Military Notes: Cayuga County airman helped clear Buffalo runways during blizzard. Snow began in southern North Dakota during the morning of March 2, and spread northward into March 3. He led the team through the removal of 84,000 tons of snow from 91 miles of runway in Buffalo, beginning Dec. 24 and continuing for three days. Dr. James F. Grant, an Oswego obstetrician who is now medical director for the Oswego County Department of Health, said a pregnant woman in false labor was taken to Oswego Hospital by a sheriff's deputy, who drove several miles in reverse because the snow was too deep in the road to turn around. It took him two-and-a-half hours, but he said, "it was good walking weather." I doubt whether my children remember the storm, they were three and five at the time. He was the first truemeteorologist on air in our area. Gov. Sean Kirst is a columnist with The Post-Standard. But those who remember it say nothing in the past 50 yearshas compared to the blizzard that hit the area in January 1966. (For comparative purposes, Chicagos largest 24-hour snowfall is 23.0 inches on January 26-27, 1967.) When a neighbor suffered a heart attack during the storm, Woodards husband came to the rescue. Doreen Podolak-Fox has been getting her steps in lately. I said, Ricky, where is your other boot? He replied, Its in the hole by the slide. He was totally unconcerned. When combined with winds up to 70-miles-per-hour, gusting at time to 100-miles-per-hour, drifts were 30-40 feet high in some locations. Five years later the Erie Canal, which ran through the village, was completed. If there is a bright side on the business front, it is with the local "mom and pop" stores. Thanks to Marie for sharing her memory of this historic storm. It began to snow late on Jan. 30 in Rome,and snow continued to fall through the next day. With cold enough temperatures, heavy snow and very strong winds often occur to the northwest of the track of the low pressure system, as was the case with this blizzard. Drifts covered entire 2 story houses. They made the rounds to get those people the help that they needed., Long after the storm, people could not shake the frozen memories. 4 References. 321 Montgomery Street An astounding 102.4 inches of snow fell in Oswego. Did North Dakota get 40 feet of snow in 1966? But we couldnt find our car. Storm totals of roughly seven feet were observed in central Oswego and northwest Oneida counties. There were plenty of instances of heroism -- Vaughn recalls how city firefighters took a pregnant Mountainview Avenue woman to the hospital by pulling her on a toboggan -- but police were also had to investigate several instances of looting. The worst snow event in North Dakota history occurred March 2nd, 3rd and 4th of 1966. Although the storm involved a full day of shoveling, Monroe recalls how much fun everyone had with the tunnels that were built above her head in the snow. "By Jan. 31, the flakes were averaging one-half to three-quarters of an inch in size. ", "Heavy winds not only dumped a lot of snow, but drifted the snow. . It didnt create any lasting friendships with our neighbors but if there was another crisis, we would help each other., Woodards husband owned a snowmobile, so he helped deliver groceries to stranded neighbors. One of the most severe blizzards on record to impact the Northern Plains occurred 50 years ago between March 2-5 of 1966. We didnt have Doppler radar. Why Is It Raining So Much In Syracuse Ny? Syracuse received 43 of snow and Oswego over 100. "We've had nothing else in this century of that magnitude. The blizzard was particularly memorable for its long duration, as well as for its very heavy snowfall totals of 20 to 30 inches in some locations and wind gusts exceeding 70 mph at times. The way that the media communicated weather information was about to change. It wasnt too long when my three year old son came home with only one boot on. Saturday: 11 - 4, The Richard & Carolyn Wright Research Center, Military History Museum at the OnCenter War Memorial, Beneath the Surface: The Storied History of Onondaga Lake, Historic Hotel Syracuse Presentation & Tours. [4], New Market, Alabama, recorded a state record low of -27F on January 30. Below is the surface weather map valid at 12 a.m. on March 4th, 1966. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration As of Feb. 2, it is already believed that the storm will go down as the most costly one in history, with some accounts of nearly $15 million in lost business. Fraternity men at SU, who were low on food, turned up at the War Memorial to swap an hour of shoveling for sandwiches. Looking for inspiration? 4 daysSyracuse, New York received a record snowfall of 42.3 inches (107 cm) which remained their heaviest storm on record, until the Blizzard of 1993. The iconic photo of North Dakota DOT employee, Bill Koch (below), standing next to a set of power lines, was taken by fellow ND DOT employee Ernest Feland on 9 March 1966. I worked Reader letters to Syracuse newspapers after the storm were a mix of appreciation for a job well done, and complaints about how things could have been handled better. