not-at-rose-parade/|title=Southern California Cold Snap Breaks Record But Not at Rose Parade|last=Welch|first=Sara|work=KTLA|date=January 1, 2015|access-date=January 9, 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-126th-rose-parade-coldest-record-20141230-story.html|title=126th Rose Parade could be coldest ever|work=Los Angeles Times|date=December 31, 2014|access-date=January 9, 2015}}

On January 8, Estcourt Station, Maine was the coldest place in the United States with {{convert|-38|F|C}}. Montpelier, Vermont had a record low of {{convert|-20|F|C}}, and Jackson, Kentucky was {{convert|-1|F|C}}. Schools closed in Portland, Maine and Chicago. In New York City the temperature was {{convert|9|F|C}}, with a wind chill of {{convert|-2|F|C}}. Even as far south as Mobile, the temperature reached {{convert|17|F|C}}.{{cite news |title=Record-breaking weather: Mobile hits 17 degrees, beating 1886 temperature of 18 |url=https://www.al.com/news/mobile/2015/01/record-breaking_weather_mobile.html |access-date=December 1, 2023 |publisher=AL.com |date=January 8, 2015}} Nearly 2000 flights were delayed, and 500 cancelled. Washington, D.C. had delays when railroads froze. In Pittsburgh, two baby African penguins at the National Aviary had to go inside.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-weather-idUSKBN0KH10O20150108|title=Record-breaking cold closes U.S. schools, sends penguins inside|last=Goldberg|first=Barbara|work=Reuters|date=January 8, 2015|access-date=January 9, 2015}}

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{{Infobox winter storm small

| RSI = 6.16

| Image = January 2015 Nor'easter 27 Jan 2015 1445Z.png

| Track = January 2015 Nor'easter track.png

| lowest pressure = 970

| max snow = 36

| duration = January 24–30, 2015

| fatalities = 3 fatalities

| damage = $500 million (2015 USD)

}}

{{main|January 2015 North American blizzard}}

On January 23, a low-pressure area developed off the Pacific Northwest,{{cite web|url=http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/archives/web_pages/sfc/sfc_archive_maps.php?arcdate=01/23/2015&selmap=2015012321&maptype=satsfcnps|title=WPC Surface Analysis Archive: WPC surface analysis valid for 01/23/2015 at 21 UTC|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|work=Weather Prediction Center|date=January 23, 2015|access-date=January 27, 2015|location=College Park, Maryland}} before quickly moving over the Canadian Prairies by January 24. The storm system quickly moved southeastward into the Upper Midwest during the evening of January 24, taking a path typical of an Alberta clipper.{{cite web|last1=Rubin-Oster |first1=Brenden |title=Short Range Public Discussion Jan 24 2015 335 AM EST |url=http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc%3Dpmdspd%26version%3D3%26fmt%3Dreg |website=Weather Prediction Center |publisher=United States National Weather Service |access-date=January 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150126050549/http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=pmdspd&version=3&fmt=reg |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 26, 2015 |location=College Park, Maryland |date=January 24, 2015 }}{{cite web|last1=Petersen |first1=Daniel |title=Probabilistic Heavy Snow And Icing Discussion Jan 23 2015 3:17AM EST |url=http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=qpfhsd&version=5&fmt=reg |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |work=Weather Prediction Center |date=January 23, 2015 |access-date=January 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203142129/http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=qpfhsd&version=5&fmt=reg |archive-date=February 3, 2015 |location=College Park, Maryland |url-status=dead }} As it progressed southward, the storm intensified, with frontogenesis occurring the next day.{{cite web|last1=Petersen |first1=Daniel |title=Probabilistic Heavy Snow And Icing Discussion Jan 24 2015 3:49AM EST |url=http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=qpfhsd&version=1&fmt=reg |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |work=Weather Prediction Center |date=January 24, 2015 |access-date=January 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203100423/http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=qpfhsd&version=1&fmt=reg |archive-date=February 3, 2015 |location=College Park, Maryland |url-status=dead }} By noon on January 25, the upper-level low was centered near the border between Iowa and Missouri in correlation with a weak shortwave trough. Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico wrapped around the system from the south, resulting in widespread rainfall and snow over the Midwest.{{cite web|author1=Office of Satellite and Product Operation|title=Satellite Precipitation Estimates Jan 25 2015 1545Z|url=http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/atmosphere/precip/spe/messages/2015/201501251545.html|website=National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|access-date=January 26, 2015|date=January 25, 2015}} Throughout the day, the system traversed eastward along the Kentucky-Tennessee border. Snowfall remained concentrated along a cold front north of the Ohio River.{{cite web|author1=Office of Satellite and Product Operation|title=Satellite Precipitation Estimates Jan 25 2015 1945Z|url=http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/atmosphere/precip/spe/messages/2015/201501252004.html|website=National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|access-date=January 26, 2015|date=January 25, 2015}}

