you could look across the fields and see people trying to shovel out their driveways and all you could see was the top of their heads. The monster storm halted commerce and disrupted lives through the Great Lakes region, with cities from Cleveland to Buffalo to Montreal reporting blizzard conditions. The wind caused snow drifts as high as the top porches of some houses. "Blizzard of '99" screamed the headline atop the next day's Democrat and Chronicle. By the time we arrived home and walked to the door, we kept hearing loud pops (almost like gunfire) and emergency vehicles sirens everywhere. We had 2 50 foot blue spruce trees in the front of the house, our youngest daughter was 6 years, I took a picture of her standing on a 20 foot bank which was up against one of those trees, so all in all briefly, that was in 1978. our saving grace was that we were home and did not have to battle coming home which hundreds that were at work in Providence were stuck for hours, until people with snowmobiles started bringing them home. haha it strangely made people come together more !! The result is an almost cartoonish amount of snow and, in this case, civic paralysis. The city manager later ordered an investigation of snow-removal failures. Munching on a raw apple after a meal cleans the teeth and helps heal the gums. It was not snow plows but front end loaders that dug Fulton County out. It was not snow plows but front end loaders that dug Fulton County out. Lived in Glocester, RI (not MAdifferent spelling!). Click here to see this page in the eEdition: Kalamazoo is in a lake effect snow belt so we already had 24 inches of snow on the ground before the Blizzard of 78 hit. NWS Brooklyn, NY. At the time, Neil and Vinnie co-owned a corner shop called My Liquor Store. Carey. The 100 Years Ago article in The Sentinel told that on Feb. 2, 1878, the heaviest snow of the season occurred. I will never forget the Blizzard of 78 here in Ohio! Stranded drivers left their vehicles and scrambled for warmth and cover. With our western borders lying along the shores of both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, this half of our state has become all too familiar with troublesome snow storms. I was 16 years old and was out of school for a week as school was cancelled! document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023. [3], The storm was formed from an extratropical cyclone off the coast of South Carolina on February 5. Cities like Buffalo endure lake effect storms: systems that move across Lake Erie, picking up moisture, only to dump their snowy load at landfall. The blizzard mixed with the unfrozen Lake Ontario created the perfect storm. It was terrifying. Remember 1978 well! At one point, he looked up at the lowering western skies and said, What the hell is that?. Twenty-three people were killed in our area. Still, scores of people got ticketed. it took 2 or 3 drivers holding on to each other to get across the street. It wasnt only New England affected. My brother-in-law brought us extra milk for the kids on his snowmobile. Owned and operated 100 acre Dairy Farm, all equiped electrically, milking 50 animals, trying to keep the 750 gallon milk tank running on generator, also some for the house after milking. On the drive back home it seemed like it was getting colder and colder in the car and I turned on the heat. About 100,000 cars were abandoned on Michigan highways, most of them in the southeast part of the state. Rochester and the Finger Lakes region gets its share of winter weather, but a blizzard 40 years ago this week - on January 28, 1977 - paralyzed Buffalo and its suburbs. The day started out sunny and pleasant which tricked people in the Buffalo area to be lax in bringing extra clothes, etc. It was a wild ride to South County Hospital. if you parked at the fuel pumps they would fuel your truck for you and then wake you up. But the worst of it came on the last two days of February, when nearly two feet of snow fell and the Rochester area was briefly in shut-down mode. February 27 - March 3, 1984. We lived in South Bend, Indiana at the time, and I had a 6 y/o and a 1 y/o. Biggest single-day storms in Rochester NY 1. During the afternoon of the 26th, the Indiana State Police considered all Indiana roads closed.