User:Nxsa/sandbox/January 2031 North American storm complex - nxsa

The January 2031 North American storm complex was a strong blizzard system that mostly affected the Northeastern United States and Canada in early January 2031, as part of the 2030-31 winter. The powerful system dropped up to 2.4 feet (29.0 in; 74 cm) of snowfall within New England during January 5-6. Effects of the blizzard were felt all the way in Northern Florida, as 0.1 inches of snowfall was reported in Jacksonville, Florida, and Georgia, with reported 0.3 inches of snow in Hinesville, Georgia. In North Carolina, 1.1 inches of ice was reported in Raleigh, North Carolina in the storm's wake late on January 8.

Early on January 5, the complex formed north of The Bahamas, already having winds of 60 mph. The system swiftly moved northward, gaining hurricane-force winds that same day as it moved towards New England. At around 12:00 UTC on January 6, the storm reached a peak intensity of 80 mph (130 km/h), along with a peak gust of 116 mph (186 km/h), and a minimum central pressure of 951 mbar simultaneously. The storm then moved inland in Massachusetts and started to weaken further. The system was then absorbed into an even stronger extratropical cyclone over Canada on January 7.

The blizzard was given many unofficial names, with the most popular nicknames; Winter Storm Oswald, Storm Ozzie, and January 2031 New England cyclone, the first one being the most popular out of the three. The system was also called a bomb cyclone, due to its explosive deepening as it near New England. The last time a nor'easter was referred to as a 'bomb cyclone' was in March of 2029.

During the duration of the blizzard and winter storm warnings were issued along the East Coast of the United States, starting from Jacksonville to Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Several states in New England, mainly Massachusetts, were under a state of emergency due to how strong the blizzard was. Several flights had to be canceled or delayed for the duration of the storm. Damages were very severe, costing up to $2.3 billion in total. Many lives were lost, with a confirmed number of 26 deaths due to the storm, with up to 12 people missing by January 10. At least 460,000 people in the United States were left with no electricity after the storm, though the power was restored within a week or so.

Meteorological synopsis
During late December 2030, Global Forecast System (GFS) forecasted a strong nor'easter off the East Coast of the United States during the first few days of 2031. On January 1, an an area of low pressure formed in the western Gulf of Mexico and began to move slowly eastward. On January 3, the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) began tracking the area of low-pressure as it moved over Florida, as it was expected to move into the Atlantic and strengthen near The Bahamas. The WPC expected the low to bring snowfall across the East Coast. Many models were certain that New England would get the worst of the storm, forecasting the blizzard to drop inches upon inches of snowfall along the coast of the New England, mainly Massachusetts. As the low progressed eastward through the Bahamas, another disturbance formed over New York, starting to increase moisture. This would allow more wintry conditions once the original low moved towards land. Models, still expecting a New England landfall, now wanted to nor'easter to deepen rapidly, concerning many people from New England. As the lows moved through the area, frontogenesis continued to increase moisture, allowing for freezing rain to start off northern Florida and southern Georgia late on January 4. Quick cyclogenesis took place during late January 4 and led to the formation of a 989 millibar low-pressure area on January 5 just south of Bermuda and far northeast of the Bahamas, before starting to move northward. Convection covered the center of the low and the WPC started issuing advisories for the low at around 14:00 UTC (2:00 p.m EST) that same day, as it was projected to make landfall within New England sometime late that day or early on January 6.

After forming, warnings began to be issued for cities along the East Coast, with the first on being in Massachusetts and North Carolina. The extratropical cyclone began to explosively deepen, and during so, gained hurricane-force winds by 18:00 UTC (2:00 p.m EST) that same day on January 5. At the same time, an eye-like feature began to form as the storm intensified. The cyclone continued to strengthen, as it grew bigger and bigger, having its outer bands affecting Atlantic Canada. By 06:00 UTC on January 6, the blizzard had deepened greatly, by 32 mbar in 30 hours, simultaneously peaking with 80 mph winds (130 km/h) and a central minimum pressure of 951 mbar (hPa; 28.02 inHg) just before making landfall in between Falmouth, Massachusetts and Hyannis, Massachusetts at around 07:45 UTC (3:45 a.m EST). As the system moved inland, snow littered the coasts and coastal cities and towns with heavy snowfall and thundersnow. Onshore, the wintry precipitation increased, more greatly than expected. As the day progressed further on, several snow bands had formed, allowing for more heavy snowfall rates of 8 in (20.3 cm) her hour in New England. The nor'easter then started to weaken slowly but surely, losing its hurricane-force winds that same day at around 9:00 UTC (5:00 a.m), along with its eye-like feature starting to cloud over, though heavy snowfall was still ongoing across the Northeastern United States. The system's intensity stalled as it moved into Canada late that same day. Another extratropical cyclone to its north began to interact with the blizzard, starting to absorb it. The system was then absorbed into another extratropical cyclone, which became stronger, and would later give Canada, mainly Newfoundland lots of snowfall, along with Nova Scotia and part of Maine on January 8.

Preparations and impact
In advance of the blizzard, the WPC issued many warnings along the East Coast of the United States as the system moved closer. Most of the blizzard warnings were issued for most of New England and New York. The system produced heavy snowfall and other forms of wintry weather across the East Coast. By the 5th WPC winter storm advisory, up to 56 cm of snow was recorded in Bergen, New Jersey, though the total snowfall was up to 65 cm (74.0 in), which was reported in Taunton, Massachusetts. Freezing rain totals were up to 1.1 in (2.78 cm) in many places in North Carolina, including Raleigh, North Carolina. Up to twenty-six people died, mainly in New England, including at least 10 car-accident-related deaths and 2 drownings. Up to 4,010 flights had to be canceled and/or delayed for the duration of the storm across the United States. Estimates claimed that coastal flooding damage will be more than those of snow-related damage.

Florida and Georgia
Multiple universities announced closures as the low-pressure area passed through on January 5, including Florida State University and University of North Florida. Duval County, along with 5 others, was issued a state of emergency. Only up to 0.2 in of snow was recorded in Savannah, Georgia in the aftermath of the storm. Jacksonville, Florida only received 0.1 in of snow. For this region, it was the first snowfall since January 2018. This was also the first since 2018, to have measurable snow in the month of January.