At 09:00 UTC on January 26, the Weather Prediction Center began issuing storm summaries on the developing disturbance while the low-pressure system was centered near Bluefield, West Virginia. At the time, mixed precipitation was occurring over northern Appalachia.{{cite web|last1=Fanning |first1=Amanda |title=Storm Summary Number 01 For Mid-Atlantic To Northeast Major Winter Storm |url=http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/winter_storm_summaries/storm2/stormsum_1.html |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |work=Weather Prediction Center |date=January 26, 2015 |access-date=January 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031104050/http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/winter_storm_summaries/storm2/stormsum_1.html |archive-date=October 31, 2015 |location=College Park, Maryland |url-status=live |df=mdy }}{{cite web|author1=Office of Satellite and Product Operation|title=Satellite Precipitation Estimates Jan 26 2015 0915Z|url=http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/atmosphere/precip/spe/messages/2015/201501260924.html|website=National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|access-date=January 26, 2015|date=January 26, 2015}} As this system tracked eastward, it gradually weakened;{{cite web|last1=Petersen |first1=Daniel |title=Probabilistic Heavy Snow And Icing Discussion Jan 26 2015 4:07AM EST |url=http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=qpfhsd&version=1&fmt=reg |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |work=Weather Prediction Center |date=January 26, 2015 |access-date=January 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123090902/http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=qpfhsd&version=1&fmt=reg |archive-date=January 23, 2015 |location=College Park, Maryland |url-status=dead }} however, at the same time, a new low pressure formed off the coast of North Carolina and began to track north-northeastward, eventually becoming the dominant low of the storm.{{cite web|last1=Kong |first1=Kwan-yin |title=Storm Summary Number 02 For Mid-Atlantic To Northeast Major Winter Storm |url=http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/winter_storm_summaries/storm2/stormsum_2.html |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |work=Weather Prediction Center |date=January 26, 2015 |access-date=January 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031104056/http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/winter_storm_summaries/storm2/stormsum_2.html |archive-date=October 31, 2015 |location=College Park, Maryland |url-status=live |df=mdy }} Early on January 30, the nor'easter left the East Coast, even as another winter storm began to impact the region.{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-kari-snow-forecast|title=Winter Storm Kari Blankets Snow-Weary New England|date=January 29, 2015|work=The Weather Channel}}

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{{Infobox winter storm small

| RSI = 8.40

| Image = Feb22015Blizzard.png

| Track =

| lowest pressure = 970

| max snow = 24.1

| duration = January 30 – February 2, 2015

| fatalities = 15 fatalities

| damage = Unknown (2015 USD)

}}

{{main|January 31 – February 2, 2015 North American blizzard}}

File:Snow on cars in Chicago in February 2015.jpg]]

A major winter storm occurred from January 31 – February 2, bringing blizzard conditions to the Chicago area with {{convert|19.3|in|cm}} of snow, being the fifth-largest snowfall in city history. Detroit received {{convert|16.7|in|cm}}, the third-largest recorded total and largest storm in 40 years.{{cite news|url=http://www.weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-linus-forecast-plains-midwest-northeast|title=Winter Storm Linus: Top 5 Snowstorm All-Time in Chicago, Detroit|work=The Weather Channel|last1=Erdman|first1=Jon|last2=Dolce|first2=Chris|date=February 2, 2015}} Over a foot of snow was reported in locations in Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, and Wisconsin.{{cite news|url=http://www.weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-linus-reports-how-much-snow |title=Winter Storm Linus: How Much Snow Has Fallen?|work= The Weather Channel|date= February 2, 2015}} At least {{convert|25|cm|in}} of snow fell near Toronto.{{cite news|url=http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/toronto-storm-dozens-of-collisions-after-snow-blankets-gta-1.2216422#ixzz3QbYLovFv |title=Toronto storm: Dozens of collisions after snow blankets GTA|work=CTV |location=Toronto|date= February 2, 2015}} Some parts of the Northeast received up to two feet of snow from this storm, as a heavy band of snow stalled over Southern New England. However, widespread amounts of between 10 and 15 inches were much more the norm.{{cite web|url=http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=BOX&product=PNS&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1&highlight=off |work=Weather.gov |title=Forecast |date=February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203083603/http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=BOX&product=PNS&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1&highlight=off |archive-date=February 3, 2015 }}

