43 Years Ago, Rhode Island Was Hit With The Worst Blizzard In History

From Winter Storm Nemo in 2013 to the April Fool's Day blizzard of 1997, we've seen some pretty treacherous weather here in Rhode Island. We never really know what to expect from winter in Rhode Island, although we can never be too prepared. Rhode Island's worst blizzard struck in 1978, and it's still talked about today. Do you remember this epic winter in Rhode Island?

The Blizzard of 1978 devastated New England, New Jersey, and the New York metropolitan area.

Rhode Island was especially impacted, and unfortunately, 26 Rhode Islanders died. It ranks as one of the worst natural disasters in Rhode Island at the time.

The blizzard began forming on Sunday, February 5, 1978.

It started snowing that morning, and it didn't stop for over 33 hours. And this was no small snowfall -- there were parts of Rhode Island recording four inches an hour.

The intense snowfall caught everyone by surprise, which made things even worse.

Weather forecasters could tell something was coming, but they didn't know how bad it would be. Therefore, no one was even advised to stay home.

So, how bad was it? Providence recorded a whopping 27.6 inches of snow, while Woonsocket got 38 inches.

And as bad as the constant barrage of snow, the screaming winds were almost worse. In some areas, winds reached 75 miles per hour, making this Rhode Island's worst blizzard.

Things got so bad that the postal service couldn't deliver mail, which hadn't happened since the Great 1938 Hurricane.

One letter carrier got stranded in Providence during the storm and slept on his mail sacks for two nights.

The Blizzard of 1978 was over by the end of February 7, but the damage was lasting.

As awful as the storm was, many locals who lived through it say it helped build a sense of community. There are many stories of neighbors helping neighbors, including someone who hauled a sled two miles in order to go grocery shopping for his neighborhood. Cross-country skiers and snowmobilers helped rescue people from cars stranded on I-95, and some were even taken to the hospital via snowmobile or sled.

Do you remember where you were when Rhode Island's worst blizzard hit? Do you remember any other blizzards in Rhode Island? Let us know in the comments! If you're not already prepared, here are seven things no one tells you about surviving winter in Rhode Island.