It’s Impossible To Forget These 7 Horrific Winter Storms That Have Gone Down In New York History
Winter in the Empire State can be legendarily rough. From blinding white blizzards to record high snowfall, we have a history of some really terrible winter storms in New York. Check out a few of the most memorable ones throughout history:
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The Great Blizzard of 1888 hit the East Coast from the Chesapeake Bay on up to Maine. Parts of New York got up to 40 inches, with other states getting even more snow. The weather had been unseasonably mild prior to the nor'easter's arrival. Railroads were shut down throughout the region, and telegraph lines were down as well, so communication was minimal. This storm caused New York City to begin to place telephone and telegraph wires underground. It also contributed to the creation of the country's first underground subway system. Around 400 people were killed in the blizzard, and there was more than $720 million of damage (in 2021 dollars).
The Great Blizzard of 1899 was notable for how much of the country it affected. Pretty much the entire nation east of the Rocky Mountains got some level of snow. There were even snowball fights on the steps of the Florida State Capitol. Temperatures in Watertown, New York reached a frigid -24° F. More than 100 people were killed in the storm.
The Great Blizzard of 1947 is considered the worst to have occurred after 1888. In some areas, snow remained on the ground until March because there were simply not enough places to deposit the snow. The storm came completely by surprise, as there were no weather stations in its path. It came from the opposite direction of most snowstorms in the northeast. There were 77 fatalities as a result of the storm.
New York City was hit extremely hard by the February 1969 nor'easter. Snowfall exceeded 20 inches in some areas, and thousands of people were stranded on roads and in airports. Forecasts expected far less snow than was actually received, so most people were caught unaware. NYC Mayor John Lindsay was criticized for his handling of the disaster and many referred to the storm as the "Lindsay Snowstorm." It marked the first time in history that the New York Stock Exchange closed for a full day due to weather, and 42 people died in New York.
The North American blizzard of 1996 was a massive snowstorm that affected many states on the east coast. It was one of the few snowstorms to ever cause disruption to New York City's subway system. Some boroughs received more than 30 inches of snow. The storm was followed by unusually warm weather: the rapid melting of the snow caused even further damage. All together, 154 people perished in the storm and subsequent flooding.
The heaviest snow in the Blizzard of 2006 was concentrated around New York City. All three of the airports in NYC had to close down, and Central Park experienced record snowfall. The snowfall was almost entirely limited to the city. Nearby, Albany received just 1-2 inches of snowfall.
The Blizzard of 2016 was one of the worst winter storms in New York history. The storm brought record snowfall to many states, and others suffered terrible tornadoes and coastal flooding. Snow in some parts of Long Island fell at more than three inches an hour during the heaviest parts of the storm. Some areas of the state had near-whiteout conditions.
You may have experienced some of these yourself, or heard family tales passed down about some of the older ones. Which of these terrible winter storms in New York were you familiar with?
