A Look Back at Raleigh's 20-Inch Blizzard in 2000

In January 2000, Raleigh, North Carolina, experienced a snowstorm of historic proportions, leaving an indelible mark on the city’s weather history.

Over the course of just a few days, the Triangle area was blanketed with more than 20 inches of snow, the highest recorded snowfall at Raleigh-Durham International Airport since the 1870s.

The storm began innocuously on January 26, with light snow falling across the region. However, by January 27, the snowfall intensified, and by the morning of January 28, the city was buried under a staggering 20 inches of snow.

This unprecedented event paralyzed the region, closing schools for two weeks and leaving thousands of homes without power.

For a city unaccustomed to such extreme winter weather, the storm brought both chaos and camaraderie. Residents improvised sleds from trash can lids and cafeteria trays, while others braved the elements to stock up on essentials. However, the storm also had its darker side, with two fatalities and hundreds of motorists stranded on icy highways.

Meteorologists were caught off guard by the storm’s intensity. While some predicted a modest snowfall, the storm’s rapid development and heavy precipitation rates—up to four inches per hour—exceeded expectations.

The event was later dubbed a “once-in-a-lifetime” snowstorm, a title it still holds in Raleigh’s weather lore.

Though Raleigh has seen significant snowfalls since, none have matched the scale of the 2000 blizzard. As the city prepares for future winter weather this week, the lessons of that historic storm remain a reminder of nature’s unpredictability.