The 2018 Arctic winter storm commonly referred to as Winter Storm Morton was a significant extratropical cyclone that formed over Arctic Siberia on March 10, 2018. The storm passed over the Continental United States, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Atlantic Canada, The British Isles, The Scandinavian Peninsula and Estonia before dissipating over Eastern Russia on March 22, 2018. Over 700 Million people were affected by the storm and caused 99 deaths. It was ranked as a Category 2 "Significant" blizzard.
Meteorological History[]
On March 9, 2018 troughs formed in the Arctic Ocean on the Arctic Russian coast. The trough began to strengthen as it reached the mouth with the Bering Sea. A storm system had developed 50 miles west of Barrow, Alaska, the next day. The storm made landfall on Point Barrow that afternoon blowing gusts of snow up to 50 Miles per hour statewide. Denali National Park was closed by the Governor of Alaska, as a result. A jet stream in the Pacific Ocean formed as the storm system left Alaska. The storm system continued to strengthen while curving southeast in the Pacific Ocean. On March 13, 2018 the storm system made landfall in Northern California brining record hailstorms to the areas near the Coast Ranges, and moderately heavy snow in the Sierras. A four car collision on Donner Pass causing 9 deaths and 2 injuries was blamed on the storm. Donner Pass was closed after that. Nevertheless, the storm continued to strengthen as it journeyed though the Inland Western States. Heavier than usual snow showers, plagued the Great Basin region. Heavy snow in the Rockies caused many passes in Colorado to close down. The storm reached the Midwestern States on March 14, 2018 brining heavy ice and snow to Southern Kansas and Northern Oklahoma. It also spawned two F1 tornadoes in Southern Kansas. The Storm reached it peak intensity as it passed over Missouri and Arkansas. 2 and half feet of snow were recorded by journalists in the Ozarks. Overall the storm plagued people's vacations causing 35 deaths in the Arkansas Valley region. The storm passed over the Lower Mississippi Valley and brought flash floods to Louisiana and Mississippi, the worst since Hurricane Katrina. The storm left the Gulf Coast and trekked southeast across The Gulf of Mexico. On March 15, 2018 the storm made two landfalls, one in Florida and another in The Bahamas. After that the storm began to dissipate as it passed over Bermuda. On March 16, 2018, the storm reached Canada bringing strong gale winds to it's water surroundings and moderately heavy snow. The storm rode a jet stream and crossed the Atlantic before making landfall in The British Isles, On March 17, 2018. The effects in the British Isles saw heavy drizzle and sleet brining colder weather to normally mild areas. The storm moved across the North Sea before making landfall in Sweden on March 18, 2018. Sweden and Finland saw strong gale winds and moderately heavy drizzle and sleet. On March 19, 2018 the storm moved across Estonia brining small crafts and light drizzle and sleet to the small country. For three days the storm moved slowly before dissipating over Eastern Russia.