The Blizzard of 1966 was a nor' easter that impacted the northeastern United States and Eastern Canada from January 29-February 1, 1966. Heavy lake effect snows preceded the cyclonic storm southeast of Lake Ontario. In and around the Lake Ontario snow belt, the storm period is considered to have lasted from January 27 - February 1, 1966, and the blizzard was a combination nor' easter and lake effect event in this region.[1]
Prior to the event, temperatures plunged to record low levels in central and northern New York as Arctic air dominated in the wake of an earlier cyclone. Syracuse, NY, tied its official record low of -26°F on January 26.[1]
[2] Within days, at least 142 people had been killed — 31 had frozen to death, 46 died in fires that started while people were trying to heat their home. Others died from heart attacks while shoveling snow or pushing cars, or traffic accidents caused by slick roads.[3] The death toll reached 201 by Wednesday, February 2, as the storm eased.[4]
New Market, Alabama, recorded a state record low of -27°F on January 30.[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. The additional accumulation raised the snow level to 13 inches (33 cm) in Norfolk, Virginia.[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. Lake effect bands continued to impact northern Cayuga, Onondaga, Madison, Oswego, and Oneida counties even during the cyclonic portion of the event on January 30-31.[1]
Winds were more than 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) during the storm. The snow was badly drifted and roads and schools closed as long as a week. Drifts covered entire 2 story houses.[7]
A total of 102 inches (260 cm) of snow was recorded at Southwest Oswego by meteorologist and associate earth science professor Robert Sykes Jr. His total includes 50 inches (130 cm) of this falling on the calendar day of January 31 alone. Sykes' measurement methodology was designed to arrive at a "true" snowfall total and account for the settling effects of the wind on snow accumulation. His methodology included estimation and frequent measurements. While Sykes methodology was certainly rigorous and scientific, it is not directly comparable to official snowfall measuring practices utilized by the National Weather Service.[1]
The official Oswego snowfall total for the storm, measured by the cooperative observer at the State University College at Oswego was 68". Retired former federal meteorologist and cooperative observer at Oswego, Elmer Loveridge, maintained a private weather station at his home on Ellen Street in Oswego after the Weather Bureau Office in Oswego was closed in the early 1950s. Loveridge measured 71.5" of snow during the event using standard methodology.[1]
The heaviest snowfall centered from northern Cayuga and western Oswego County inland through central Oswego County into the southern Tug Hill of northern Oneida County. Storm totals of roughly seven feet were observed in central Oswego and northwest Oneida counties. Official storm totals include 89.5" at Mallory, Oswego County, 84" at Bennetts Bridge, Oswego County, and 80.7" at Camden, Oneida County.[1]
50 inches (130 cm) of snow were recorded at Camden, New York on January 31. This is the official largest single day snowfall in New York history.[7] The last day of the blizzard the winds subsided and snowburst conditions prevailed, with the snow falling straight down. Fair Haven did not have official snowfall records at the time, but state troopers reported measuring 100 inches (250 cm) of snow on the level, where none had been prior to the storm. 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.[8]
At Oswego, the storm lasted from January 27 to January 31, 1966, a total of 4½ days. The daily snowfall totals for Southwest Oswego, as measured by Professor Robert Sykes Jr, are as follows.
January 27, 1966: 8 inches (20 cm)
January 28, 1966: 12 inches (30 cm)
January 29, 1966: 11 inches (28 cm)
January 30, 1966: 21 inches (53 cm)
January 31, 1966: 50 inches (130 cm)
January 22-23, 1966
On January 22–23 of 1966, a cyclone that preceded the Blizzard of '66, impacted western New York and Southern Ontario. Toronto received 44 centimetres (17 in) of snow. The city of Batavia and Genesee County had 2 feet (61 cm) of snow fall on that Saturday night alone. 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]
^ abcdefgBassette, Kellen (2023). A History of Severe Weather to the Lee of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario in Western, Central, and North-Central New York 1798-2022. Kellen Bassette. pp. 487–500. ISBN978-1-0880-7520-3.
^"Blizzard Rips Across Nation", Abilene (TX) Reporter-News, January 30, 1966, p5
^"Blizzard's Death Toll Mounts To 142", The Morning Herald (Hagerstown MD), February 2, 1966, p1
^"Massive Storm Eases; Death Toll Tops 200", The Pantagraph (Bloomington IL), February 2, 1966, p1
^"BLIZZARD SNARLS EAST", Milwaukee Sentinel, January 31, 1966, p1
^"60 Inch Snow in Oswego", Milwaukee Sentinel, February 1, 1966, p2
^ ab"What's the record for most snow in New York state history? It's complicated". Ithaca Journal. January 18, 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
^ ab. Archived from the original on 2015-01-09. Retrieved 2015-09-15.
