North American ice storm of January 1961
The North American ice storm of January 1961 was a massive ice storm that struck areas of northern Idaho in the United States on January 1–3, 1961. The storm set a record for thickest recorded ice accumulation from a single storm in the United States, at 8 inches.
The storm's swath covered areas from Grangeville, in north central Idaho, to the Canada–United States border. According to the National Weather Service, a combination of dense fog, sub-freezing temperatures, and occasional freezing rain led to the heavy ice accretions. Catastrophic damage to trees and utilities resulted in widespread power outages.
Prior to this storm, previous records of between 4 and 6 inches of ice were recorded in New York City and Texas.