[12]. Surface map on the morning of January 26, 1978. Calvert said they allowed stranded motorists to sleep in the jail. Wild! The snow turned to rain on Cape Cod, but the wind wreaked plenty of havoc. Drum as they were also buried and would assist if helped to get out. I was 17 and mom and I walked to Stop n Shop the day it began. Scribbling about all things New York and Buffalo related while also keeping you updated on the latest travel news! And there's nothing like seeing our beautiful waterfalls all decked out in ice. The one lady and I sat and talked a bit to long because when we were ready to leave, nobodys car would start. We cooked on the gas grill and shared the generator with my in-laws next door for electricity. Locally, it started slowly but shut down Rochester on Feb. 7, 1978. Municipal highway departments, their budgets already depleted by a heavy plowing workload in November and December, cried poverty. GREECE, N.Y. - The Blizzard of 1966 was a historic storm for Rochester.Dropping nearly 27 inches of snow from January 30-31, winds whipped through the city and shut it down for nearly a week.While . What are some good winter activities in New York? It's safe to say that at least 23 of our residents didn't make it through this storm. I wondered why they were all standing there instead of heading for home and thought Id get a lead on them. I looked out my window and saw Tom walking through a snow bank on the road. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Vinnie begged him, saying he had to ignore the travel ban and open his store; hed go broke if he didnt. My car was buried and it took days and weeks for things to be dug out and return to normal. In 1978, one of the worst blizzards in recent memory crippled the Atlantic seaboard. Some 2,500 houses were reported as seriously damaged or destroyed and 54 people were killed, many because of fallen electrical wires. Click here to see this page in the eEdition. [12] Because of the Blizzard, the second round of the Beanpot that year was not held until March 1, 1978, the latest date ever for the tournament's concluding games. We had so much fun. An Arctic cold front and a cold air mass then merged with the storm, creating the perfect ingredients for a large and intense low-pressure system. Several accidents occurred because cars collided on those icy snow-packed roads. Chinese New Year: Traditions and Superstitions, Spring Equinox and the First Day of Spring, Summer Solstice and the First Day of Summer, Sell the Farmers Almanac In Your Retail Store, Grow Your Business Advertise with the Farmers Almanac. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. In the city, people bemoaned the fact that the daily milk train had been hours late and delivery vehicles weren't able to navigate the streets. A normal 25 minute drive turned into a 2 1/2 hour drive. Wind speeds reached 79 mph at Logan Airport, 92 mph at Chatham Weather Station on Cape Cod . On Wednesday, the first mail delivery since the storm hit came via six four-wheel drive trucks hauled in from nearby Rochester. In addition, the blizzard caused more $520 million in property damage (roughly $1.85 billion in todays dollars). Here are a few warnings about surviving winter in New York. DEEP SNOW Elizabeth Alderfer, Rochester, submitted this photo showing above right the front of Torin, now Lau Industries, 510 N. Indiana 25, taken in January 1978 after the blizzard. Whether its a short vacation or theyre jetting off to begin their career, show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift. Locally, it started slowly but shut down Rochester on Feb. 7, 1978. Unfortunately for our northern residents, Lake Ontario almost never freezes over. I was In the Army at that time and it was my Unit from Ft. Bragg, NC that went to Buffalo and helped them to get dug out and made way to Ft. [5] Nearly all economic activity was disrupted in the worst-hit areas. Thirteen individuals died from the cold while trapped inside their vehicles, and another 13 died inside their homes after losing power and heat. Muskegon, Michigan, had up to 33.8 inches of snow[4] in four days due to heavy lake-effect snow squalls after the blizzard began. Snowmobiles became the only mode of transportation. For them, the Mother of All Storms came earlier, that cruel January ambush known as the Blizzard of 77, with its icy fangs gnashing, its breath frozen. If so, share your stories below. It began during the night of Jan. 25. 40 miles South of Boston. We expect snow here, he said. National Adopt a Shelter Day emphasizes the importance, 2 21-year-old UK students dead after crash on I-90, Prayer and healing service planned for Kim Pegula, Eagles member to be inducted in ROC Music Hall of, BestReviews.com - Top gifts to make everyone happy this spring, Mothers Day inspo: This foot massager has 20,000, Drew Barrymores Walmart collection is perfect for, Best Mothers Day gifts for the budding plant mom, Best Mothers Day Gifts for moms obsessed with books, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Fourteen people died on I-95 near Boston because snow piled high enough to prevent poisonous exhaust fumes from escaping from their idling vehicles. The coast was like a hurricane and many houses were tossed into the ocean. Neil got an assignment to venture out into the weather and scout out some grub for his hungry colleagues. Two men died of heart attacks while