A Massive Blizzard Blanketed Pittsburgh In Snow In 1993 And It Will Never Be Forgotten
Pittsburgh’s had its fair share of memorable snow storms over the years, like the Big Snow of 1950 that dumped 27.5 inches of snow in the city and beyond over Thanksgiving weekend. Now, however, let’s journey a little less further back in time to the Blizzard of ’93 in Pittsburgh that left the city at a standstill – except, of course, for one annual tradition.
The snow - of what would from then on be known as the Storm of the Century and the Superstorm - began to fall across Pittsburgh the evening of March 12, 1993, on the eve of the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade.
As the start time of the parade drew near the morning of March 13, 1993, the snow continued to fall, covering roads and creating hazardous driving conditions. Still...
The parade - the only one on the East Coast not to cancel - marched on, albeit, to a much smaller crowd than normal. All of the local high school marching bands, in fact, canceled their performance due to the hazardous conditions.
That the parade continued in blizzard conditions lead to both city officials - and some residents - questioning just who should determine when an event should be canceled, the event organizers or the city.
Governor Bob Casey declared a State of Emergency across the state as Pittsburghers were warned not to travel on the roads while power outages plagued the area.
When all was said and done, Pittsburgh had set a record for the most snowfall in a 24 hour period with 23.6 inches. Meteorologists also earned accolades as the Blizzard of '93 was the first storm that had been predicted with accurate five days before the snow fell.
Do you remember where you were during the Blizzard of ’93? And, do you think it was bigger than or merely a whimper compared to the Snowmageddon of February 2010? Share your stories below!
