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Winter Storm

Winter Storm Benji Recap: Record-Setting Deep South Snow and a Brush With the Northeast

By Jonathan Belles

January 25, 2018

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At a Glance

  • Winter Storm Benji's brought unusual snowfall to parts of the South in early December.
  • Many in the Northeast saw their first measurable snow of the season.
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Winter Storm Benji blanketed the South with record-setting snowfall and also brought the first measurable snow of the season to parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

(MORE: How Winter Storms Are Named | 2017-18 Winter Storm Names)

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Snowfall caused by Winter Storm Benji from southern Texas into the mid-Atlantic and Northeast over a three day period ending at 7 AM EST, Dec. 10. Snowfall seen in the Great Lakes, Midwest and interior Northeast was not caused by Benji.
(NOAA/NOHRSC)

Benji first dumped snow on the South Dec. 7-9 and then scooted by the Northeast coastline Dec. 9 into early Dec. 10.

The biggest impacts from Benji were felt in the South where the heavy, wet snow knocked out power to hundreds of thousands.

(MORE: Impacts from Winter Storm Benji | Bizarre, Notable Records Broken in the South From Benji)

Here's a look at where the snow fell state-by-state in the South followed by an overview of impacts in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

Texas

  • Highest snowfall total: 7.0 inches in Corpus Christi

The first snow from Benji came near America's border with Mexico.

Snow fell on the morning of Thursday, Dec. 7 in portions of western Texas, which spread east into the Texas Big Bend and the Rio Grande Valley, including Laredo and Fort Stockton. 

More than six inches of snow fell in some of the more mountainous terrain of the Texas Big Bend. 

In central Texas, 1 to 2 inches of snow fell early Dec. 7 along the Austin-San Antonio corridor. Four inches of snow accumulated in Dime Box, Texas, east of Austin. 

College Station's Easterwood Field measured 5 inches of snow Dec. 7, their heaviest calendar-day snow on record.

They had never previously reported measurable snow in December in records dating to 1951.

However, a cooperative station 6 miles southwest of College Station reported a 6-inch snowfall on Jan. 30, 1949, as well as previous December measurable snow events on Dec. 11, 1945 (0.5 inch), Dec. 20-21, 1929 (5.5 inches total), Dec. 21, 1927 (0.5 inch), and Dec. 9, 1898 (0.5 inch).

Amazingly, 0.3 inches of snow fell in Brownsville, Texas, which tied a 135-year-old record low temperature for Dec. 8 by dropping down to 34 degrees.

Falfurrias, Texas, located about 100 miles from the southern-most point in Texas, saw five inches of snow during a heavy band of snow. 

Thundersnow with 1 inch-per-hour snowfall rates was observed in Corpus Christi, Texas, early Dec. 8, their first measurable snow event since the infamous Christmas 2004 event. Up to 7 inches of snow had been measured on elevated surfaces in parts of the city. 

Rockport, Texas, site Harvey's Category 4 landfall just over three months ago, reported up to 3 inches of snow Dec. 8. 

Much of the Houston metro area picked up 1 to 2 inches of snow, blanketing the grass on the city's west and northwest sides, the metro's first measurable snow event in over eight years. Freeway flyover and some bridges became icy Dec. 8

Finally, Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas, ravaged by flooding from Hurricane Harvey, picked up 3 inches of snow.

Louisiana

  • Highest snowfall total: 6.5 inches has stuck in Kentwood, Louisiana (50 miles northeast of Baton Rouge) 

Here are some other totals in the Pelican State:

  • New Iberia: 2.4 inches
  • Alexandria: 2.1 inches
  • Lake Charles: 2.1 inches
  • Lafayette: 1.7 inches (a December calendar-day record)
  • New Orleans: Trace

Snow also blanketed Baton Rouge, with a total of 3.5 inches, for the first time since December 2009. 

Mississippi

  • Highest snowfall total: 7.0 inches in Bay Springs, Mississippi

Much of southwestern Mississippi has picked up 4-7 inches of snow, while portions of southeastern Mississippi also picked up so, including in Mobile which picked up 1.0 inch. 

Jackson picked up 5.1 inches of snow, Meridian came in with 5 inches, and Hattiesburg picked up 4.1 inches. 

Snow was also seen along the Mississippi Gulf Coast in Gulfport, Bay St. Louis, and Pass Christian.

Alabama

  • Top snowfall amount: 12 inches near Jacksonville

A wide swath of snow covered all but far northern Alabama with up to a foot of snow, with the heaviest snowfall arriving late on Dec. 8 in east-central Alabama east of Birmingham. 

Two locations, one near Anniston, the other near Foster's Crossroads, picked up 10 inches of snow.

Up to 5 inches of snow had been measured at the National Weather Service office near Birmingham with several other reports in the 2-4 inch range around central Alabama.

Twenty Alabama counties urged residents to use extreme caution on roads due to icy conditions. Icy roads were reported in numerous parts of Calhoun County. All roads in the city of Talladega were closed for a time on Dec. 8.

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Mobile, Alabama, picked up 1 inch of snow overnight Dec. 8-9, their first one-inch snow event since Jan. 28, 2014. 

