The Blizzard of 1978

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It was the worst storm to ever hit northwest Ohio. Between January 26 and January 29, 1978, 12 inches of snow fell on the sleepy towns of northwest Ohio. But it wasn't the accumulation that was a problem. Winds gusted at 60 miles per hour, and the temperature dropped to around 11 degrees. The Blizzard of '78 chronicles how countless lives were disrupted and how some were lost.
The storm caught many residents off guard. The night before it started many people thought of the incoming storm as just another winter disturbance - certainly nothing to worry about. But upon awaking the next morning, it was all too apparent, this was not a typical storm.
Gas, electric, and telephone service was lost in many areas and the storm was preventing city and utility workers from getting service restored. People fought for anything and everything to stay warm; some even tore apart and burned furniture in their effort to have some heat. Some people suffered carbon monoxide poisoning by using outdoor grills indoors for heat.
As is ofter the case, amid the horrific conditions, there are tales of heroism and humor along with the tragedy. The Blizzard of '78 tells these stories through firsthand accounts, home movies and archival photographs.

Пікірлер: 150

@oyes-qe4nd

I was eight years of age, and lived in northwest, central ohio when this blizzard hit , and I will never forget this storm and the events that followed . Like others , i remember certain events,that still remain fresh in my mind ,due to the intensity,of the storm and the effects it had. The wind was fierce, and the snow was relentless, and the combination led to snowdrifts,one would have to witness to believe, i can remember a snow plow getting stuck on our street, and we were unable to open door , or even see out the windows. I can also remember we were running low on food, and finally, several days after the storm subsided, someone , gave my father a ride to the grocery store on a snowmobile to get the basic necessities. It was truly an amazing site to witness , and it paralyzed many communities.

@richardcoram1562

I remember the blizzard of 78. I WAS A 30 YEAR OLD TRUCKER. Hauling Produce from the west coast to Kroger, Big Bear , and Pic n Pay. I STRUGGLED TO get a load into Cleveland as all the Highway road signs and exit signs were literally covered with heavy snow. I remember that morning well as I was actually cutting the first tracks as no one else had been out there on the road.( SAM TANKSLEY DRIVER, PETERBILT COE '76 to '80)

@bexief31

I remember this storm well. I was 10 years old. I remember hearing thunder snow for the first time. The drifts were above our windows and when we opened our front door it was a wall of snow. The cold was unrelenting. I remember I was able to walk on top of the snow because it had frozen. Winter of 1978 was one I will never forget and has set the benchmark for me regarding future storms. Nothing I have seen since compares to this blizzard.

@Lawnrocker

I was a junior in high school. The night before was balmy and foggy. I went to bed around 11 pm. At about 4 am I woke up and our neighbors dog was howling. I woke up my mom and said something weird was about to happen. Suddenly, there was thunder and lightning and the wind started howling. The snow began falling and by 8 am we were unable to get out the back door of our house. We lived right behind the hospital in our community and they brought in a big earth moving g piece of equipment to keep the road open to the emergency room entrance. From that point on and for the next few days we could not leave our house. I remember we had a police scanner and listened to all of the emergency responders rescuing people from the rural areas and interstates on snowmobiles. It was definitely the storm of the century.

@felixmadison5736

I had just turned 29 years of age a few days before this hit in 1978, and I was living on Cape Cod. My late wife and I had three children, ages 5,6 and a 3 month-old baby girl. Boy, do I remember this storm!! Not with fond memories either! More snow than I had ever seen in my 29 years on the Cape!

@jenniffer9034

I survived this blizzard in Michigan

@viylangager4020

Watching this again. Oregon is getting hit tonight & this helps me to be grateful. My friend in Cleveland just messaged that they're expecting a blizzard this weekend. I hope folks everywhere can get to safety & warmth.

@sandywa3057

I was 21 years old and I will never forget this storm..I lived in Western Pennsylvania.

@user-rw4sj1pv3y

my mother was born in that blizzard new castle PA. Rest in peace momma!

@mattm597

As a child of the 70s and a resident of northern Indiana, I remember it well. It was the first big weather event of my life.

@earnesthillsdale9218

I was eight years old, man we had fun digging snow fort’s with our neighbors And diving over snow banks… we were kids so it was fun …

@michaelhill7471

I certainly realize this blizzard was more devastating in northwestern Ohio but, I will never forget my epic 8 mile journey home from my workplace in the height of this blizzard in Indianapolis, IN. I won’t go into my story here but, as I recall snow above big 4x4 vehicles but, not as high as power lines. What a memory. It took me 2 and 1/2 hours for that journey home to my wife and a steak and backed potato. She trusted me when I called her and asked her to look for me.

@allan9603

I was stationed at Ft Devens, Massachusetts during that blizzard, and remember we had to travel to Ft Drum, NY to help dig them out of the snow, unfreeze barracks doors, provide traffic control..

@steveforsythe9264

I'm in Ontario Canada and I remember the blizzard of 77 shut everything down. It was crazy!

@Earthgal1964

I loved that blizzard!! I was 14 and played in that snow for days!!!!!!!!

@user-tw4ke4py1l

The ohio river froze. we walked accrossed it. The piles of snow in all the plowed parking lots did not melt until the end of March

@ConradDwight-wm8yt

Will never forget it ! My grandfather died and was buried on this day back in 78 My mom drove right through the blizzard from Connecticut to Massachusetts in the thick of it 😢 took her long time to get home !:(

@banana_in_a_tuxedo

Can we respect that guy that went outside to chainsaw the tree off of that old lady's house though? Bad-ass move.

@c.rutherford

I was 8 in the Winter of 78, and remember it well as a kid in Central Illinois. I would never have believed then it would be almost 50 years later now and still never repeated. Even though I can't tell you how many times grocery stores were swamped and raided here whenever a snowstorm was announced since, everyone remembering the ice storm.