Posted in Cleveland
December 23, 2019
It’s Impossible To Forget These 7 Horrific Winter Storms That Have Gone Down In Cleveland History
Wintertime in Cleveland can be brutal. Fueled by lake effect snow from Lake Erie, our lovely landscape can go from green and lush to snow-covered and frozen in a matter of mere hours. Nonetheless, winters here aren’t always so bad… until they’re so horrifyingly relentless that they’ve become permanently cemented in local memory. The following 7 winter weather events revisit the worst winter freezes and snowstorms in Cleveland history. How many do you remember?
February of 1910 was perhaps one of the chilliest in modern history. Since Clevelanders started keeping track of weather patterns in 1871, a few snowy years, in particular, have stood out. While there likely aren't any modern Clevelanders that have memories of this snowy season, it stands as one of the snowiest winters on record. Throughout this season, 81.6 inches of snow fell on Cleveland. That's over six feet of snow!
November is never a great time of year for snow. Locals are gearing up for Thanksgiving and holiday shopping, but in 1913, they were bundled up and avoiding local streets. From November 9 to 11, Cleveland was battered by vicious weather. Barometric levels fell to 28.78" and winds picked up to nearly 60 miles per hour. 22.2 inches of snow fell across three days, overwhelming snow plows and leaving many locals snowed into their homes. 32 Great Lakes ships were lost in the event, solidifying it as a true tragedy in Cleveland's history.
If you have ever heard an older Clevelander complain about winters of yesteryear, they may be referring to the 1950 snowstorm in particular. Remembered locally as the Thanksgiving Blizzard, this shocking weather event spanned five long days. Temperatures fell to around 5 degrees Fahrenheit and low pressure and strong winds caused the airport to shut down. Locally, snowdrifts piled up and thousands were forced to abandon their cars. Due to abandoned cars and emergency conditions, snow removal equipment all but halted. Clevelanders reeled from the event for a full week, ultimately racking up a bill of over $1 million in damages.
1977 started off on a low note... in terms of temperature, that is. As January kicked off, the average temperature was 17 degrees lower than usual. As 1977 marched on, it set records as the coldest year on record. This was just the start of the most memorable storm in Cleveland's history. As 1977 turned into 1978, a cyclone formed over Ohio on January 26 and 82 MPH gusts shook local homes and chilled locals to the core, bringing with it wind chills of nearly -100 degrees Fahrenheit. 110,000 Greater Cleveland homes lost power, and though less than 8 inches of snow fell on the city, unimaginably deep snowdrifts popped up all over the region.
5. January of 1985
In January of 1985, Cleveland experienced some of the coldest temperatures imaginable. From January 18 to the 22, cold descended upon every state east of the Rockies. While Clevelanders were arguably more equipped to deal with the snow and cold than our southern neighbors, nobody could have been prepared for such incredible cold. Just take a look at those numbers below zero in the news report above. Brr!
6. The Storm Of The Century, 1993
If Clevelanders hadn't recovered from the record-breaking cold of 1985, they were out of luck as March of 1993 raged on. At the height of the storm, it stretched from Canada to Honduras. Even Florida got hit with snow! Amazingly, Cleveland got precious little, accumulating around just an inch from this infamous nor'easter. Nonetheless, the winter of 1992 to 1993 was one of the snowiest on record, accumulating 88.3 inches.
5. January of 1985
In January of 1985, Cleveland experienced some of the coldest temperatures imaginable. From January 18 to the 22, cold descended upon every state east of the Rockies. While Clevelanders were arguably more equipped to deal with the snow and cold than our southern neighbors, nobody could have been prepared for such incredible cold. Just take a look at those numbers below zero in the news report above. Brr!
6. The Storm Of The Century, 1993
If Clevelanders hadn't recovered from the record-breaking cold of 1985, they were out of luck as March of 1993 raged on. At the height of the storm, it stretched from Canada to Honduras. Even Florida got hit with snow! Amazingly, Cleveland got precious little, accumulating around just an inch from this infamous nor'easter. Nonetheless, the winter of 1992 to 1993 was one of the snowiest on record, accumulating 88.3 inches.
Just after the winter solstice gave way to December 22 in 2004, locals were battered by snow. As Christmas approached, the last thing anyone needed (or prepared for) was an ice storm. This, combined with snowstorms all across the state, led to uncontrollable flooding. As 2004 ended, 2005 didn't bring much relief to locals. An Alberta Clipper passed over the region in January of 2005. All in all, the winter of 2004 and 2005 became the snowiest on record, accumulating 117.9 inches of snow in Cleveland.
These shocking winter weather events are among the worst snowstorms in Cleveland history. Do you recall any of these shocking winters? Are there any other seasons that you would add to this list? Share your thoughts in the comments!
New to Cleveland? These winter weather events are shocking, but they’re certainly not the norm. Check out our tips for surviving a Cleveland winter to prepare for the upcoming season!
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