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{{Infobox winter storm small

| RSI = 1.897

| Image =

| Track =

| lowest pressure =

| max snow = 22

| duration = February 8–10, 2015

| fatalities = 0 fatalities

| damage = Unknown (2015 USD)

}}

On February 8, Boston experienced its fourth winter storm in as many weeks, with {{convert|22|in|cm}} added to {{convert|37|in|cm}} already on the ground, the most ever. Already, the city had set a record snow amount for seven days. Boston had received {{convert|71.8|in|cm}} in a month, surpassing the previous record of {{convert|58.8|in|cm}} from February 1978. Governor of Massachusetts Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency, and MBTA subway and commuter rail trains were suspended on February 10. The Storm was Named Winter Storm Marcus by the weather channel. {{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2015/02/09/boston-new-england-snow-records/23109017/|title=Snowstorm wallops Boston with 20 more inches; records fall|work=USA Today|last=Bacon|first=John|date=February 10, 2015}}

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{{main|February 2015 North American cold wave}}

Throughout nearly the entire month of February, extreme cold plagued the eastern half of the nation. Multiple blasts of arctic air associated with the polar vortex dove into the Northeast, but the coldest was the shot of arctic air that brought the coldest air recorded over portions of the eastern Great Lakes in decades on February 15, and possibly over the entire forecast record.{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/blog/morning_roundup/2015/02/arctic-valentine-s-blast-won-t-warm-the-heart.html|title=Arctic Valentine's blast won't warm the heart|work=Business First|date=February 13, 2015|access-date=February 13, 2015}} Well below normal temperatures covered a large portion of the eastern United States and were expected to stay in place, with only slight moderation, through the rest of the month.Paul, Don (February 5, 2015). [http://blogs.wivb.com/2015/02/05/why-its-so-gosh-darned-cold-and-why-it-will-stay-that-way-for-some-time-to-come/ Why it's so gosh darned cold and why it will stay that way for some time to come] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907071030/http://blogs.wivb.com/2015/02/05/why-its-so-gosh-darned-cold-and-why-it-will-stay-that-way-for-some-time-to-come/ |date=September 7, 2015 }}. WIVB-TV. Retrieved February 15, 2015. Through February 21, primarily on February 16 and February 20, over 600 record low temperatures were recorded in the eastern U.S., including all-time record lows and record lows for February.{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.com/storms/winter/news/arctic-blast-record-lows-midwest-south-northeast|date = February 21, 2015|title=Siberian Express Grips Midwest, Northeast, South; Four Cities Set All-Time Record Lows|access-date = February 21, 2015|publisher=The Weather Channel}} As of February 15, Lake Erie had 94 percent ice cover{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/frozen-over-lake-erie-94-percent-covered-ice-n308091|date = February 15, 2015|title= Frozen Over: Lake Erie 94 Percent Covered in Ice|access-date = February 19, 2015|work=NBC News}} while Lake Superior and Lake Huron were over 80 percent covered, and Lakes Michigan and Ontario were between 50 and 60 percent iced over.{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/great-lakes-freeze-lake-erie-100-iced-article-1.2118221|date = February 17, 2015|last=Wagner|first=Meg|title=See it: Great Lakes freeze over; Lake Erie nearly 100% covered in ice|access-date = February 19, 2015|work=New York Daily News}}

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{{Infobox winter storm small

| RSI = 1.140

| Image = Suominet 2.15.15 1708Z.jpg

| Track =

| lowest pressure = 958

| max snow = 27.4

| duration = February 14–15, 2015

| fatalities = 6 fatalities

| damage = Unknown (2015 USD)

