Effects were felt to the north and west of this track in northern Mexico, California, and the southwestern, midwestern, southeastern, and most notably Mid-Atlantic states.

[4] This event was the second of four nor'easters during the 2009–2010 winter that brought heavy snow to enough of the Northeast's population to be numerically recognized by NOAA's NESIS intensity rating.

The first and third of these systems, the December 2009 Nor'Easter and the February 9–10, 2010 North American blizzard, respectively, combined with this event to bring the snowiest winter on record to much of the Mid-Atlantic.

Additionally, this event was the second of three major Mid-Atlantic snowstorms that occurred over a 12-day period; each subsequent storm focused its heaviest snow slightly farther north: the January 30, 2010, storm (not recognized by NESIS) dropped more than a foot of snow across Virginia and the lower Chesapeake Bay region, while the February 9–10, 2010 North American blizzard bulls-eyed the Maryland-Pennsylvania border with as much as 38.3 inches.

[5][6] The main storm system originated in the Pacific Ocean, bringing heavy rain and mountain snow to California and Arizona on February 2.

The system produced over one foot of snowfall in the higher elevations and the eastern plains of New Mexico, shutting down major highways including Interstate 40 east of Albuquerque for several hours on February 3.

Meanwhile, a second, more-northern disturbance tracked from the central Rockies to the lower Missouri River Valley, bringing light snow showers to Montana, the Dakotas, parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois.

Heavy snow subsequently developed over the Mid-Atlantic states as the storm's center tracked across North Carolina towards the Atlantic Coast.

An antecedent and nearly-stationary upper-level ridge over the Maritime Provinces of Canada served to block the storm system from following the traditional northeast track into New England.

Instead, during the AM hours of February 6th, the storm center slowed its northeasterly movement as it continued to deepen east of Virginia Beach, before it eventually was forced eastward.

Easterly winds and onshore flow contributed to light snow accumulations of less than one inch in Boston, Cape Cod, and parts of coastal Rhode Island.

Ostro characterized the storm as having "strong dynamics" and expected the snowfall to be of long duration, typically leading to large accumulations.

[12] The Washington Post also popularized other portmanteaus, including "snOMG" (from OMG) and "kaisersnoze" (from Keyser Soze), in response to the February snowstorms.

[13] During the evening preceding the first blizzard hitting Washington, D.C., most of the United States federal government closed, and press coverage continued to characterize the storm using either "Snowmageddon", "Snowpocalypse", or both.

[14] The phrase was later popularized by the President of the United States, Barack Obama, on February 8, 2010, who used the term while speaking at the Democratic National Committee's meeting.

[15] An unofficial storm total snowfall observation of 39.0" was made from Riverwood, MD (in Frederick County) on CoCoRaHS, and later referenced in the February 2010 Washington Baltimore Climate Review (not published electronically).

Pittsburgh with 21.1", was the first major city to experience the storm's heavier snowfall, separating sub-20" amounts over Indiana and Ohio from 20 to 35" readings found in the Laurel Highlands and east.

Although initially forecast to bring only 4–8" of snow to the area, the storm's track farther to the north lead to the explosive accumulations.

Additional local reports from Maryland include: Edgemere, 35.4"; Clarksville, 34.9"; Crofton, 34.0"; Columbia, 33.8"; Laurel, 32.9"; Pasadena, 31.0"; Dundalk, 30.5"; Ellicott City, 30.2"; Frederick, 29.0"; Olney, 28.0"; Germantown, 27.4"; and Catonsville, 22.9".

The rain, which began early in the week and peaked on Thursday, February 4, had relented by Friday morning, providing officials with their first good look at the damage.

The hardest area hit by the storm was the western state of Michoacán, a famous reserve for monarch butterflies, where at least 13 people were killed by landslides and flooding.

[22] There was a silver lining: Officials said the copious rain had filled reservoirs outside Mexico City that are a key source of water for the metropolis.

[26] The heavy snow, ice storms and low temperatures of January the 26th led to Interstate 90 being closed from Chamberlain, South Dakota, to the Minnesota border.

[27] Kristi Truman, director of the North Dakota Office of Emergency Management was concerned about failing water and power supplies.

[34] The United States Government implemented an unscheduled leave policy for federal employees on Friday February 5 and shut down four hours early in an effort to clear metropolitan Washington before substantial snow accumulations began.

[38] The United States Postal Service decided to cancel mail delivery and collection in the affected areas for Saturday, February 6.

While driving in heavy snow, his 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee slid sideways into the path of an oncoming Ford truck, killing him and his passenger, Mark Reedy (18) of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

[52] In Bladensburg, two men were found dead in a running car whose tailpipe was blocked by snow; they died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

[53] A father and daughter in McKeesport were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning, as a result of improper usage of a generator after a power outage.