Winter Storm Jupiter Recap: Cross-Country Snow and Ice Storm

The Pacific Northwest was hammered by heavy snow Jan. 10-11, including Portland, Oregon, where more than a foot of snow piled up in some areas. Meanwhile, feet of snow buried the Sierra Nevada which was accompanied by blizzard conditions Jan. 9-12.

During the weekend of Jan. 14-15, Jupiter left a mess of downed trees and power outages across parts of the Plains, namely the Texas panhandle, northwest Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska.

Snow and ice then then spread from the Plains to the Upper Midwest and Northeast Jan. 16-18.

Here's a recap of Jupiter during its multi-day journey.

Monday - Thursday Reports (Jan. 9-12)

Jupiter's first phase brought major snow accumulations to the West, including lower elevations of the Pacific Northwest.

Up to 15.5 inches of snow was measured in the Portland, Oregon, metro area, beginning Jan. 10-11, accompanied by thundersnow with rates of up to 4 inches per hour.

According to the National Weather Service, Jupiter was the single biggest snowstorm for many in the metro area in almost 22 years, since a 12-inch snowstorm hammered the city two days before Valentine's Day, 1995.

The weight of this snow downed trees, and numerous vehicles were abandoned on metro streets and freeways.

(NEWS: Thousands Without Power, Hundreds of Cars Abandoned in Oregon)

Since the morning of Jan. 9, parts of the Sierra Nevada picked up almost 80 inches of snow. In Kingvale, California, almost 5 feet of snow fell in 24 hours ending 7 a.m. PST Wednesday.

(LATEST NEWS: Sierra Buried By Feet of Snow)

The combination of this dumping of snow and strong winds Jan. 10 prompted closure of stretches of Interstate 80, U.S. 50 and California Highway 88 over the Sierra. According to the NWS in Sacramento, the last closure of this magnitude on Interstate 80 over Donner Summit was in March 2011.

In fact, going back over a seven-day period, parts of the Sierra have picked up an almost unfathomable 12 feet of snow, during what the NWS in Reno is calling the biggest Sierra snowstorm in six years. 

(MORE: Too Much Snow Shut Down Some Resorts)

The pure volume of snow lead to several avalanches, including a controlled avalanche impacting about a dozen homes in Alpine Meadows, California. Residents of Crystal Bay and Incline Village were asked to shelter in place due to the avalanche threat.

A small avalanche prompting closure of the only plowed road to Crater Lake National Park in southwest Oregon. 

Another avalanche also impacted a dozen homes Jan. 10 in the Greater Lake Tahoe area.

Additionally, heavy snow pounded parts of the Great Basin and Rockies.

The town of Hill City, Idaho, picked up at least 26 inches of snow in 24 hours, with snow so deep, ski lift chairs were said to be dragging in the snow, according to a local media report to the NWS in Boise early Jan. 11.

If that all wasn't impressive enough, an EF0 tornado touched down around midnight Wednesday morning near Arco Arena in Sacramento, downing trees and fences and twisting metal awnings.

Friday Reports (Jan. 13)

Trees were downed and power outages reported in Springfield, Missouri, where about one-quarter inch of ice accumulation was observed by midday Jan. 13. Not far from Springfield, more than half of an inch of ice had accumulated in Aldrich, Missouri. 

Ice also accumulated on some surfaces in Carbondale, Illinois, Joplin, Missouri, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, among other locations. Tree damage was observed as far east as Carterville, Illinois.

Some cloud-to-ground lightning strikes were detected along the Interstate 44 corridor of far northeast Oklahoma and southern Missouri early Jan. 13.

Saturday Reports (Jan. 14)

Three-quarters of an inch of ice was reported in Waynesville, Missouri early Jan. 14. Some small tree branches were reported to be broken down.

By evening, freezing rain waned in the Ohio River Valley, but accumulations of one-quarter to one-half inch were becoming common in the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma.  