}}

{{main|February 14–15, 2015 North American blizzard}}

From February 14–15, the Northeast experienced yet another winter storm, with Boston receiving over {{convert|12|in|cm}} of snow. Other locations around Massachusetts received up to {{convert|22|in|cm}}, bringing the total snowfall up to almost {{convert|6|ft|m}} in some areas.{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.com/storms/winter/news/boston-snow-winter-storm-neptune-impacts|title=As Winter Storm Neptune Snowfall Wanes in Boston, Residents Still Urged Off Roads|author = Simone M. Scully and Michele Berge|date = February 15, 2015|access-date = February 15, 2015|publisher = Weather Channel}} Residents of Boston and surrounding areas were urged to stay inside, due to the increasingly dangerous conditions. There were numerous automobile accidents and roofs caving in throughout the Northeast and Midwest, and at least six people were confirmed dead.{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-neptune-live-updates|date = February 15, 2015|title=Winter Storm Neptune Update: 6 Dead in Icy Crashes|access-date = February 15, 2015|publisher =The Weather Channel}}

Parts of the central and southern U.S. received heavy snow and ice. Washington, D.C. received over {{convert|4|in|cm}} of snow and parts of the mid-South received {{convert|0.5|in|cm}} of freezing rain. The ice storm caused over 200,000 people to lose power.{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2015/02/17/winter-storm-south-east/23540659/|title=Deadly snow, ice bring havoc to South, East|last=Bacon|first=John|date=February 17, 2015}} A second winter storm hit the mid-South on February 25–26, bringing an additional {{convert|3|in|cm}} to {{convert|8|in|cm}} of snow much of North Carolina.{{cite news|url=http://www.wncn.com/story/28209212/snow-ice-sweep-across-north-carolina|title=Snow, ice sweep across North Carolina|agency=Associated Press|date=February 26, 2015}}

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{{main|February 2015 Southeastern United States winter storm|March 2015 North American winter storm}}

{{see also|Delta Air Lines Flight 1086}}

In the last week of February into the first week of March, four separate winter storms impacted areas from western Texas to the Northeast, all which included a messy swath of snow and ice.

The first winter storm occurred on the weekend of February 20–22. During this time period, a weak area of low pressure formed in the central parts of the U.S, and began to track eastward. Precipitation was at first relatively scattered, but as the day went on it began to blossom, reaching the Mid-Atlantic by the evening of February 21. There was more ice then snow in this system, and as a result, periods of freezing rain and sleet were expected in a swath extending from North Carolina to Long Island, with ice accumulations ranging from {{convert|0.1–0.5|in|mm}},{{cite web|url=https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-pandora-snow-ice-south-midwest-northeast-rockies-forecast|title=Winter Storm Pandora: Widespread Snow, Sleet and Freezing Rain in the East (RECAP)|date=February 19, 2015|work=The Weather Channel}} and snow accumulations of {{convert|5–8|in|cm}}. This system moved off the coast early on February 22.

The second winter storm focused on the South and Southeast on February 25–26. A stationary front coalesced into an area of low pressure in the center of Louisiana, and moved to the east. Originally composed of all rain, snow began to break out on the northern side of the winter storm due to cold air beginning to penetrate into the Deep South. It consisted of wet snow, which would cause numerous power outages.{{cite web|url=https://weather.com/news/news/winter-storm-remus-minute-by-minute|title=News|date=February 25, 2015|work=The Weather Channel}} Heavy snowbands also began to set up, which was the result of heavy accumulations ranging from {{convert|6–12|in|cm}} in eastern North Carolina. The winter storm also produced a small but potent line of thunderstorms in the Florida Peninsula, as such a tornado watch was issued. The system began to accelerate somewhat as it began to emerge off the Southeast coast early on February 26, as snow continued to fall into the southern parts of the Mid-Atlantic.

The third in the series of winter storms happened from February 28 into late March 1, and spread a swath of snow and ice from the High Plains to New England.{{cite web|url=https://weather.com/news/news/winter-storm-sparta-barrels-through-plains-midwest-and-northeast|title=Winter Storm Sparta Barrels Through Plains, Midwest and Northeast (PHOTOS)|work=The Weather Channel|date=March 1, 2015|access-date=April 1, 2016}} The system organized from an upper-level impulse associated with a developing southward dip in the jet stream, which led to the formation of a weak area of low pressure. This weak disturbance began to develop a stripe of snow from the Midwest to the Ohio Valley, and it began to push into the Northeast as the sluggish winter storm tracked to the east. Snowfall was sometimes heavy at times, with snowfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour, but didn't last long. Freezing rain also began to develop in the Mid-Atlantic, setting the stage for more ice accumulations. As the snow moved to the east, warm air began to run over the cold air in place over the Mid-Atlantic, and snow changed over to a mix of freezing rain and sleet by evening on March 1 in areas near Maryland and southern New Jersey. Ice accumulations ranged from {{convert|0.1–0.4|in|mm}}, and snow totals {{convert|5–8|in|cm}} in a swath from the Midwest near Illinois to southern New England. The entire wintry mess moved off by mid-morning on March 2.{{cite web|url=https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-sparta-midwest-northeast-west|title=Winter Storm Sparta Brings Snow, Ice From Rockies to the Northeast (RECAP)|work=The Weather Channel|date=March 1, 2015|access-date=April 1, 2016}}

