Winter Storm

Winter Storm Blanche Brings Heavy Snow to Mountain West, Northern Plains and Northern Maine (RECAP)

At a Glance

Blanche dumped heavy snow from the Rockies to the northern Plains and northern Maine late November into early December.
Up to two feet of snow was measured in North Dakota.
Several feet of snow piled up on the highest peaks of the mountain West.
Northern Maine saw two rounds of heavy snow.

Winter Storm Blanche brought snow from the mountain West to the northern Plains and northern New England Nov. 26-Dec. 1, 2016.

Below is a recap of the snow reports from Blanche.

(MORE: How Winter Storms Are Named)

Snow Totals and Reports From Winter Storm Blanche

Moutain West Reports:

Snow from Blanche in the western states was caused by a potent southward plunge of the jet stream that pivoted through that region Nov. 26-28, 2016.

Blanche brought up to 24 inches of snow to California's Sierra Nevada near the Lake Tahoe. The storm also produced a foot or more of snow in parts of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Idaho and northern New Mexico.

The highest total from Blanche was estimated at 62 inches near Elk Mountain, Wyoming.

Arizona: 10 inches near the Arizona Snowbowl; 5.5 inches in Flagstaff
California: 24 inches at Sierra-at-Tahoe Ski Resort
Colorado: 28 inches near Wolf Creek Pass
Idaho: 13.5 inches south of Pocatello
Montana: 7 inches near Big Sky
Nevada: 10 inches at Mount Rose Ski Area
New Mexico: Estimated 14 inches at Taos
Utah: 41 inches at Alta
Wyoming: Estimated 62 inches south-southeast of Elk Mountain

Northern Plains Reports:

The energy associated with the jet-stream dip in the West spawned an area of surface low pressure in the Plains that brought heavy snow and gusty winds to the Dakotas, eastern Montana and northeast Wyoming Nov. 28-30, 2016.

Blanches' low pressure center was very strong, with parts of the Dakotas recording their lowest all-time pressure readings for the month of November.

North Dakota saw up to two feet of snow while the Black Hills of South Dakota measured up to three feet.

Iowa: 1.0 inch in Estherville
North Dakota: 24 inches near Van Hook Park
South Dakota: Up to 36 inches near Cheyenne Crossing

(LATEST NEWS: Blanche Dumps Heavy Snow in West, Northern Plains)

The photo below shows the heavy snow that fell in Beulah, North Dakota.

Portions of Interstates 90 and 94 had to be closed due to the snow and strong winds.

New England Snow Reports:

Moisture from Blanche also pushed well east of that low in the northern Plains, producing an intial round of wintry weather in interior New England, particularly in northern Maine Nov. 29-Nov. 30. Northern Maine saw a second round of heavy snow late Nov. 30 into Dec. 1.