Can’t wait for Phil’s prognostication? AccuWeather forecasters give the scoop on weather conditions for the weeks ahead. Chevron right

Ashburn, VA

38°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Ashburn

Virginia

38°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Ashburn, VA Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

Video

Podcasts

Winter Center

News Videos BLOGS Personalities

Weather Blogs / WeatherMatrix

Blizzard of 2018: 100+ mph winds, record low pressure, huge waves

By Jesse Ferrell, AccuWeather meteorologist and senior weather editor

Published Jan 5, 2018 11:51 PM EST | Updated Jan 6, 2018 11:16 PM EST

Copied

The first major winter storm of 2018 started out by delivering snow and ice to Florida and Georgia, then brought heavy snow to the eastern Carolinas and mid-Atlantic, before burying New England in up to two feet of snow.

The highest snow totals by state were:

  • Holden, ME: 24.0"

  • Sharon, MA: 19.0"

  • Brick & Bayville, NJ: 18.0"

  • Hancock, NH: 17.9"

  • Warren, RI: 16.9"

  • Staffordville, CT: 16.6"

  • Terryville, NY: 16.4"

  • Hallwood, VA: 14.8"

  • Morgan, VT: 14.0"

  • Pittsville, MD: 13.0"

  • Rockyhock, NC: 12.0"

  • Stockley, DE: 11.4"

  • Andrews, SC: 8.0"

  • Ellabell, GA: 6.0"

  • Killearn Lakes, FL: 0.1"

The heavy snow on the coasts of the Carolinas and Georgia were particularly impressive. Charleston, Savannah and northern Florida hadn't seen significant snow since December 1989. The Outer Banks of North Carolina see snow every few years, but not normally this much right up against the ocean.


The storm was preceded and followed by extreme, record-setting cold... the Outer Banks were also dealing with frozen bays and "ice shoves" -- something that normally happens in the Great Lakes or on the coast of New England.

Live Coverage For all things weather, 24 hours a day.

The Outer Banks are no stranger to extreme weather but the sight of ice shoves jutting up against a dock in Duck, North Carolina, on Jan. 3 makes for a rare scene.

The highest wind gusts reported by state (>70 mph) were:

  • 122 mph @ Mt. Washington, NH

  • 108 mph @ Wreckhouse, Newfoundland

  • 106 mph @ Grand Etang, Nova Scotia

  • 77 mph @ Third Island, VA

  • 76 mph @ Nantucket, MA

  • 72 mph @ Buoy #44317

  • 71 mph @ Block Island, RI

NWS

Waves reported were over 50 feet at two buoys! I don't think I've seen higher waves recorded on buoys since I've been blogging (2005). The all-time record was 59 feet up until 2007 when it rose to 62.

  • #44317: 56 feet

  • #44150: 51 feet

  • #44139: 43 feet

  • #44011: 43 feet

Over 100,000 people lost power due to high winds, and damage was reported. Atmospheric pressures fell to rarely seen levels. At sea, the WPC reckoned the center of the cyclone officially fell to 949 mb (28.02 in.), plunging more than 60 mb in less than a day, which was probably an all-time record. As far as actual recording instruments, one station on land indicated 948 mb (27.99 in) but that sensor had problems. Buoy #44027's pressure reading bottomed out at 28.17", while other nearby buoys' pressure readings stopped transmitting due to instrument malfunction or quality control algorithms before hitting their lows.

A report of 947 mb (27.95") was rumored at Kent Island, New Brunswick, Canada, something I could not confirm as of this writing. St. Johns, New Brunswick, Canada had never experienced pressure readings so low. The reason these readings are significant is that those pressures are normally reserved for a Category 3 hurricane. The Blizzard of 1993 was only 960 mb and the 1991 Perfect Storm was even higher, at 972 mb. One of the only landfalling storms to beat the Blizzard of 2018 for pressure was Hurricane Sandy, at 940 mb, in 2012. It's quite possible this storm was the deepest landfalling winter storm in the U.S. on record.


EXCLUSIVE: Violent winds take down gas station canopy in Garfield, NJ #nbc4ny pic.twitter.com/RDov0rmVdQ

— Steven Bognar (@Bogs4NY) January 4, 2018

On the Massachusetts shore, coastal homes were inundated with a cold slushy ice, snow and storm surge; Boston broke their record high tide! Reed Timmer had a heck of a ride through the floodwaters.

https://business.facebook.com/AccuWeather/videos/10155957159817889/
Report a Typo

Weather News

Winter Weather

Alberta clipper to drop snow in Chicago, Detroit

Jan. 27, 2023
Astronomy

Earth's inner core may have stopped turning and could go into reverse

Jan. 26, 2023
Severe Weather

Survivors shaken by destructive EF3 tornado near Houston

Jan. 27, 2023
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

News & Features

AccuWeather Prime

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

ABOUT THIS BLOG
WeatherMatrix
Jesse Ferrell
AccuWeather Meteorologist and Social Media Manager Jesse Ferrell covers extreme weather and the intersection of meteorology and social media.
  • Astronomy
    with Dave Samuhel
  • Canadian weather
    with Brett Anderson
  • Global climate change
    with Brett Anderson
  • Global weather
    with Jason Nicholls
  • Northeast US weather
    with Elliot Abrams
  • Plume Labs on Air Quality
    with Tyler Knowlton
  • RealImpact of weather
    with Dr. Joel N. Myers
  • WeatherMatrix
    with Jesse Ferrell
  • Western US weather
    with Brian Thompson

Featured Stories

Climate

Iceberg roughly the size of London breaks off in Antarctica

21 hours ago

Winter Weather

Sheriff: Renner was crushed by snowplow as he tried to save nephew

2 days ago

Polar bears enjoy playtime in the snow

1 day ago 1:16
AccuWeather Weather Blogs Blizzard of 2018: 100+ mph winds, record low pressure, huge waves
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs Podcast RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Shop AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs Podcast RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Shop AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2023 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | TAG Disclosure | Do Not Sell My Data checkmark Confirmed Not Selling Your Data

We have updated our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

I Understand

Get AccuWeather alerts as they happen with our browser notifications.

Notifications Enabled

Thanks! We’ll keep you informed.

FEEDBACK