The fourth and final winter storm came right on the heels of the previous system, and actually occurred in two phases, with the latter bringing record cold in its wake.{{cite web|url=https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/record-cold-early-march|title=Record-Breaking Cold: All-Time March Record Lows Set|work=The Weather Channel|date=March 7, 2015|access-date=April 3, 2016}} It occurred from March 3–5, and brought up to a foot of snow in the Northeast, while also causing multiple travel issues and/or delays. One such included a pileup on Interstate 65 in Kentucky, where some people were stranded for many hours.

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{{see also|Tornado outbreak sequence of May 5–10, 2015}}

Another late season winter storm occurred on Mother's Day, and brought snowfall up to {{convert|2|ft|in}} in areas around Denver, in pretty much the same spots and time that a winter storm impacted a year prior.{{cite web|url=https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-venus-snow-mothers-day-weekend|title=Winter Storm Venus Brings Heavy Snow to the Rockies and High Plains (RECAP)|date=May 11, 2015|access-date=April 3, 2016}} It first started spreading snow in the Sierra Mountains from May 6–9. Afterwards, it began to move northeastwards towards the High Plains. The snowstorm dumped up to 2 feet of snow in the mountains of Colorado and up to 12 inches in the lower elevations. The storm complex also produced flooding and several tornadoes in the Great Plains region, including multiple intense EF3 tornadoes.{{cite web|url=https://weather.com/news/news/severe-weather-impacts-plains-midwest|title=Large Tornadoes Ravage Small Towns in Texas, Arkansas, Iowa and South Dakota, Killing At Least 6|date=May 11, 2015|access-date=April 3, 2016}}

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{{see also|February 2015 North American cold wave#Record temperatures}}

Nine states in the Northeast United States had one of their coldest January–March periods on record.{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.com/news/news/warmest-coldest-january-march-west-northeast|title=Nine States in West, Northeast See Record January-March Temperature Extremes in 2015, Says NOAA Report|date=April 1, 2015|work=The Weather Channel|access-date=July 29, 2015}} According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, from February 1 to 28, 2015, 898 lowest minimum temperature records were broken and 91 were tied in the Northeastern United States. In addition, 736 records for the highest snow depth were broken and 138 were tied during the same period.{{cite web|title=Data Tools: Daily Weather Records|url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cdo-web/datatools/records|website=ncdc.noaa.gov|publisher=US gov.|access-date=March 3, 2015}}

Over a large portion of New England, February 2015 was the most extreme winter month observed in modern record keeping. Eastport, Maine was one of many places also seeing record snowfall, with {{convert|132.5|in|cm}} over five weeks. Snowflakes fell on 19 out of 28 days in the Boston, Massachusetts area, setting records in numerous locations with depths up to over {{convert|36.0|in|cm}} deep in certain places. Boston broke the previous record for the snowiest month by almost {{convert|24.0|in|cm}}.{{cite web|last1=Fisher|first1=Eric|title=The Most Extreme Winter Month Ever Observed in New England?|url=http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/02/27/the-most-extreme-winter-month-ever-observed-in-new-england/|website=boston.cbslocal.com| date=February 27, 2015 |access-date=March 10, 2015}}

