This single storm system began over the Gulf of Mexico on 12 March 1993, and was unique for its intensity, massive size, and wide-reaching effects. This system stretched from Canada to Honduras, rated 'Category 5 - Extreme' on its respective scale, only one of two in recent history.
This storm combined the effects of an extratropical cyclone, Nor'easter, blizzard, tornado outbreak, derecho and ice storm. The lowest recorded pressure inside the storm was 960 mb, making it roughly as intense as most low-category hurricanes. The lowest recorded temperature was -12 degrees Fahrenheit. During the tornado outbreak associated with this storm, 11 confirmed tornadoes touched down during a 2 and-a-half hour long outbreak. The strongest confirmed tornado was rated an EF-2.
The highest amount of snow/ice accumulation during this storm totaled 69 inches, recorded in Mt. LeConte, Tennessee. As a whole, the damages from this 'superstorm' totaled more than $2 billion US. 318 fatalities occurred during the duration of this storm, which finally dissipated over the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 March 1993.
I posted this since there is a bit of personal family history involved in this weather event. My parents and paternal aunt and uncle worked in emergency communications along the interstates in West Virginia during this storm, providing communications and also transportation for doctors and nurses during shift changes as no other vehicles were permitted on the roads apart from emergency services and the military.
This storm combined the effects of an extratropical cyclone, Nor'easter, blizzard, tornado outbreak, derecho and ice storm. The lowest recorded pressure inside the storm was 960 mb, making it roughly as intense as most low-category hurricanes. The lowest recorded temperature was -12 degrees Fahrenheit. During the tornado outbreak associated with this storm, 11 confirmed tornadoes touched down during a 2 and-a-half hour long outbreak. The strongest confirmed tornado was rated an EF-2.
The highest amount of snow/ice accumulation during this storm totaled 69 inches, recorded in Mt. LeConte, Tennessee. As a whole, the damages from this 'superstorm' totaled more than $2 billion US. 318 fatalities occurred during the duration of this storm, which finally dissipated over the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 March 1993.
I posted this since there is a bit of personal family history involved in this weather event. My parents and paternal aunt and uncle worked in emergency communications along the interstates in West Virginia during this storm, providing communications and also transportation for doctors and nurses during shift changes as no other vehicles were permitted on the roads apart from emergency services and the military.