shoveling snow. Coming on the heels of an even bigger storm two days earlier, this monster forced the county government to reimpose a state of emergency six hours after the old one was lifted. [1] The third lowest non-tropical atmospheric pressure ever recorded in the mainland United States occurred as the storm passed over Mount Clemens, Michigan, where barometer readings fell to 956.0mb (28.23inHg) on January 26. The wood was frozen all the way through! You could see the top three or four inches of his van in the snow. Other notable happenings? Buffalonians dont fear snow. I found this very strange until I looked out front and saw my 74 Green VW Beetle completely buried! January 29 - February 2, 1966. I never made it, he says. I worked for New Englane Tel. The cooperative observer station at the Bennetts Bridge power plant, near Altmar, NY, established an official all-time New York State monthly snowfall record with 192" of snowfall in January 1978.[16]. We moved to Texas that summer.had ENOUGH! Elizabeth Alderfer, Rochester, submitted this photo showing above right the front of Torin, now Lau Industries, 510 N. Indiana 25, taken in January 1978 after the blizzard. I was in Rochester,NY for that storm(i was onlyl 10 yrs old) but my little brother and i will never forget it. In the city, people bemoaned the fact that the daily milk train had been hours late and delivery vehicles weren't able to navigate the streets. I tried to get the ladys car going but it needed a battery. [8] While a typical nor'easter brings steady snow for six to twelve hours, the Blizzard of '78 brought heavy snow for an unprecedented full 33hours as it was blocked from heading into the North Atlantic by a strong Canadian high pressure area. The Blizzard of '78 formed on Sunday, February 5, 1978, and broke up on February 7. Calvert said they allowed stranded motorists to sleep in the jail. Hess recalled that Velma Byerline, director of Fulton County Development Council, which helped low income and winterization, had an elderly widow who could not afford to buy more than five gallons of fuel. morning on Jan 26, 1978, Towboat trapped in ice There was a CB Club and a React Club which helped people too. We at that time lived in a town called Rehoboth,Ma. This storm was insidious in that it began just five days after a ferocious windstorm that knocked out power to much of the Rochester area. I was there !! Our residents who were around for this storm are reminded of New Yorks worst blizzard every time it snows in western New York. Many people were stranded in their cars along roads throughout New England. The Blizzard of 1978. He did not get to come home for several days and he was the only person who made it to work at RTC. Of the Ohio fatalities, 22 were the result of exposure as individuals abandoned their stranded vehicles or homes with no heat. This storm was billed at the worst in Rochester in a decade. A state of emergency was declared after a storm that drops two to three inches of snow an hour ravaged the region. The powerful winter storm of 1978 was a severe blizzard. My dad called me and said Uncle J was out of firewood. Additional Photos of the Blizzard of 1978 In Brampton, Ontario, (northwest of Toronto) on Thursday afternoon, school buses could not get through deep snow to the then-rural campus of Sheridan College to take students home. Country roads were like a tunnel, one-lane wide. During the storm, a cop stopped Vinnie on his way into work. I was thankful that I was nursing my son so we didnt have to worry about sterlizing bottles and making formula with no electric! Providence County, Rhode Island, was the hardest hit by the blizzard; the towns of Lincoln, Smithfield, Woonsocket, and North Smithfield all reported totals of at least 40 inches (100cm) snow.[3]. The next day we found out that the pressure had dropped so fast and to an all time low, large windows (like stores and high rises) were blowing out. Roads were closed and airplanes grounded . Inquiries: Lmonroe@onlyinyourstate.com. Schools and most businesses closed; those that remained open had few customers, as no one could travel. The storm produced 45 tornadoes in the Southeast U.S. resulting in 12 fatalities, while later dropping over 2 feet (61 . Strangers becoming friends. In many instances, the only means of rescuing individuals with medical emergencies was by helicopter. One of the major problems with the Blizzard of 1978 was the lack of foreknowledge about the storm's severity. It was necessary to contract for front-end loaders to scoop the snow off the roads and haul it away or pile it 12 feet high at the roadsides. 