133 Years Ago, Connecticut Was Hit With The Worst Blizzard In History

When you think of mid-March in the Nutmeg State, you probably think of the last few moments of winter before the seasons start to change. This is the time of year when we're typically looking forward to the quickly-approaching warmer days of spring. It seemed like it was a typical mid-March on March 10, 1888. However, less than 24 hours later, it was clear that Mother Nature had different plans. A Connecticut blizzard that was one of the biggest snowfalls in Connecticut history hit on that day. This snowstorm was so bad that it was to be known as "the White Hurricane."

March 10, 1888 in Connecticut dawned a balmy, 50 degree-weather day. The weather started changing midway through the day, at first turning into a standard spring rainstorm. That morphed into a major blizzard as Arctic air coming down from Canada collided with warmer southern Gulf air streams.

By midnight on March 11, temperatures had plummeted down to 15 degrees below zero. Hurricane force winds of 85 miles per hour pounded the Nutmeg State, blowing through with a fierce velocity. Rain started to turn into snow, and boy, did it snow!

The measured snowfall in Connecticut was between 20 and 50 inches. Snow drifts measured a minimum of 12 feet in height. Many were one to two stories in height. New Haven recorded drifts measured at nearly 40 feet high.

All of New England came to a standstill for three days, as delivery drivers and coal wagons found themselves stranded. One school principal was able to get his students home but found himself stranded for three days without food.

Sadly, 400 people throughout the East coast died as a result of the blizzard and the storm caused $20 million in damage.

People came together to help one another. Many were trapped in the snow drifts and rescuers saved many lives. One man even ended up rescuing his own son and didn't realize it until they were safely inside.

Once the storm was clear, workers were paid $1.75 to clear up the snow drifts. Although, many people were more than happy to volunteer to help out any way they could.

Amusingly enough, historical records from the time period show that New England experienced a baby boom about nine months after the blizzard of 1888.

The Connecticut State Library has more photos of "The White Hurricane" that you can check out on the library's Flickr album.

Many of us in the area remember the Connecticut blizzard of 2013. What was the worst Connecticut blizzard of your lifetime? Tell us your experiences in the comments.

Connecticut resident Albert Hunt made a wire recording in 1949 memorializing his eyewitness account of the 1888 blizzard. You can check it out on Youtube: