North American blizzard of 2006

On the morning of February 11, 2006, a snowstorm hit New York City, shattering all previous snowfall records dating back to 1869. The 2006 storm, like all previous blizzards, caused widespread chaos, disrupted transportation systems, and covered streets with nearly 27 inches of snow, a half-inch increase over the previous record, set in 1947. Although most people would mistake this storm for a blizzard in retrospect, it never met the criteria for classification. A blizzard is defined as having high winds and temperatures below zero. The official meteorologist report classified the 2006 storm as a nor'easter with wind speeds ranging from 20 to 30 miles per hour.

Having previously dealt with snow storms on this scale, the city of New York employed 5,000 sanitation workers to spread approximately 200,000 tons of salt on the streets. Plows worked around the clock to combat the accumulation on major highways, with snowfall reaching 3 inches per hour, but many streets remained untouched. Snowfall at LaGuardia and Kennedy airports was deemed hazardous, and flights were canceled until further notice. For a time, the LIRR and Metro-North railroad services were canceled, and major subway lines were delayed.

Fortunately, the storm hit during the weekend, when most city dwellers were not required to travel to work or school. Con Edison did not report any power outages during the storm, which was attributed to the dry texture and lightness of the snow caused by the 20-degree temperatures. Some city dwellers were unfazed by the storm and went out to enjoy the winter wonderland with family and friends.

Type: Extratropical cyclone Nor'easter Blizzard Winter storm
Formed: February 11, 2006
Dissipated: February 13, 2006
Fatalities: 0 direct, 3 indirect
Damage: $5 million (2006 USD)
Power outages: 506,000
Areas affected: Virginia, Maryland, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, New England, Atlantic Canada