43.5 inches. We talk of that storm every winter wondering if it could happen again. [3] The huge storm surge resulted in broken sea walls and massive property loss. I was living in NJ and working at a nearby college when I received a call around 5:00 a.m. that there would be no school. People called the jail if they needed medicine or help. This season was an unusually cold one. If you don't mind the cold, there's so much to do outside. We called the farmer down the road to plow our long-hill driveway with a bulldozer. Soepic storms are not uncommon. The Great Blizzard of 1978 was a historic winter storm that struck the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes regions of the United States as well as Southern Ontario in Canada from Wednesday, January 25 through Friday, January 27, 1978. In 2010, we were hit with a horrible Nor'easter. BLIZZARD OF 1977: TEMPERATURES DROPS 31 DEGREES IN FOUR HOURS Carter took the action at the request of Gov. Two men died of heart attacks after trying to shovel snow that lay two feet deep. , Golisano Autism Center announces drive for supplies, Surprise your mom with one of these Mothers Day. Atlantic City, N.J. also broke an all-time record with 20" of snow. Most of our worst natural disasters have involved flooding or snow. SabresFan85/YouTube. with them that day. The city manager later ordered an investigation of snow-removal failures. Co. By the next morning there was no way I could even think about getting out of the driveway, and the Gov. In Massachusetts, there was no travel ban again until 35 years later, when Governor Deval Patrick announced a travel ban on February 8, 2013, running from 4 p.m. that day until 4 p.m. the next day, because of the February 2013 nor'easter, whose snowfall rivaled and, in some places, beat that of the Blizzard of '78; in the "Blizzard of '13", the ban was declared before the worst hit; in the Blizzard of '78 this happened after the storm's worst. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration By day 4, having my husband home, I was relieved. February 7, 2013 / 11:12 AM Thanks largely to these back-to-back storms, March 1999 was the snowiest March ever in Rochester. In Truro, on Cape Cod, the Atlantic Ocean broke through to the Pamet River for the first time during this storm, completely washing away the link between the North and South Pamet roads. Roy Calvert, Rochester chief of police, prohibited parking on certain streets to enable snow removal. The onslaught in 1993 may have been the last time before Wednesday that the National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for Rochester. Love New York? But they could plow out only a lane and a half on most thoroughfares, so by spring, many cars were missing drivers side mirrors, most of them having been sheared off by passing buses. The storm really was that bad. We at that time lived in a town called Rehoboth,Ma. A powerful Arctic jet stream (containing a wind max of 110 knots) surged straight south through the Northern Great Plains while a powerful subtropical jet (containing a wind max of 130 knots) moved south through Arizona, both during the time a huge upper ridge of high pressure forced the Pacific jet north into Northern Canada. With all the snow this winter, we have often mentioned the big blizzard of 78. My husband and I had just welcomed our second son 2 weeks prior to the Blizzard. The flurries began Friday, Jan. 28, and continued for days. This car was buried in the snow for over a month in Kettering, Ohio, A National Guard snow plow prepares to clear the way in Shelby County, Ohio, Blizzard conditions arrived (Login Required), Many people were out on snowmobiles, helping people who needed groceries or needed to go to the hospital or a doctor. Chagrined forecasters admitted they hadn't foreseen the severity of the storm. Here's your Rochester weather forecast for today and 5 days out. Boston and areas around were shut down. Upon arriving after a 45-minute walk in waist-deep snow from his home 10 city blocks away, he had to dig down "a foot" to put the key in the front door. Called the Volunteer Harmony, RI Fire Department who was more than happy to clear my doorways, AND volunteered to go to the local grocery store for pampers, etc. [8], The blizzard was the worst in Ohio history; 51 people died as a result of the storm. This unbelievable storm paralyzed western New York for nearly two weeks. With our western borders lying along the shores of both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, this half of our state has become all too familiar with troublesome snow storms, . I remember the Blizzard of 78 very well. Finding Dimes? oil at a time. I was working as a hairdresser then and had 5 days off because of the storm. Hess recalled that federal people came to see about cleaning the roads of snow but said because Fulton County had already cleaned its roads, they could not do it again. Like Neil, my brother-in-law. We have been hit by several hurricanes, but that was one of the worst. This number excludes the countless