Sunday Reports (Jan. 15)

Up to 1 inch of ice accumulation was observed in parts of the High Plains by Jan. 15, including Beaver, Oklahoma, and Dodge City, Kansas. 

Woodward, Oklahoma, estimated 0.60 to 0.70 inches of ice accretion on trees and power lines.

Up to a half-inch of ice was observed in Canadian, Texas, while a quarter inch of ice accumulated on trees and other surfaces in Amarillo, Texas.

Monday Reports (Jan. 16)

Late Jan. 15 into Jan. 16, Fairbury, Nebraska, saw up to three quarters of an inch of ice, resulting in broken tree limbs and power outages. One-third of an inch of ice accumulation was observed in Grand Island and Hastings, Nebraska.

Ice accumulations were generally less in the upper Midwest compared to the damaging amounts we saw in the Plains during the weekend. Waterloo, Iowa, received a quarter of an inch of ice, while Des Moines picked up 0.20 inches. Up to 0.20 inches of ice was also measured in Wisconsin, with a tenth of an inch being reported in parts of Lower Michigan. This led to travel problems in some locations.

Tuesday-Wednesday Reports (Jan. 16-18)

Snow and Ice Reports

Here are some selected ice reports from Winter Storm Jupiter.

Colorado: 0.25 inches in Cheyenne WellsIllinois: 0.37 inches of sleet and freezing rain near Maeystown; 0.25 inches in Steeleville, O'Fallon, Hoyleton, Waterloo and QuincyIowa: 0.33 inches in Eldora; 0.25 inches in Waterloo; 0.20 inches in Des MoinesKansas: Near 1 inch near Dodge City and in Sharon Springs; 0.75 inches near Lenora; 0.50 in ColbyKentucky: 0.10 inches in SturgisMaryland: 0.12 inches in Eckhart MinesMichigan: 0.12 inches near St. HelenMinnesota: 0.30 inches in SavageMissouri: 0.75 inches near Waynesville and Aldrich; 0.20 inches near St. LouisNebraska: 0.75 inches in Fairbury; 0.25 inches in Lincoln; 0.10 inches in OmahaNew York: 0.50 inches in Fairfield​Ohio: 0.06 inches in HamiltonOklahoma: 1 inch in Beaver;  0.60-0.70 inches WoodwardPennsylvania: 0.10 inches in Little BaltimoreTexas: 0.50 inches in Canadian with broken tree limbs; 0.50 inches in Gruver; 0.50 inches in Darrouzett with trees limbs down; 0.25 inches near AmarilloWisconsin: 0.30 inches in Prescott and Plover; 0.09 inches in Madison; 0.04 inches in Milwaukee

Here are some selected snowfall reports from Winter Storm Jupiter.

California: 79 inches at Soda Springs and KingvaleColorado: 26 inches at Molas Pass; 2.2 inches at Denver Int'l AirportIdaho: Estimated 71.4 inches at the Galena Summit Snotel station; Ski lift chairs were dragging in the snow at the Soldier Mountain Ski Area. Kansas: 3 inches in HugotonMaine: 5.5 inches in AlfredMassachusetts: 4.5 inches near FitchburgMontana: 10 inches near Cooke CityNevada: 54 inches in 48 hours at Diamond Peak Ski near Incline VillageNew Hampshire: 8 inches in South StoddardNew Mexico: 24 inches at Magdalena Ridge Observatory; 9 inches at Red River Ski Area; 4 inches near Santa FeNew York: 4 inches in New RussiaOklahoma: 3 inches in Boise CityOregon: 20 inches near La Pine; 15.5 inches just west of downtown Portland; 13 inches in downtown PortlandTexas: 5 inches in DumasVermont: 7 inches near SomersetWashington: 14 inches near Yacolt Wyoming: 94.5 inches near Encampment at the Old Battle Snotel (total from last Sunday morning to last Thursday morning)

Check weather.com frequently for the latest updates on this system.

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