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Schools were closed for an entire week extremely rare for upstate New York. All rights reserved (About Us). Christine Klik-Zalewski reads from the diary entries she wrote during the Blizzard of 1966. Both Syracuse and Rome, N.Y., received over 40 inches. 4 days Syracuse, New York received a record snowfall of 42.3 inches (107 cm) which remained their heaviest storm on record, until the Blizzard of 1993. Posted on February 3, 2016. Just northwest of Rome, Camden, N.Y., ended up with over 50 inches. I saw something that week that I had never seen before or since. People [] One of the standouts in the year 2016 for Jim Teske and Bridge Street was when they took a look back at the blizzard of 1966. Fair Haven did not have official snowfall records at the time, but state troopers reported measuring 100 inches (250cm) of snow on the level, where none had been prior to the storm. According to a new database from the National Centers for . They started to get some streets plowed, and fire departments were really good about helping stranded senior citizens and people with disabilities, Price said. Like everyone else on our street, we hunkered down and had some good family time together. While Sykes methodology was certainly rigorous and scientific, it is not directly comparable to official snowfall measuring practices utilized by the National Weather Service. That was the normal condition for the storm, from about 6 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 30 until midnight Monday, Jan. 31. Rudy Norman, of Syracuse, complained that the city plowed some area to bare pavement, but left other streets "arm pit deep." Everyone talked about it, Monroe said, we just couldnt get over how much snow there was. And Woodard declared, Im 87 years old and I still remember it., Capitolfest 17 programs an August weekend of buried cinema treasures, Syracuse Salt Company drills for the tasty crystals near Inner Harbor, Expansive Everson exhibit details Juan Cruzs artistic evolution, Syracuse New Times, All Times Publishing, LLC | Theme by MVP Themes, powered by Wordpress, Image provided by trendobjects via Thinkstock, Passings: Dan Elliott, Doug Moncrief, James Sparky Burgen, Over the Rainbow: 2019 Syracuse Pride Parade at the Inner Harbor (photos), Onondaga County Democratic Committee Chairs mission? "We have recently in places like Buffalo. Lake Wave Forecasts Local groceries and stores "reaped a harvest" from customers who are able to walk to their shops. During his long career, Siegler never experienced another storm that rivaled in ferocity the Blizzard of 1966, which hit its blinding peak in Central New York 25 years ago today. At Oswego, the storm lasted from January 27 to January 31, 1966, a total of 4days. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 1. The Blizzard of 1966 brought 13.8 inches of snow toWashington, but it was across much of central and western New York where weather history was made 50years ago this weekend. At both Cazenovia and Le Moyne Colleges, students performed a lot of the "housekeeping" duties on campus: cooking and cleaning while staffs were unable to make it to work. For Grand Forks, the 17.0 inches on March 4 set a record for most snowfall during one calendar day, while the 27.8 inches for the blizzard as a whole still remains the heaviest event total snowfall on record in Grand Forks. Thousands of travelers became stranded on roads and in airports. Of course, back then, the plows werent equipped to plow that vast amount of snow. Henry Vaughn, the city's superintendent of street cleaning, was a young snowplow operator when the storm blew into town on Jan. 29, 1966. Severe Weather She remembers seeing nothing but the thick white snow that covered the top of her mothers tall window. Page 11 of 19 Mar 1966 Issue of Syracuse Post Standard in Syracuse, New-York See the full image with a free trial. "When it comes it will be like Christmas all over again.". Mrs. Adam Guref, of North Syracuse, asked that Post-Standard delivery boy James Bolson's name be printed in the newspaper for going and buying milk and bread for her. In 2020, that number jumped to 1,389, records, Syracuse nightlife: 5 areas to enjoy a night out of drinks and Armory Square. This 1998 WTVH Channel 5 News episode of "Ron Remembers" hosted by Ron Curtis takes a look back at the monstrous 1966 blizzard that slammed parts of central New York with 8 feet of snow. Beth Fitting, of Syracuse, wished to thank the men of the DPW for going "above and beyond the call of duty," and being hard at work while the rest of us "enjoyed a bit of an unexpected holiday. [6], Heavy lake effect snow fell southeast of Lake on January 27, 28, and 29, before the heavy snows from the cyclone reached the area on January 30. "It's kind of like CNN now with reports from overseas," he said. Syracuse, N.Y. -- The snowiest day in the history of New York record-keeping happened in a town most New Yorkers have never heard of. The storm affected nearly 120 million people over an