Midwest Blizzard of 1978

[WEATHERGURU]

Does anybody think we will see another storm like that around here? After seeing storm after storm deepen in other parts of the US with rocord amounts of rain and snow could these part be in for another storm of that magnitude this winter season?

[JCT777]

I doubt it, but you never know.

[ohiostorm]

Its always a possibility but we havent seen storms like that since then. Maybe we are getting back into that cold/ snowy winter trend that we saw in the late 70's. Would be nice!!

[Guest]

Looking like we will have a good shot at a good snowstorm this weekend/Monday which could be big for alot of us especially in Ohio.............BTW that 78 blizzard dropped about 6 inches in this part of Ohio (Rain to Snow here) so other then the pressure and the winds it really wasnt no big deal here as far as snow goes anyways.................The big daddy here would be the 1950 great apps storm which dumped big time snow (3+ ft) in this part of Ohio.............Very over do here i would say!

[WEATHERGURU]

Hey King how much snow for us around Detroit with this possible storm this weekend/monday?

[therock1811]

Looking like we will have a good shot at a good snowstorm this weekend/Monday which could be big for alot of us especially in Ohio.............BTW that 78 blizzard dropped about 6 inches in this part of Ohio (Rain to Snow here) so other then the pressure and the winds it really wasnt no big deal here as far as snow goes anyways.................The big daddy here would be the 1950 great apps storm which dumped big time snow (3+ ft) in this part of Ohio.............Very over do here i would say!

I read that in a local TV station's almanac/weatherguide book...36.3" fell on Nov. 24-26 1950 in Steubenville..........

[therock1811]

Here's a map of the area(the star is where Steubenville, Ohio is located):

[Guest]

No map Rock.........

WEATHERGURU IMO its a little to early to say for sure yet especially up where your at.............I will say that i dont think it will be a big event for you.........

[therock1811]

Just put it up above.........

[ohiostorm]

I have a huge book on the 1950 Blizzard. Its an awesome book. Its called Blizzard of the Century. On that map, I am just west of Steubenville near the town of Cadiz. That should give people an idea of where I live.

[ColdFront77]

The Blizzard of '78 happened, so it could easily happen again. There have been some snowfall totals (such as this past weekend) that rival the totals in the Blizzard of '78.

I was 203 days old, (exactly 29 weeks old) on Sunday, February 5th, 1978.

[isobar]

The Midwest Blizzard of 78 "The White Hurricane" was one of the most amazing storm systems ever! I think it was a more meteorologically significant wx event than the New England Blizzard a week later.

Two low pressures collided over Ohio and wrapped around each other so that warm air was blowing from the north and cold air from the south. The central pressure deepened 40 mb in 24 hrs! Winds were 70, gusts 100. Temps near 0º, wind chill -60º. Record BP of 28.28 (958 mb) in Cleveland. (The nor'easter last weekend was 970 mb)

Here are some interesting reads:
http://dept.kent.edu/ksutop_story/archive_98/980121_blizzard_of_78_shmid.html
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dtx/?page=stories/blizzard1978
http://www.intellicast.com/DrDewpoint/Library/1371/
http://www.bceo.org/78blizzardrev.html

Miss Mary remembers this well ... where are you, girlfriend???

[Miss Mary]

The Midwest Blizzard of 78 "The White Hurricane" was one of the most amazing storm systems ever! I think it was a more meteorologically significant wx event than the New England Blizzard a week later.

Two low pressures collided over Ohio and wrapped around each other so that warm air was blowing from the north and cold air from the south. The central pressure deepened 40 mb in 24 hrs! Winds were 70, gusts 100. Temps near 0º, wind chill -60º. Record BP of 28.28 (958 mb) in Cleveland. (The nor'easter last weekend was 970 mb)

Here are some interesting reads:
http://dept.kent.edu/ksutop_story/archive_98/980121_blizzard_of_78_shmid.html
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dtx/?page=stories/blizzard1978
http://www.intellicast.com/DrDewpoint/Library/1371/
http://www.bceo.org/78blizzardrev.html

Miss Mary remembers this well ... where are you, girlfriend???

Donna!!! Long time no see girlfriend! Yes I do remember this storm quite well. I was 22 then and not into wx at all. My dad was, he had his own barometer and would check it all the time. We teased him a lot. When we all went camping he had to listen on the radio for wx reports. So needless to say I was ill prepared for this storm! Had no idea it was coming. Zilch! I was married to my first husband then and we usually turned in by 10, we had to get up early for work the next day. Didn't even watch the news. I heard our very old storm windows rattling something awful around 5 or 5:30 a.m. Looked out the window to see the stop sign across the street from us blowing to and fro, almost touching the ground on each side. Thought for sure it would break in two but it didn't. I knew then and there this was not your garden variety snowstorm! Hey I was young and naive, but not dumb. Well, wait I was married to my ex......another story.....LOL My co-workers and I began the a.m. calls to see who could venture in. Most of us couldn't. Only one caught a ride into work and she proceeded to call patients to cancel appts. (who on earth would go to the doctor in the middle of a blizzard?). So I had a few days off from work, an almost bare pantry, some food, a little milk, soup, we managed. But from then on I paid attention to wx reports and stocked up on groceries. So yes when I hear the white stuff is coming, I am one of those wacky Kroger shoppers stocking up. I just smile and think - it could happen again. You never know.

That's my story!

The one story that will always stick in my mind from this blizzard was the man who worked 8 hours to clear a parking spot in downtown Chicago. In front of his apartment building. He had his car nearby and was just about to pull in, and another car just breezed in and took his spot. Can't remember if he tried reasoning with the car's owner but what I remember most was he just went over and hooked up a garden hose. Turned it loose on this car. The picture that made the papers was a car loaded down with an inch or more of ice. And well you all know about Chicago winters, who knows when that ice melted! Sad to say, but today that man may have grabbed a gun instead of a garden hose. But it's one of those stories I always wonder how it turned out.

Donna - there was a topic going around the Off Topic board - A where are they now? - and a few wondered where you'd gone to. It was nice to see a post from you. You'd have to do some digging to find that topic I imagine. Welcome back.

Mary

[isobar]

Hi Mary!! Thanks for the stories ... those were great! You know this storm is one of my favs in history. I can't shutup about it, and I was living 800 miles away at the time!!! Go figure. I'm such a weathergeek.

Thanks for the info about the Off Topic thread. I'll have to sift around for it. Great to see ya again!

[therock1811]

Hey isobar...wb! One problem...can you downsize your avatar please?

[isobar]

Oops, sorry! I thought I had already deleted that.
Thanks Jeremy!

[therock1811]

That's ok...anyhow, good to see ya!