42 Years Ago, Kentucky Was Hit With The Worst Blizzard In History
January is typically a cold month in Kentucky and we do often see some snow. But 42 years ago, our state’s largest city saw the snowiest month on record. January of 1978 was a memorable time for those who lived in this region. It brought what many remember as the biggest blizzard in Kentucky, with massive snow drifts, icy conditions, and frigid temperatures. Take a look back over four decades ago to one of the worst storms our state has ever seen.
The Great Blizzard of 1978 impacted our entire region and Kentucky was hit pretty hard.
There was already snow on the ground when this blizzard approached on January 25th, 1978. It began as rain and then quickly transitioned to snow as the temperatures plummeted. The news was filled with stories of the storm.
The total snowfall amount in Louisville wasn't massive, but when added to what was already there and then as the winds picked up, the city received a rare Blizzard Warning.
Stong winds caused drifts of snow that trapped cars and made travel impossible. Much of the state experienced these white out conditions from January 25th, into the 26th.
Everything was impacted by the storm, and you can see how the major airport in Northern Kentucky, shown below, was practically unusable.
A boat would have to dodge icebergs of sorts, as this river border of our state was filled with ice from what so many remember as the biggest blizzard in Kentucky.
News of the blizzard was so crucial that even Captain Kangaroo was interupted. Take a look at this news footage from January 1978…
We haven’t seen a month like January 1978 since that frigid time period. Time will tell if the Bluegrass State will see a severe storm like this again. Do you remember this as the biggest blizzard in Kentucky? We’d love to hear about your experiences and memories in the comments!
If you enjoy stories of Kentucky’s history, you’ll love these historic photos that are some of the oldest ever taken in our state.
A Cincinnati native who has lived in Kentucky for over 10 years, Andrea's heart belongs both in the Queen City and the Bluegrass State. After earning an education degree and working in that field for a number of years, Andrea began to pursue her passion for writing over 6 years ago. Since then she has written for a number of print and online publications, as well as published a children's book.
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