Posted in Indiana
December 03, 2017
It’s Impossible To Forget These 5 Horrific Winter Storms That Have Gone Down In Indiana History
In Indiana, we’re pretty lucky to experience the best of all four seasons, but that also means we tend to experience extreme weather. As we head into the coldest season of the year, here’s a look back at 5 horrific winter storms that impacted the Hoosier state.
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This recent blizzard occurred in January and February of 2011, and is also known as the Groundhog Day blizzard. For Indiana, the snow wasn't half the problem - it was the ice it brought with it. One Indiana resident collapsed and died while clearing snow, and another few Hoosiers died in an icy car crash. Power was out across the state for over 50,000 Hoosiers, and in Indy, a half inch of ice all but shut the city down.
This snowstorm brought just under 13 inches of snow to the Hoosier state and half an inch of ice. Slick road conditions caused a variety of pile ups and slide offs on major highways.
This snowstorm impacted mostly the Wabash Valley and was so unexpected because it was already declared to be spring. However, close to 15 inches of snow surprised Hoosiers and impacted power for days.
This historic blizzard caused wintery chaos across the Midwest and is the worst snowstorm recorded in Indiana history. Temperatures dropped to 50 below 0 and snow was recorded at an all time high of 30.6 inches. Whiteout conditions lasted throughout the state and sadly, the storm claimed the lives of 70 Hoosiers.
This blizzard is eclipsed in the history books by the one in '78, but it still did its fair share of damage, particularly in The Region. This blizzard followed a series of tornadoes that struck the Midwest with snow fall up to 20 inches tall. Roads and businesses were closed for days and less than a month later (in February), another storm hit, bringing the total snowfall to around 32 inches for the year.
Be safe out there this winter!
Which of these winter storms do you recall the clearest? For more history on storms in the Hoosier state, check out the worst natural disasters in history.
