45 Years Ago, Michigan Was Hit With The Worst Blizzard In History
Many Michiganders have fond memories of rolling out of bed to check the school closings on the television with crossed fingers. A delightful day of sledding, snowball fights, and hot chocolate ensues and it’s a rite of passage in the Great Lake State. But sometimes, a snowstorm can be so powerful that it isn’t enjoyable, but scary. 45 years ago, that’s what the blizzard of 1978 was like in Michigan.
The Great Blizzard of 1978 has gone down in history as the worst blizzard in history for the Great Lakes region and Ohio Valley. On Wednesday, January 25 the storm began and lasted through Friday, January 27.
Initially starting as rain, the storm quickly changed to heavy snow leading to whiteout conditions and zero visibility. The National Weather Service categorized the storm as a rare severe blizzard.
Wind gusts were up to 100 miles per hour and caused drifts that buried vehicles. William Milliken, the former Michigan governor, declared a state of emergency and called the Michigan National Guard to aid road crews and stranded civilians on motorways.
There was a wide range of snowfall with Detroit receiving just 8 inches of snow and Houghton Lake with 15 inches. But the United States city with the most snowfall in 1978 was Muskegon with a whopping 52 inches.
Around 20 people died directly or indirectly from the storm, mostly due to traffic accidents and medical emergencies. Around 100,000 cars were abandoned on highways across Michigan and many people were hospitalized due to exposure from homes losing power and heat. The winter of 1978 would go on to be the coldest winter in Michigan since records began.
Emily Tieman is a lifelong Michigander and has a love for locally owned small businesses. She is a freelance writer for Only In Your State and has her own vintage content creator business.
