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Snowfall totals in southern New England from Hurricane Zeta, the most recent instance of a "snow hurricane"
In some rare occurrences, tropical cyclones have produced accumulating snow, usually after becoming extratropical. The first time this was ever recorded was in 1804, with the 1804 Snow hurricane, which impacted New England with heavy snow. This has since happened three more times, with Hurricane Ginny in 1963, Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and Hurricane Zeta in 2020. This sometimes occurs with late-season tropical cyclones, which interact with cold air after moving into areas with cooler climates. A cold front moving through at the same time can enhance this event. This is an extremely rare occurrence however, and has only happened four times in recorded history.
October 9, 1804 – The 1804 Snow hurricane made landfall in Massachusetts as an extratropical cyclone after being steered north by a trough off the coast of Virginia.[1] It dropped up to 7 inches of rain in parts of Massachusetts before a blast of cold air helped it gain strength over land becoming a 110-mph Category 2 hurricane-force extratropical storm.[2] It was one of only two systems to have strengthened while inland, the other being the 1869 Saxby Gale.[3] The precipitation changed to snow as it headed north through New England dumping as much as 4 feet of snow in Vermont. It was the first tropical cyclone in recorded history to produce snowfall accumulation.[4] The heavy snow and rain produced extensive damage across New England, as well as into the Mid-Atlantic states as well. After killing 15 people at sea and one on land, as well as causing almost $100,000 in damage (1804 USD), the system subsided on October 11 over northern New England.
Satellite image of Hurricane Ginny at peak intensity
October 29, 1963 – Hurricane Ginny made landfall on Nova Scotia at peak intensity with 110-mph winds as a high-end Category 2 hurricane, making it the strongest tropical cyclone to ever make landfall on Atlantic Canada.[5] The storm resulted in high wind and waves in Atlantic Canada, but the snow from the hurricane was heaviest in northeastern New England. Several buildings were damaged and widespread power outages resulted. The highest accumulation and heaviest snow were felt in eastern Maine, where over 2 feet of snow fell in parts.[6] Several people were killed in New England from the effects of Ginny. A gale warning was issued for eastern New England before the storm hit, and high winds made for blizzard conditions in parts of Maine.[7] Overall, the storm caused 3 deaths and $500,000 (1963 USD) in damage, much of which was in New England.
October 29, 2012 – Hurricane Sandy made landfall in New Jersey as a hurricane-force extratropical cyclone bringing high wind and storm surge to New Jersey and New York. High rainfall amounts were also recorded on the coast, and roads in New York City were flooded from the storm surge and rainfall. It weakened as it moved inland and a blast of cold air changed the rain to snow along the Appalachian Mountains on October 30 and 31. The snow totals were as high as 3 feet in higher elevations of West Virginia and North Carolina. Snowfall totals of 3–6 inches extended along the mountains from southern Pennsylvania into North Carolina.[8] The storm moved into the Midwest on November 1 bringing high waves on the Great Lakes and producing some amounts of winter precipitation as well. Overall, the storm caused 233 total deaths and over $65 billion (2012 USD) in damage across the U.S., bringing widespread impacts to the Mid-Atlantic and inland to the Appalachians as well.
Snow blanketing Massachusetts after post-tropical storm Zeta came through the area
October 29, 2020 – The post-tropical remnants of Hurricane Zeta raced into the Atlantic just south of New England after making landfall in Louisiana as a powerful Category 3 hurricane. The system caused extensive damage in Louisiana and Mississippi as a Category 2 hurricane before weakening to a tropical storm while racing off into the Southeast and later the Mid-Atlantic causing substantial damage along the way. It became a post-tropical cyclone over Virginia, but continued causing damage and widespread power outages. As the system moved into the Atlantic on October 29, it brought heavy rain to southern and middle New England. Later that day, a cold front merged with the system and a blast of cold air changed the precipitation to snow.[9] The snow later began to accumulate on October 30 and became the first accumulating snow of the season in parts of New England. Gusty winds from the storm resulted in blowing snow reducing visibility, and numerous crashes, some major, resulted across New England. Snowfall totals as high as half a foot were recorded, with the highest accumulation in central Massachusetts.[10] Downed power lines creating power outages were a widespread result of the snowstorm. Some significant damage, mostly to power lines, and several injuries in crashes resulted from this early-season snowstorm.[11]
^This represents the strength of the tropical cyclone at peak intensity, not when it brought snow, as most of these cyclones were extratropical when they brought snow.
