Posted in Rhode Island
December 05, 2019
It’s Impossible To Forget These 4 Horrific Winter Storms That Have Gone Down In Rhode Island History
Rhode Island winters are far from the worst in the nation, but that doesn’t mean they’re mild — we are part of New England, after all. That being said, whatever the coming winter has in store for us certainly won’t be worse that a few of the serious storms we’ve experienced in the past. Who remembers all four of these brutal moments in time?
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
From February 5 - 7, 1978, almost 40 inches of snow fell on most of Rhode Island. Thousands of Rhode Islanders were without power for weeks, and most of the interstate highways were shut down. Unfortunately the storm was so abysmal, it claimed 26 lives. Providence got 27.6 inches of snow during that time, breaking its previous record.
This storm lasted from January 6 - 10, blanketing most of the state in snow and shutting down local businesses and schools. Providence received 24 inches in snow. At the time, it was the second greatest snowfall total ever (after the blizzard of '78).
This blizzard was pretty brutal, covering the Ocean State with up to 27 inches of snow between January 20 and January 24. Providence was hit with about two feet of snow, but it was Little Compton that bore the brunt of it.
Who could forget Winter Storm Nemo in 2013? For a whopping 11 days, Rhode Island was pelted with snow and ice, accumulating two feet of snow in most places. Between the snow and the hurricane force winds, the effects were pretty devastating. Almost 200,000 people lost power, and the United States Postal Service suspended mail delivery in the entire state. Hopefully storms like this will be a rare occurrence.
Doesn’t this make you feel a little better about the recent weather in Rhode Island? Of course, winter hasn’t officially started yet — but if you believe in the Farmers Almanac reports, we have good news about the months to come.