area of more than 550,000 square miles and caused $5 . Climate Graphs, SEASONAL Heavy lake. Which state gets the most snowfall per year? 315-428-1864 "It was really the storm of the century," said Dan Bartholf, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Syracuse. When something like that happens, neighbors assist each other, Price said. But to Sykes -- who was the first director of the Lake Ontario Environmental Laboratory at SUCO -- the storm thoroughly justified his earlier career decision that Central New York would make an ideal place to study big-time snow. The anniversary of the blizzard that swept Syracuse in 1966 warrants recollection. We knew it was in the driveway but we didnt know exactly where it was.. In the 20th century in our area I dont think there has ever been one that has matched it, said Price. They were storm-bound travelers who had been stranded while driving on the Thruway. I had a thought that the book would be of interest to Central New Yorkers (and beyond), but I never thought it would draw the attention that it has. Snowfall. The city of Batavia and Genesee County had 2 feet (61cm) of snow fall on that Saturday night alone. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Fifty years ago, on Jan. 30, 1966, it began snowing. You can also check out other issues in The Syracuse Post Standard. I cant imagine that will ever be the same.". Winter Weather How many inches did we get in the blizzard of 96? LATHAM Maj. Gen. Ray Shields, the adjutant general for the state of New York, announces the following: Lt. Col. Kevin Swab, from Auburn, serving with the 10th Area Command of the New York Guard, received the New York Pandemic Response Service Ribbon during recent unit training events between December and February. I believe it was on Friday when a grater came down the middle of the street to clear some snow so the snowplows could make it down. Over 120 people and a Siamese cat were welcomed into the War Memorial arenato take shelter. Roseau News Remembering The Big Flake-Out Of 1966. All we could do was stay inside and watch it come down. At Fargo, the visibility remained one quarter mile or less for over 30 consecutive hours from March 3-5, coinciding with strong northerly winds gusting frequently over 40 or 50 mph. On January 2223 of 1966, a cyclone that preceded the Blizzard of '66, impacted western New York. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 2 January 22-23, 1966. Langdon AboutPressCopyrightContact. And when it was over on Feb. 1, more than 42 inches fell on Syracuse, a record that stood until 1993. An intense "Colorado Low" weather system lifted into eastern South Dakota early on March 3, 1966, and slowly progressed into central Minnesota on March 4. One of the most severe blizzards on record to impact the Northern Plains occurred 50 years ago between March 2-5 of 1966. [3] The death toll reached 201 by Wednesday, February 2, as the storm eased. It dropped 20 inches of snow, had wind gusts of 50 mph and snow drifts up to 8 feet high. Official storm totals include 89.5" at Mallory, Oswego County, 84" at Bennetts Bridge, Oswego County, and 80.7" at Camden, Oneida County. Snowfall totals reached as high as 38 inches, with drifts 30 to 40 feet high in some locations. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. The first two had little effecton New York, but the third became legendary. Syracuse, New York received a record snowfall of 42.3 inches (107 cm) which remained their heaviest storm on record, until the Blizzard of 1993. Snowfall totals were even more extreme on the southeast side of Lake Ontario. "I walked to work," said Fulton resident Robert LaRock. Blizzard of 1966: The Storm Many Won't Forget By Alexa Green Central NY PUBLISHED 6:11 PM ET Jan. 28, 2016 In Central New York, snow storms are just a part of everyday life. The newspaper's employees showed up for work, many of them having to walk several miles to get there, the longest being copy desk chief Steve Mekeel who walked to work from North Syracuse. March 12HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) -On March 12, we remember one of the biggest March snow storms to ever hit the East Coast: the blizzard of 1993. Shirley Woodard, 87, of Constantia and Nadine Monroe, 81, of Minoa were like many residents during the storm who were shut in their houses without electricity. But those who remember it say nothing in the past 50 yearshas compared to the blizzard that hit the area in January 1966. In addition, tens of thousands of livestock perished in the storm. 