Other notable snowfall totals:

  • Ashland: 9.1 inches
  • Butler: 7.5-8.0 inches
  • Alabaster: 4.5 inches
  • West Bend: 4.0 inches
  • Birmingham: 3.5 inches
  • Brewton: 2.5 inches
  • Tuscaloosa: 1.5 inches
  • Dauphin Island: 0.2 inches (a barrier island)

In some places, snow will last on the ground for two days. 

Georgia

  • Top snowfall amount: 18.0 inches in Mountain City, Georgia

The north and northwest sides of the Atlanta metro area were clobbered by 5 to 12 inches of snow, in a swath from Paulding and northwest Cobb Counties into Bartow, Cherokee and parts of north Fulton Counties. A very steep gradient occurred across the city due to the rain/snow line fluttering across the city during the day on Dec. 8, resulting in snowfall totals 3-6 times higher in the northwest suburbs of Atlanta compared the southeastern suburbs. 

With more rain than snow, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on the city's southwest side measured 2.3 inches of snow on December 8-9, just short of an all-time December snowfall record.

The north Georgia mountains picked up period of heavy snow and very heavy accumulations, ranging from 10-18 inches. Sky Valley, Georgia, measured 13 inches of snow early Dec. 9.

Florida

  • Highest snowfall total: 2.0 inches in Century, Florida

Accumulating snow was witnessed in Pensacola, Florida, and flurries were reported early Dec. 9 in several other western Florida panhandle locations, including Destin and Crestview. Crestview, often called Florida's icebox, received 0.5 inches of snow.

North Carolina

  • Highest snowfall total: 25 inches in Mt. Mitchell State Park at 5,800 feet in elevation.

Some of the higher peaks in the Black Mountains of western North Carolina saw more than two feet of snow.

Over 10 inches of snow blanketed the mountains of western North Carolina, topped by an estimated 18 inches near Cashiers. Over 8 inches piled up in Asheville. 

Other locations picking up more than 12 inches included Highlands (15 inches), Burnsville (14.5 inches), Barnardsville (13.5 inches), Hendersonville (13 inches) and Maggie Valley (12 inches). 

Other reports:

  • Winston-Salem: 3.8 inches
  • Greensboro: 1.8 inches
  • Raleigh-Durham: 0.5 inch
  • Charlotte Douglas International Airport: 0.1 inch

South Carolina

  • Highest snowfall total: 9.0 inches near Cedar Mountain, South Carolina.

While Benji's snowfall skirted South Carolina just to the west, Upstate saw 4-8 inches of snow, and some lower terrain locations saw snow as well, including Spartanburg, which saw 3.0 inches. 

Just under 2 inches was been recorded in Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina. Clemson University saw 1.5 inches through late Dec. 8. 

Tennessee

  • Highest snowfall total: 9.1 inches near Culberson, Tennessee

Parts of eastern Tennessee, especially closer to the Appalachians saw moderate to heavy snowfall, including Gatlinburg, which picked up 6.0 inches. 

Two to six inches of snow generally fell over the Great Smokey Mountains of eastern Tennessee with considerably higher amounts in North Carolina. 

The Mid-Atlantic

A heavy wet snow fell across the mid-Atlantic with the exception of right along the coast in Virginia. For many locations, Benji brought the first measurable snow observed this season.

Two were killed, including a 5-year-old boy and a 27-year-old woman, in Virginia in a car crash on slippery roadways caused by the snowfall

Widespread snow fell across Virginia with snowfall totals mainly between 2-6 inches. Meadows of Dan, Virginia, picked up 7 inches of snow, and 3.5 inches was reported near Richmond. 

Dulles airport northwest of Washington, D.C. picked up 4 inches of snow while National airport received 2 inches. Both of those totals were daily records for Dec. 9.

The heaviest snow then moved into central and eastern Maryland where most residents reported 3-6 inches. Baltimore's airport picked up 2.8 inches of snow.

Snowfall totals varied wildly across Delaware. Delmar, in southern Delaware, reported 8 inches of snow, while Wilmington, in northern Delaware, reported 4.1 inches. 

Philadelphia saw its first measurable snowfall this season with a total of 4.1 inches from Benji. Ridley Park in southwest Philadelphia tallied up 8 inches of snowfall.

Northeast

New York City's Central Park and LaGuardia airport both picked up 4.6 inches of snow from Benji, marking the first measurable snow this season in those locations.

Multiple cities saw a half foot or more of total snow in New England, including parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine.

Some notable totals by state in include:

Connecticut: up to 7 inches in West HartfordRhode Island: 6 inches in BurrillvilleMassachusetts: 8.2 inches in Boylston; 5.8 inches at Boston's Logan airportNew Hampshire: 7.4 inches in Greenland; 4.7 inches in ConcordMaine: 9 inches in Deer Isle; 6.4 inches in Portland

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Winter Storm Benji Photos

A woman holds an umbrella in the snow near Central Park on December 9, 2017 in New York City. The area is expected to see 3-6 inches of snow in the first snowfall of the season. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
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A woman holds an umbrella in the snow near Central Park on December 9, 2017 in New York City. The area is expected to see 3-6 inches of snow in the first snowfall of the season. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
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