With a total of {{convert|108.6|in|cm}} as of March 16, Boston broke its previous all-time winter season (July 1 through June 30) record of {{convert|107.6|in|cm}} set in 1995–96.{{cite web|title=Boston breaks 20-year snowfall record|url=http://www.wcvb.com/weather/boston-breaks-20year-snowfall-record/31813882|website=wcvb.com| date=March 16, 2015 |publisher=Hearst Stations Inc.|access-date=March 16, 2015}} Previously Boston saw a record 30-day snowfall of {{convert|94.4|in|cm}} from January 24 – February 22, 2015. Other broken records included four calendar days with at least {{convert|12.0|in|cm}} of snow, and the fastest {{convert|72.0|in|cm}} snowfall in 18 days from January 24 – February 10, 2015, and the fastest {{convert|90.0|in|cm}} snowfall during 23 days, from January 24 – February 15, 2015. Overall, Boston saw three of its top seven heaviest snowstorms in just over two years. Record cold temperatures were involved as Boston failed to reach {{convert|40|°F|°C}} for 43 consecutive days, from January 20 through March 3.{{cn|date=November 2022}} Boston also spent the second longest amount of time below freezing in the city records at 15 days.[https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/the-most-extreme-winter-month-ever-observed-in-new-england/ The Most Extreme Winter Month Ever Observed in New England?], CBS News, February 27, 2015

Providence, Rhode Island saw its second snowiest season with {{convert|73.5|in|cm}}, with February being their second all-time snowiest month with {{convert|31.8|in|cm}}.{{cite web|last1=Erdman|first1=Jon|title=New England Record Snow Tracker: One of Snowiest Seasons in Boston, Providence, Bangor|url=http://www.weather.com/news/news/new-england-boston-record-snow-tracker|website=weather.com|access-date=March 10, 2015}}

Boston, Massachusetts, received {{convert|99.4|in|cm}} of snow for the meteorological winter of 2014–15, which was {{convert|66.6|in|cm}} over the average, and broke the 1993–94 record of {{convert|81.5|in|cm}}. Most of this snow was during February, which saw {{convert|64.8|in|cm}}. For the year, Boston's record snow as of March 31 was {{convert|110.6|in|cm}}.{{cn|date=January 2023}} Despite Boston’s record snow in February, however, this was still the 40th driest February in Massachusetts.{{cite news |last1=Wiltgen |first1=Nick |title=Winter 2014-15 Was Nation's 19th Warmest Despite Bitterly Cold February in East |url=https://weather.com/news/climate/news/warmest-winter-coldest-february-2015 |access-date=January 28, 2023 |publisher=The Weather Channel |date=March 10, 2015}}

Baltimore (as measured at BWI), averaged below the freezing temperatures for first three months of 2015, making it the coldest start to any year there on record. January averaged {{convert|2.1|F-change}} below normal, and February was the second-coldest on record, being {{convert|10.5|F-change}} below normal, while March continued the chilly trend, finishing {{convert|3.9|F-change}} below normal.{{cite web|last1=Dance|first1=Scott|title=One quarter through, 2015 off to coldest start on record|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/weather/weather-blog/bal-wx-one-quarter-through-2015-off-to-coldest-start-on-record-20150331-story.html|access-date=1 April 2015}}

In February 2015, nine states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Vermont) had their second coldest February.[https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/national/201502/supplemental/page-1 Record and Near-Record February Statewide Temperatures | February 2015 National Climate Report], NOAA New York and Vermont had its coldest first quarter on record in 2015.[https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/national/201503 March 2015 National Climate Report], NOAA

Despite an intrusion of cold air near the end of the month, temperatures in the Western United States averaged above normal for December, with temperatures in much of the area averaging over 3 °F (1.6 °C) above normal. The greatest departures from normal occurred in the vicinity of southern Idaho, where temperatures in Pocatello averaged {{convert|32.2|°F}}, the seventh-warmest December in the area's 72-year record. Salt Lake City, Utah observed a monthly average temperature of {{convert|37.3|°F}}, 7 °F (3.8 °C) above average, making the month the third-warmest December on record for the city. Ontario, Oregon too experienced its third-warmest December on record, averaging {{convert|36.2|°F}}, 8.4 °F (4.6 °C) above normal. Fresno, California observed its warmest December on record, with an average of 51.9 °F (11.1 °C). Mount Shasta experienced its second-warmest December on record, with an average temperature of {{convert|41.1|°F}}, {{convert|6.0|F-change}} above normal.{{cite report|title=State of the Climate: National Overview for December 2014|url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/national/201412|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|work=National Centers for Environmental Information|date=February 2015|access-date=October 24, 2015|location=Asheville, North Carolina}}