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. "The snow came down so hard and so fast that we couldn't get the trucks out of the lot," said Roland Allen, now a news editor at the Herald-Journal who was then editing copy for The Post-Standard. Past Weather Events The great majority of the county's citizens were handed a fairy tale.". This is the official largest single day snowfall in New York history. Arthur Bagnett, of Syracuse, expressed frustration that his dead end street had not been plowed throughout the storm, and hadn't been plowed in two weeks before the storm. See also What Was Invented In Syracuse? How Many People Moved From Nyc To Syracuse? The Village of, If you commute to campus or live off campus as a third- or fourth-year student, the Office of Off-Campus and Commuter Services offers helpful information, The reason for the storminess and heavy rain in Upstate New York, meteorologists say, is that were caught between the massive heat dome out West, Street parking is enforced in city of Syracuse from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The North American Blizzard of 2006 hit East Coast cities from Baltimore to Boston with enough winter weather to cancel school for days, but few places got more than the Big Apple. A number of babies were born outside of hospitals in the area. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. The only thing that prevented that snowstorm from becoming a true blizzard like this infamous one of the very next weekend was the lack of high winds. "I was out driving a plow on Euclid Avenue when I realized the telephone poles were on the wrong side of the street," said Vaughn, 57. The city of Batavia and Genesee County had 2 feet (61 cm) of snow fall on that Saturday night alone. SYRACUSE New York Air National Guard Col. William McCrink, commander of the 174th Attack Wing, recently recognized airmen for their support of the response to the historic Christmas blizzard Sykes recalled he had just started a local radio weather forecast in January 1966. The amount of snow recorded is the largest snowfall from a single storm in North America. [1], 50 inches (130cm) of snow were recorded at Camden, New York on January 31. The snow, he said, barely tailed off until four days later. Mrs. Charles Buell, of Syracuse, thanked the owner of the Skyline Apartments grocery store, Richard Caiello, who walked "six to seven miles" to open the store and keep the elderly people at the apartments well-stocked with food. | Collectibles, Paper, Newspapers | eBay! Unlike many of the "killer blizzards" which had previously occurred in the Northern Plains [Schoolhouse Blizzard, 11-12 Jan 1888; Armistice Day Blizzard, 11 Nov 1940; and Ides of March Blizzard, 14-15 Mar 1941], temperatures were relatively mild during much of this blizzard. 154 fatalities total (another 33 took place during flooding after the storm). During the blizzard of 1966, winds reportedly gusted to more than 60 mph and churned the falling snow into monstrous drifts dropping visibility to zero in the process. Weather stations with highest snowfall in the United States by state, 1985-2015. Your Stories Q&A: New life for old Kmart stores? That's a long time," Farfaglia said. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. But a study published in the Journal of Operational Meteorology determined via local records that during the 1959 storm, it snowed continuously for six days, averaging 2.6 feet (80 centimeters) per day at the Old Ski Bowl. Several small business owners, like Corgys Grocery in my neighborhood, actually opened their doors and we were able to trudge through waist-deep snow to purchase necessities. Fifty years later, he remembers how it crippled the city of Syracuse yet also brought neighborhoods together. Mayor William Walsh's Schuyler Street, for example, had not been plowed until the night of February 2. He said people heard about getting snow but didnt take it seriously until it hit. Jim Fargagliawrote a book about the storm Voices of the Storm and he described how the snow was terrible but the wind made it even worse. National Weather Service Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Why does Syracuse get so much snow? At least Price was able to walk in the middle of abandoned streets to get to Channel 9. The anniversary of the blizzard that swept Syracuse in 1966 warrants recollection. The storm brought 3 1/2 feet of snow to Syracuse, and 8 1/2 feet fell in Oswego. A little over a year ago, I published my book about the Blizzard of '66. FULTON, N.Y. -- The weekend blizzard was a miss for us, but that wasn't the case 50 years ago. During this storm, the ABC affiliate in Syracuse (WNYS) brought in a retired Air Force meteorologist named Horace Stormy Meredith to provide weather updates and insight on the changing situation. On January 22-23 of 1966, a cyclone that preceded the Blizzard of '66, impacted western New York. At Fargo, temperatures held steady in the 20s during the start of the blizzard, falling into the teens during the height of the blizzard, when winds were strongest and visibility lowest. They began to panic and was worried people might not even know theyre there under all the snow. Snowfall totals were eye-popping, ranging from 2 to 8 feet of snow. What day was the blizzard of 93? During that epic blizzard, 20-30 inches of snow fell across the state. The storm inspired both the best and worst of human nature. 