In January 1982, Missouri Was Hit With The Worst Blizzard In History

Missouri’s certainly seen its fair share of blizzards over the years, some worse than others. Often, we can remember just where we were when a blizzard hit and how it impacted our lives and our neighborhood. One of those blizzards, which buried the eastern part of the state (and the western part of Illinois), just might be the worst in blizzard in Missouri's history.

January 1982 ended with a major snowstorm through much of eastern Missouri. In fact, you might just remember where you were January 30-31, 1982 during what some call the worst blizzard in Missouri’s history.

In fact, the National Weather Service dubbed the storm "a 1 in 70 year snow event" with St. Louis taking the brunt of the storm in Missouri.

Saturday, January 30, 1982 was a normal winter day with rain, which caused flooding concerns, until the snow began in the evening. Then, Mother Nature put on a fantastic show of snow, thunder, and lightning.

By the time the snow stopped falling the following afternoon, the St. Louis area got slammed with more than 18 inches of snow. After expecting only a few inches of snow on January 30, the more than a foot and a half of snow paralyzed the city.

Local businesses and schools closed. Travelers became stranded in their cars.

It'll go down in history as one of the worst snow storms in Missouri.

While most people heeded warnings and stayed home, The National Guard worked on clearing the roads. And, Missourians came together to deliver food and other necessities to the city’s most vulnerable citizens.

Unfortunately, the storm resulted in the deaths of a minimum of 16 Missourians, several of whom died after shoveling snow.

It was one of the worst natural disasters in Missouri. Were you around during this frightful storm?

Winter in Missouri isn't always pristine and beautiful. Do you remember the 1982 blizzard in Missouri? Share your memories in the comments below.

Of course, this wasn't the only wild force of nature to hit the state. It's impossible to forget the year Missouri saw its single largest snowfall ever.