California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming all experienced a top-10 warm January in 2015. California also experienced its fourth-driest January on record, receiving only 15 percent of its average precipitation for what would ordinarily be the wettest month of the year. San Francisco recorded no measurable precipitation in January for the first time on record, and as with the state, January is typically the wettest month of the year for the city.{{cite report|title=State of the Climate: National Summary Information for January 2015|url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/summary-info/national/201501|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|work=National Climatic Data Center|date=February 2015|access-date=April 2, 2015|location=Asheville, North Carolina}} As of March 27, 2015 snowpack in the Sierra Nevada was at a record low of eight percent of the historical average for April 1.{{cite news|last=Fimrite|first=Peter|title=California drought: Sierra Nevada snowpack hits historic low|url=http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/California-drought-Sierra-Nevada-snowpack-hits-a-6164391.php|access-date=March 29, 2015|date=March 28, 2015|quote=8 percent of the historical average for this time of year}} Winslow, Arizona recorded {{convert|1.11|in|mm|abbr=on}} above the normal precipitation level for the month with {{convert|1.63|in|mm|abbr=on}} of precipitation during the month of January. With 270 percent of the average monthly precipitation, Tucson, Arizona saw its fourth-wettest January in a 69-year record with {{convert|2.54|in|mm|abbr=on}} of precipitation. With an average monthly temperature of {{convert|62|°F|sigfig=3}} ({{convert|4|F-change}} above normal), Los Angeles experienced its sixth-warmest January in its 139-year record. Rock Springs, Wyoming saw its third-warmest January on record with an average temperature of {{convert|29|°F|sigfig=2}} for the month, {{convert|7.6|F-change}} above the temperatures typically observed.{{cite report|title=State of the Climate: National Overview for January 2015|url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/national/201501|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|work=National Climatic Data Center|date=February 11, 2015|access-date=April 2, 2015|location=Asheville, North Carolina}}

Much of the Western United States, including Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, and Washington, experienced its warmest winter on the 120-year record, and Idaho, Oregon, and Wyoming experienced one of their top-three warmest winters.{{cite news|title="Winter" in Alaska|url=http://www.climate.gov/news-features/event-tracker/"winter"-alaska|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|work=Climate.gov|date=March 18, 2015|access-date=March 24, 2015}}

Toronto, Ontario recorded its coldest month on record in February with an average temperature of {{convert|-12.6|°C|°F}} at Pearson Airport, tying with February 1875 (recorded in downtown) and beating the previous record of {{convert|-12.4|°C|°F}} set in January 1994.{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/starweather/2015/03/it-s-official-february-was-toronto-s-coldest-month-ever.html|title=It's official: February was Toronto's coldest month ever| newspaper=The Toronto Star |date=March 1, 2015|access-date=July 19, 2018}}

In Quebec, Montreal experienced its coldest February on record with an extended cold spell and an average temperature of {{convert|-15|°C|°F}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-records-coldest-february-in-history-1.2977083|title=Montreal records coldest February in history|date=March 1, 2015|access-date=July 29, 2015}}

On February 13, Guelph, Ontario matched a 116-year-old record with a temperature of {{convert|-20.02|°F|°C}}.{{cite web|title=Ontario city matches 116-year-old record for coldest February 13|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/ontario-city-matches-116-year-old-record-for-coldest-february-13-1.2235950#ixzz3SOtELXnY|website=CTVNews.ca|date=February 13, 2015|access-date=March 12, 2015}}

By the end of April 2015, a record {{convert|550|cm|in}} of snow fell on parts of the Prince Edward Island.[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-storms-winter-book-1.3274570 Maritime winter of 2015 remembered in new book, Deep Freeze], CBC News, October 21, 2015

By the end of February, the maximum extent of ice cover in the Great Lakes was 88.8%, the first time since the late 1970s that two consecutive winters had resulted in ice cover of greater than 80%.{{cite report|title=Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook: Great Lakes Region|url=https://www.ec.gc.ca/eau-water/01AD4C5F-1797-4EA2-ADFE-161E890F8F56/GL-Winter2014-15_FINAL_updated.pdf|publisher=Environment Canada|date=March 2015|access-date=August 15, 2015}}

This is a table of all of the events that have occurred in the 2014–15 North American winter. It includes their duration, damage, impacted locations, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. All of the damage figures are in 2015 USD.