other vehicles buried in driveways, on the sides of streets, and in parking lots. That lady I met that night She honored me, 2 years later, by becoming my wife and we have never been apart since we met, in that bar, that wonderful night! I watched that county truck hit the drift and his rear wheels came off the ground! And its funny what you remember: Neil recalls one beefy utility linemen, later huddled under an office desk with an entire pizza. Storm Overview We had 2 50 foot blue spruce trees in the front of the house, our youngest daughter was 6 years, I took a picture of her standing on a 20 foot bank which was up against one of those trees, so all in all briefly, that was in 1978. our saving gr. 5. Boston Herald American, February 10, 1978, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "The Blizzard of 1978: The week the state stood still", "The Blizzard of 1978: Seacoast SAD, February 15, 1978", "Historic Philly snowfalls: Suburbs' totals dominate", "The meteorology behind the blizzard of February 6-7, 1978", "#ThrowbackThursday: Hartford Civic Center Roof Collapse", The 11 Snowstorms That Closed NYC Schools, "Blizzard of 78 - stories outside of Hull, MA", "Grasso Closes the State" by proclamation", "Blizzard Of 1978: Feb. 6-7, 1978: The Blizzard Of '78 Shut Down The State And Made Heroes Out Of Those With Four-Wheel Drive", "Hartford Civic Center Arena Roof Collapse", 1998 "Blizzard of 1978: Feb. 67, 1978: The Blizzard of '78 Shut Down the State and Made Heroes out of Those with Four-Wheel Drive", Gallery: A look back at the Blizzard of 1978, Major snow and ice events in the United States, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Northeastern_United_States_blizzard_of_1978&oldid=1149478971, 1978 natural disasters in the United States, February 1978 events in the United States, Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles needing additional references from February 2013, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 12 April 2023, at 14:12. But in working-class Buffalo, nobody talks about 1978. But Sheriff Newgent took them for a helicopter ride to see how bad the roads were drifting shut over and over. Wind gusts of 100mph (160km/h) were recorded in Plum Island and 110mph (180km/h) at First Cliff in Scituate, Massachusetts. An enormous wall of snow had reached the airport by 11:30 a.m. Visibility quickly began to drop, with wind speeds increasing from 29 miles per hour all the way up to 49 miles per hour. Falls and heart-attacks caused by snow shoveling were among the other causes of death across the region. Many were hospitalized for exposure, mostly from homes that lost power and heat. The Rochester Subway may be gone, but these old Rochester photos, maps, images and stories bring back pieces of Rochester history few people know about. The Sentinel reported: Joy riders and persons who decided to visit Aunt Minnie just because they havent seen her for a week or so were bring stopped by Fulton County police and sent home.. Because of this, people had neither time nor incentive to prepare. This is among New Yorks worst blizzards and it will never, Theres A Sculpture Park In New York, And Its One Of The Quirkiest Places Youll Ever Go, This New York City Is One Of The Most Peaceful Places To Live In The Country, Witches, Wizards, and Muggles Will Love This Immersive Harry Potter Experience Coming To New York, Stay Overnight In This Breathtaking Cabin Just Steps From The Lake In New York, The Massive New York Blizzard Of December 2010 Will Never Be Forgotten, The Epic Snowstorm That New York Will Never Ever Forget, Hurricane-Strength Winds Just Derailed A Train In New York And Left Thousands Without Power, Remembering The Unforgettable Blackout Of 2003 That Left New York In Total Darkness. I-95 eventually had to be evacuated by cross-country skiers and snowmobilers. Roy Calvert, Rochester chief of police, prohibited parking on certain streets to enable snow removal. Extensive beach erosion occurred on the east coast of Massachusetts. Then came a shocking discovery. Calvert remembers standing at Junkyard Junction Indiana 14 and US. It is considered one of the worst snowstorms of all time considering the wind gust and the amount of snowfall. A deadly one hit in 1977 and its scale was truly monumental. [4] Snow fell mostly from Monday morning, February 6, to the evening of Tuesday, February 7. His best friend, Vinnie Mineo, happened to own a pizzeria, which was one of the last businesses to remain open. Two men died of heart attacks while shoveling snow. The weekends storm has prompted many comparisons to the Blizzard of 1978. Roads throughout the Northeast were impassable for several days after the storm, and it wasnt unusual to see people getting around on snowshoes or cross country skis.

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