External links
YouTube - Blizzard of 1966
May 06, 2023
north, american, blizzard, 1966, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, j. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources North American blizzard of 1966 news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Blizzard of 1966 was a nor easter that impacted the northeastern United States and Eastern Canada from January 29 February 1 1966 Heavy lake effect snows preceded the cyclonic storm southeast of Lake Ontario In and around the Lake Ontario snow belt the storm period is considered to have lasted from January 27 February 1 1966 and the blizzard was a combination nor easter and lake effect event in this region 1 The Blizzard of 1966Category 4 Crippling RSI NOAA 12 28 Snowfall totals with the storm TypeBlizzardWinter stormFormedJanuary 27 1966DissipatedJanuary 31 1966Maximum snowfallor ice accretion103 inches 260 cm Oswego New YorkFatalities201Prior to the event temperatures plunged to record low levels in central and northern New York as Arctic air dominated in the wake of an earlier cyclone Syracuse NY tied its official record low of 26 F on January 26 1 2 Within days at least 142 people had been killed 31 had frozen to death 46 died in fires that started while people were trying to heat their home Others died from heart attacks while shoveling snow or pushing cars or traffic accidents caused by slick roads 3 The death toll reached 201 by Wednesday February 2 as the storm eased 4 New Market Alabama recorded a state record low of 27 F on January 30 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 The additional accumulation raised the snow level to 13 inches 33 cm in Norfolk Virginia 6 Contents 1 Conditions East of Lake Ontario 2 January 22 23 1966 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksConditions East of Lake Ontario EditHeavy 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 Lake effect bands continued to impact northern Cayuga Onondaga Madison Oswego and Oneida counties even during the cyclonic portion of the event on January 30 31 1 Winds were more than 60 miles per hour 97 km h during the storm The snow was badly drifted and roads and schools closed as long as a week Drifts covered entire 2 story houses 7 A total of 102 inches 260 cm of snow was recorded at Southwest Oswego by meteorologist and associate earth science professor Robert Sykes Jr His total includes 50 inches 130 cm of this falling on the calendar day of January 31 alone Sykes measurement methodology was designed to arrive at a true snowfall total and account for the settling effects of the wind on snow accumulation His methodology included estimation and frequent measurements While Sykes methodology was certainly rigorous and scientific it is not directly comparable to official snowfall measuring practices utilized by the National Weather Service 1 The official Oswego snowfall total for the storm measured by the cooperative observer at the State University College at Oswego was 68 Retired former federal meteorologist and cooperative observer at Oswego Elmer Loveridge maintained a private weather station at his home on Ellen Street in Oswego after the Weather Bureau Office in Oswego was closed in the early 1950s Loveridge measured 71 5 of snow during the event using standard methodology 1 The heaviest snowfall centered from northern Cayuga and western Oswego County inland through central Oswego County into the southern Tug Hill of northern Oneida County Storm totals of roughly seven feet were observed in central Oswego and northwest Oneida counties Official storm totals include 89 5 at Mallory Oswego County 84 at Bennetts Bridge Oswego County and 80 7 at Camden Oneida County 1 50 inches 130 cm of snow were recorded at Camden New York on January 31 This is the official largest single day snowfall in New York history 7 The last day of the blizzard the winds subsided and snowburst conditions prevailed with the snow falling straight down Fair Haven did not have official snowfall records at the time but state troopers reported measuring 100 inches 250 cm of snow on the level where none had been prior to the storm 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 8 At Oswego the storm lasted from January 27 to January 31 1966 a total of 4 days The daily snowfall totals for Southwest Oswego as measured by Professor Robert Sykes Jr are as follows January 27 1966 8 inches 20 cm January 28 1966 12 inches 30 cm January 29 1966 11 inches 28 cm January 30 1966 21 inches 53 cm January 31 1966 50 inches 130 cm January 22 23 1966 EditOn January 22 23 of 1966 a cyclone that preceded the Blizzard of 66 impacted western New York and Southern Ontario Toronto received 44 centimetres 17 in of snow The city of Batavia and Genesee County had 2 feet 61 cm of snow fall on that Saturday night alone 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 See also EditList of Regional Snowfall Index Category 4 winter stormsReferences Edit a b c d e f g Bassette Kellen 2023 A History of Severe Weather to the Lee of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario in Western Central and North Central New York 1798 2022 Kellen Bassette pp 487 500 ISBN 978 1 0880 7520 3 Blizzard Rips Across Nation Abilene TX Reporter News January 30 1966 p5 Blizzard s Death Toll Mounts To 142 The Morning Herald Hagerstown MD February 2 1966 p1 Massive Storm Eases Death Toll Tops 200 The Pantagraph Bloomington IL February 2 1966 p1 BLIZZARD SNARLS EAST Milwaukee Sentinel January 31 1966 p1 60 Inch Snow in Oswego Milwaukee Sentinel February 1 1966 p2 a b What s the record for most snow in New York state history It s complicated Ithaca Journal January 18 2019 Retrieved January 19 2023 a b HIDDEN HISTORY The Blizzard of 1966 Archived from the original on 2015 01 09 Retrieved 2015 09 15 External links EditYouTube Blizzard of 1966 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title North American blizzard of 1966 amp oldid 1144852000, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
