Winter Storm Indigo – Code Orange

Winter Storm Indigo brought cold temperatures and heavy snowfall to the Pacific Northwest before moving across the country towards the East on Wednesday, January 17.  The storm is expected to continue to spread snow and ice across the Midwest, Northeast, and Mid-South regions from Thursday into Friday.

The National Weather Service has issued a series of crucial winter weather advisories and winter storm warnings that are currently in effect across the affected regions. These alerts cover a vast geographical area, extending from the northern and central Rockies all the way to the Midwest, mid-South, Appalachians, and the Northeast. They are a clear indication of the immediate threat posed by snow and ice, which can lead to treacherous travel conditions.

Today, Winter Storm Indigo is expected to deliver snowfall across various regions. This includes the Midwest, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and the interior Northeast. Furthermore, some areas in the mid-South, such as Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee, may experience a mix of snow, freezing rain, and sleet.

Moving into this Friday, the storm will continue to bring snowfall to areas that include the eastern Great Lakes, upper Ohio Valley, and the Northeast Interstate 95 corridor, encompassing southern New England, New York, and Washington, D.C.

The weather forecast predicts that a general accumulation of 1 to 3 inches of snow is expected from Iowa to the mid-Atlantic and southern New England regions. Within this zone, there is an anticipation of 3 to 6 inches of snow accumulating in a region that includes parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, northern Maryland, and central New Jersey. The area with the highest likelihood of receiving a significant amount of snow, potentially up to a foot, is the mountainous terrain of West Virginia.

This zone of moderate to heavy snowfall may extend into southern New Jersey and Delaware, which could lead to a substantial snowstorm affecting cities such as Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Charleston, West Virginia. There may also be snowfall in areas including Cincinnati, Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Dover, Delaware.

Winter Storm Indigo unleashed significant ice accumulations in the Pacific Northwest. Reports indicated ice accumulations of up to half an inch near Eugene, Oregon. In contrast, the Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, metro areas experienced ice accumulations ranging from a quarter-inch to three-quarters of an inch. At one point, over 80,000 homes and businesses in Oregon experienced power outages due to these icy conditions.

Fortunately, next week should bring above-average seasonal prices, which should help to undo the icy hurt from this winter storm.

States of Emergency

States of emergency have been declared in states across the country, from Oregon to Texas to Florida. Some of those orders focus on the deployment of snow plows and other responses, while others provide transportation waivers for regulations such as Hours of Service. At the time of writing, at least 18 states have declared a state of emergency, with some tracked by the FMCSA for hours of service waivers.

Fuel Market Impact

Fuel markets have been impacted by the cold weather, with reports of gelling and transportation delays in various markets. At the refinery level, Gulf Coast hubs have been severely impacted by the storms. The region has seen 1.5 million barrels per day of refining capacity go offline in the past week due to weather issues. Around the country, the total number of refinery outages is currently 1.8 MMbpd. That loss is equivalent to roughly 75 million gallons per day, or nearly 9,500 full truckloads of fuel per day.

Several states across the country have seen reduced carrier capacity, dangerous road conditions, and/or supply challenges. Mansfield is moving to Code Orange, requesting 48-hours’ notice for new deliveries, in Montana, Oklahoma, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and West Virginia. Mansfield will continue to monitor market conditions and keep customers alert as the situation progresses.