On This Day 1993 – Storm of the Century – IOTW Report

On This Day 1993 – Storm of the Century

Monday, 13 March 2017, 19:05 BFH Uncategorized 23

Looks like tonight’s storm in the northeast is going to be a bad one. Don’t know if it’ll rival 1993, but without all this global warming, who knows how high the record setting snow could get.
NCEI-

This storm remains the country’s most costly winter storm to date.

On March 11–14, 1993, a massive storm system bore down on nearly half of the U.S. population. Causing approximately $5.5 billion in damages ($9.2 billion in 2016 dollars), America’s “Storm of the Century,” as it would become known, swept from the Deep South all the way up the East Coast. With a central pressure usually found only in Category 3 hurricanes, the storm spawned tornadoes and left coastal flooding, crippling snow, and bone-chilling cold in its wake. Of the more than 200 weather and climate events with damages exceeding $1 billion since 1980, this storm remains the country’s most costly winter storm to date.

Lots and Lots of Snow

During the height of the storm, snowfall rates of 2–3 inches per hour occurred. New York’s Catskill Mountains along with most of the central and southern Appalachians received at least 2 feet of snow. Wind-driven sleet also fell on parts of the East Coast, with central New Jersey reporting 2.5 inches of sleet on top of 12 inches of snow—creating somewhat of an “ice-cream sandwich” effect. Up to 6 inches of snow even blanketed the Florida Panhandle.

Some particularly notable snowfall totals included:

  • 56 inches at Mount LeConte, Tennessee
  • 50 inches at Mount Mitchell, North Carolina, with 14-foot drifts
  • 44 inches at Snowshoe, West Virginia
  • 43 inches at Syracuse, New York
  • more

ht/ fdr in hell

23 Comments on On This Day 1993 – Storm of the Century

  8. We’re getting it now here in Toronto. The storm line shifted though and instead of the 25 cm (around 10 inches) to 10 cm (about 4 inches) until it stops early Wednesday. Very light snow falling but the wind is expected to take a -10 C (14 F) but the wind chill will take it down to -20 C (-4 F) at times. I hope you guys get a break as well. Hell, as I get older I’ve stopped looking at this as skiing weather and started thinking of it as a pain in the ass. Damn, that’s sad.

  10. I remember that storm well. My front porch is about a foot off the ground. I am 5’10”. I got out the front door and started shoveling snow above my head. The drifts we get from the wind are unbelievable.

    Oh, and we didn’t buy any groceries. Never do. We’re used to this. Always have at least two weeks of food stored away. And we had young kids back then living home…

  11. Actually the storm of the century may go to the blizzard of January 1966. Chicago got buried as well as upstate NY. Old Forge got a total of 476 inches of snow that winter – just under 40 feet of the white stuff. I guess it depends on where you’re stuck.

  14. That winter sucked. Every Monday and Friday. 18 inches. Both wife and i worked at home, on Cape Cod. The Shining was just around the corner. Seriously.

    We bugged out the next year.

    I shouldn’t tell this story. But I will because I’ve lost my filters. Plus I have no secrets with friends.

    Got so bored that winter that I put on my snow gear and grabbed the leftover meatloaf from the previous night. Did a 360 around the house, breaking off chunks of meatloaf and plunging it arm deep into the snow. Many times.

    Came back into the house. Removed snow gear and boots. Poured a drink and then let Ben, our Bernese Mountain dog out.

    Wife and I cheered with every meatloaf find, then we looked at each other and agreed it was time to get the hell out of there.

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