{{Regional Snowfall Index small}}

{{Winter season stats table start|season=2014–15|year=2015}}

{{Winter season stats table entry|name=November Bering Sea cyclone|duration=November 8 – 13|cat=0|RSI=N/A|gust=84 (135)|pressure=920|snow=N/A|ice=N/A|affected=Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, Russian Far East, Alaska, Contiguous United States|damage=Unknown|deaths=None}}

{{Winter season stats table entry|name=Mid-November winter storm|duration=November 13 – 21|cat=0|RSI=N/A|gust=N/A|pressure=961|snow=88 (223)|ice=N/A|affected=Pacific Northwest, Central United States, Eastern United States, Northern Mexico, Eastern Canada, Southern Greenland, Iceland|damage=$46 million|deaths=24}}

{{Winter season stats table entry|name=Thanksgiving Week nor'easter|duration=November 25 – 27|cat=1|RSI=1.756|gust=N/A|pressure=987|snow=13 (33)|ice=N/A|affected= Southeastern United States, Northeastern United States, New England, Atlantic Canada|damage=Unknown|deaths=N/A}}

{{Winter season stats table entry|name=Early December nor'easter|duration=December 8 – 11|cat=1|RSI=1.881|gust=N/A|pressure=990|snow=27.5 (70)|ice=N/A|affected=Northeastern United States|damage=Unknown|deaths=N/A}}

{{Winter season stats table entry|name=Mid-December storm complex|duration=December 9 – 18|cat=0|RSI=N/A|gust=139 (224)|pressure=960|snow=N/A|ice=N/A|affected=Continental United States, Southern Canada|damage=Unknown|deaths=2}}

{{Winter season stats table entry|name=Late January blizzard|duration=January 24 – 28|cat=3|RSI=6.16|gust=95 (153)|pressure=970|snow=36 (91)|ice=N/A|affected=Pacific Northwest, Central United States, Eastern United States, Atlantic Canada, Southern Greenland, Portugal, Spain, France|damage=$500 million|deaths=3}}

{{Winter season stats table entry|name=Late January–early February blizzard|duration=January 30 – February 2|cat=3|RSI=8.40|gust=N/A|pressure=978|snow=24.1 (61)|ice=0.32 (8.1)|affected=High Plains, Ohio Valley, Central United States, New England|damage=Unknown|deaths=15}}

{{Winter season stats table entry|name=Early February winter storm|duration=February 8 – 10|cat=1|RSI=1.897|gust=N/A|pressure=N/A|snow=22 (56)|ice=N/A|affected=Northeastern United States, Canada|damage=Unknown|deaths=N/A}}

{{Winter season stats table entry|name=Mid-February blizzard|duration=February 14 – 15|cat=1|RSI=1.14|gust=N/A|pressure=958|snow=27.4 (70)|ice=N/A|affected=Northeast United States, New England, Canada (partial)|damage=Unknown|deaths=6}}

{{Winter season stats table entry|name=February 25–26 Southeast winter storm|duration=February 25 – 26|cat=0|RSI=N/A|gust=N/A|pressure=985|snow=12.7 (32)|ice=0.5 (13)|affected=Southeastern United States (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia), Northeast|damage=Unknown|deaths=4}}

{{Winter season stats table entry|name=Early March winter storm|duration=March 1 – 5|cat=0|RSI=N/A|gust=N/A|pressure=993|snow=54.6 (139)|ice=0.25 (6.4)|affected=Southwestern United States, High Plains, Upper Midwest, Southeastern United States, Northern Mexico, Northeastern United States|damage=Unknown|deaths=4}}

{{Winter season stats table entry|name=Early May storm complex|duration=May 6 – 9|cat=0|RSI=N/A|gust=N/A|pressure=985|snow=24 (61)|ice=N/A|affected=Midwestern United States|damage=Unknown|deaths=N/A}}

{{Winter season stats table end|storms=10 |start=November 8|end=May 9|lowest pressure=920|max snow=88 (100)|max ice=0.5 (13)|total damage=546 million|total deaths=57 (44)}}

{{Portal|Weather|United States|Canada}}

• 2015 Texas–Oklahoma flood and tornado outbreak
• Early 2014 North American cold wave
• 2013–14 North American winter
• 2014 Pacific typhoon season
• 2015–16 North American winter
• Tornadoes of 2014
• Tornadoes of 2015

{{reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/winter_storm_summaries/2014/finalarchive_2014.shtml 2014 Storm Summaries] from the Weather Prediction Center
• [http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/winter_storm_summaries/2015/finalarchive_2015.shtml 2015 Storm Summaries] from the Weather Prediction Center

{{S-start}}

{{Succession box|before=2013–14|title=North American winters|years=2014–15|after=2015–16}}

{{S-end}}

{{United States winter storms}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:North American winter,2014-15}}

2014-15

Winter

Winter