3 See also. The information easily answers questions such as: How much snow fell in a day during the biggest snowstorm of 2019?Syracuse Extreme Daily Snowfall for Each Year. About 160 students wound up spending the night in a Syracuse bus garage equipped with two toilets. "They'll never know the blitzes I've been through," he wrote, finishing with, "the Blizzard of '66 would make the Blizzard of '93 look like a mere display of flying soap suds in a bellows forced type wind. Much like December 2015, itwas a warm and green Christmas for residents of upstate New Yorkin 1965, with highs in the mid 60s. You can cancel at any time. Hospital food is a punchline. According to Mark Monmonier, a geology professor from Syracuse University, this particular blizzard was part of a cyclonic system that was brought by moisture from the Atlantic Ocean, rather than off Lake Ontario, although there was some lake enhancement that fueled the storm. Syracuse ranked No. Bartholf said Syracuse was caught up in a storm that engulfed the entire Northeast, triggered by a low pressure front along the East Coast. The snow was to the top of the ranch houses. Getting people involved, SALT Academy Applications & Awards Process. The storm disrupted all mail deliveries, as most Onondaga County mail is delivered from either Buffalo or Albany. They had called the ambulance, but the ambulance was up on Route 49 and couldnt get where we were, Woodard said. Wednesday - Friday: 10 - 4 You have permission to edit this article. This, In 1825, the Village of Syracuse was officially incorporated. My obsession with weather was greatly enhanced by this legendary storm and that obsession continues to this day. Please select one of the following: Experimental Graphical Hazardous Weather Outlook, https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/region/3957953-1966s-deadly-blizzard-was-monster, https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/region/3958101-highlights-1966-blizzard, https://climate.umn.edu/pdf/fargo_climate.pdf, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. At SU, Francis Wingate, a vice president and treasurer, clomped to campus on snow shoes from Sherbourne Road, a two mile hike, to rally students to help him dig out the campus by shovel. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Fifty years ago, on Jan. 30, 1966, it began snowing. The worst snow event in North Dakota history occurred March 2nd, 3rd and 4th of 1966. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. [1], On Monday, January 31, federal government employees in Washington were excused from reporting to work [5] and international airports were closed from Boston to Washington, D.C. More than 300 students answered his call, while dozens of others volunteered to deliver groceries to local people stuck in their homes. The Syracuse Blizzard of 1966, dropped 42.3 inches of snow on the Central New York city over several days in January. Our home was warm and we had plenty of food so all was good.. Indeed, a quarter-century after that four-day storm blasted Central New York -- dumping 42.3 inches of snow on Syracuse and a staggering 102 inches on lakefront Oswego County -- residents and weather experts alike still speak of it in reverent tones. Send your ideas and curiosities to Johnathan Croyle: Email | 315-427-3958. While Syracuse is known for its winter weather and snow accumulation, no storm has rivaled what happened 50 years ago. Mrs. Philip Lamirande, of Baldwinsville, worried about the selfishness of the people around her, after not being offered a ride in any of the cars that drove past her as she went to the grocery store with her kids. In the upper atmosphere, low pressure closed off around the Great Lakes. His vision was so obstructed that he couldn't immediately recognize he was off the road and into a field. The only thing that prevented that snowstorm from becoming a true blizzard like this infamous one of the very next weekend was the lack of high winds.[8]. SYRACUSE New York Air National Guard Col. William McCrink, commander of the 174th Attack Wing, recently recognized airmen for their support of the response to the historic Christmas blizzard in Buffalo. Travelers on the Thruway, unable to drive through the deep snow, had to spend the night in Syracuse.126 such people and a Siamese cat slept at the War Memorial to wait out the storm. In Syracuse, the city came to a halt after 42 inches of snow fell and winds gusted to 58 mph. The blizzard was particularly memorable for its long duration, as well as for its very heavy snowfall totals of 20 to 30 inches in some locations and wind gusts exceeding 70 mph at times. From the "Ron Remembers" VHS tape, Ron Curtis looks back on the Blizzard of 66. https://youtu.be/imXX7A8gCqE Shortly after the Blizzard of 1993 the Herald-Journal asked for readers to answer which storm was worse (or better), '93 or '66. "That's what made this storm so unique," said Jim Farfaglia, author of "Voices in the Storm: Stories from the Blizzard of '66. By the time the blizzard was winding down, temperatures had dropped into the single digits. One broadcaster is alleged to say this on the night of January 30, "The Civil War veterans' basketball game at the YMCA today has been cancelled.".
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