Winter Storm

Winter Storm Helena Blankets South, Northeast With Snow, Ice (RECAP)

At a Glance

Winter Storm Helena dumped a mess of snow and ice in the South on January 6-7.
Helena then dumped a swath of snow along the East Coast from Virginia to southeast Massachusetts.

Winter Storm Helena dumped a mess of snow and some ice from the South to the East after dumping several feet of snow in the mountain West the first week of January 2017.

(MORE: Winter Storm Central)

Overall, the track of Helena was a bit farther north and west than originally expected in parts of the South and East.

Therefore, areas expecting more snow ended up getting more sleet and ice in the Southeast, while more moderate snow totals crept closer to parts of the I-95 corridor in New York City and Philadelphia.

(NEWS: Helena Cripples Travel in the South | Traffic, Delays in the Northeast)

Loop of 24-hour snowfall accumulation from Jan. 3-7, 2017, from Winter Storm Helena from the West to the South and East. Note: Some sleet/ice areas in the South show up as #snow in this analysis. (NOAA/NOHRSC)

Here is a breakdown of the storm by region, including a list of the highest and notable snow, sleet and freezing rain accumulations.

Drifts of snow piled on the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, from Winter Storm Helena on January 7, 2017. (Robert J. Banach/Facebook) — Drifts of snow piled on the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, from Winter Storm Helena on January 7, 2017.
(Robert J. Banach via Assateague Coastkeeper/Facebook)

Northeast

Heavy snow made its way inland from the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on the backside of Winter Storm Helena, bringing blizzard conditions to parts of eastern Virginia. Helena moved well east of Cape Cod, but brought heavy snow and gusty winds to the peninsula as it tracked off the Northeast seaboard.

Snow:Connecticut: 9.6 inches in East Killingly; 3.3 inches at Bradley Int'l Airport in Windsor LocksDelaware: 13.5 inches in Ocean View; almost 2 inches in 30 minutes fell in Bethany BeachMaryland: 12 inches near Ocean Pines; 9 inches in SalisburyMassachusetts: 19.5 inches in East Bridgewater; 7.2 inches at Boston's Logan AirportNew Hampshire: 3.6 inches near HudsonNew Jersey: 10.0 inches in Port Norris; 6 inches in Atlantic CityNew York: 10.8 inches in Yaphank; 5.1 inches at Central Park in New York CityPennsylvania: 4.5 inches near Ridley Park and Morrisville; 3 inches in PhiladelphiaRhode Island: 15.5 inches in Westerly; 10.7 inches in ProvidenceWashington D.C. area: 0.4 inches at Reagan National Airport

The heaviest totals were along the south shore of Massachusetts, where ocean-effect snowbands persisted into the early morning hours of January 8.

Helena was the heaviest snowfall at Boston's Logan Airport in almost two years, since Winter Storm Neptune dumped over 16 inches of snow around Valentine's Day 2015.

South

Light snow spread across parts of the southern Plains and Mid-South from the night of January 5 into January 6.

A heavier swath of snow developed late on January 6, continuing into January 7 from the north Georgia mountains into western and northern North Carolina and southern Virginia.

Mainly sleet or freezing rain fell south of that from parts of Louisiana and Mississippi into central Alabama into Georgia and parts of the Carolinas.

Sleet/Ice: Alabama: 1.0 inch sleet near Chelsea; 0.20 inch ice in ButlerArkansas: 0.1 inch sleet near Lake VillageGeorgia: Up to 0.3 inch ice in the Atlanta metroLouisiana: 0.3 inch sleet near ColumbiaMississippi: 0.70 inch sleet near Flowood; 0.30 inch ice in Meridian; 0.25 inch sleet near VicksburgNorth Carolina: 2 inches sleet near Falls Lake; 1 inch sleet, 0.15 inch ice near RaleighSouth Carolina: 1.0 inch sleeet near MauldinTennessee: 1.5 inches sleet near Knoxville

Snow: Alabama: 2.0 inches near MentoneArkansas: 3.5 inches near Searcy; 2 inches in Ft. SmithGeorgia: 6.6 inches near HiawasseeMississippi: 3.0 inches in Byhalia; 0.8 inch in Jackson (mixed with sleet)North Carolina: 12.0 inches in Mt. Airy and near Norlina; 1.1 inches in Charlotte; 0.5 inch in RaleighOklahoma: 5.5 inches near Watonga; 1.7 inches in Oklahoma CitySouth Carolina: 7 inches in Patterson; 4.3 inches in Greenville/SpartanburgTennessee: 7.6 inches in Mountain City; 4 inches in KnoxvilleTexas: 5.0 inches in Adrian; 2.2 inches in AmarilloVirginia: 12.5 inches in Williamsburg; 7.1 inches in Richmond; 5.3 inches in Norfolk

Compounding the mess was a plunge of some of the coldest air of the season behind Helena into the affected areas of the Southeast. Lows the morning of January 8 dipped into the teens well into the Deep South, rendering salt relatively useless for treating areas of ice on roads.

Estimated snowfall accumulation from Winter Storm Helena in the South through the morning of January 8, 2017. Note: Some sleet/ice accumulation shows up as snow in this analysis.
(NOAA/NOHRSC)

West

California: 56 inches at Boreal and Soda SpringsColorado: 42.5 inches estimated near Steamboat Springs; around 2 feet in Crested Butte; 4 inches in Denver (DIA)Idaho: 18 inches in Montpelier; 4.3 inches in PocatelloNevada: 30 inches near Incline VillageOregon: 26 inches in Bly; 20 inches near BendUtah: Up to 24 inches in Providence; up to 8 inches in LoganWyoming: 46.8 inches near Encampment at the Old Battle Snotel; 10.1 inches in Cheyenne

Interestingly, a somewhat rarer snow fell all the way to the Oregon coast, including near the Sea Lion Caves.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Winter Storm Helena Photos