Lead image is public domain, courtesy of NOAA.
If one is to look through the most impactful winter storms to hit the Northeast and New England, the Great Blizzard of 1888 is bound to make an appearance on such a list. The storm, which has been nicknamed the "Great White Hurricane", was one of the most paralyzing winter storms in American history. Snowfall totals were meaured on the order of feet in spots and with the aid of strong winds snow drifts were higher than five-story buildings in some areas.
The late nineteenth century (and specifically 1888) was a busy time for powerful winter storms across the nation. For more on a bitter cold blast that impacted the Great Plains earlier that same winter, see our article "The Schoolhouse Blizzard of 1888".
45th Street and Grand Central Depot, New York after the Blizzard of 1888. Courtesy of NOAA
"The Great White Hurricane"
It was the first half of March and temperatures leading up to the storm's arrival were rather mild for that time of year. As a result, forecasts for much of the eastern seaboard downplayed the wintry extent of the system (in part due to limited weather forecasting abilities of the era).
The Great Blizzard was a nor'easter that strengthened as it passed along the eastern seaboard, its pressure dropping as low as 980 mb at its peak strength. Initially, precipitation in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic corridor started as rain, but as temperatures quickly plummeted, activity turned to a heavy snow through the densely populated corridor from Boston to Washington, D.C..
During the night of March 11th into the early morning of the 12th, New York City saw their temperatures drop from 33°F to 8 °F as ongoing rain turned to snow around 1 AM. From there, the storm pummeled the region for over a day and a half before exiting on the 13th. Temperatures remained bitter cold in the storm's wake as it exited offshore, with New York City only "warming" to a high of 12°F.
Along with the extraordinary snowfall totals reported during the storm, the Great Blizzard produced strong winds with up to 80 mph gusts recorded. Winds in the Big Apple were not as strong, but still reached up to 40 mph, and along coastal New England upwards of 50 mph. Strong winds helped create massive snow drifts throughout the region, averaging 30 to 40 feet and high enough to reach over the tops of houses in New England and New York. Gravesend, Brooklyn reported the highest snow drift of the event, measuring 52 feet.
Snowdrift in Farmington, CT. Courtesy of New York Historical Society.
When all was said and done, the region was blanketed in well over a foot of snow. The coasts saw upwards of several feet with New York City measuring 21" and New Haven, Connecticut reporting 45". Further inland, persistent heavy snowfall produced 48" in Albany and 58" in Saratoga Springs-- the highest snowfall report of the entire storm.
Such impressive snowfall totals crippled much of the region's transportation network for days. Road and rail transportation out of NYC were near impossible to traverse, with large drifts on the tracks leading to New Haven taking eight days to clear. Prolonged gridlock throughout the region partially influenced the creation of the first underground subway system in the nation, when Boston opened their first line nine years later. New York City would construct their own underground subway in the opening years of the new century, citing hazards such as those resulting from the blizzard as driving factors.
Similar to the Northeast's transportation system, the telegraph network through the corridor was disabled, leaving Montreal, Canada and most major cities in the Northeast U.S. cutoff in communication for days. Communication lines were moved underground in New York City to prevent future disruptions.
Operations within the major cities were paralyzed in the days following the blizzard. The New York Stock Exchange closed for two days, with another two-day weather-related closing not occurring again until Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Fires broke out in cities as fire department response was hindered due to the heavy snow. This led to property losses amounting to over $810 million, adjusted for inflation.
Madison Ave & 40th Street, New York, NY. Courtesy of Massachusetts Historical Society.
Over 400 fatalities occurred as a result of the storm and the bitter cold that followed in its wake (200 of the deaths in New York City alone). Strong winds caused numerous shipwrecks off the eastern seaboard, leading to the deaths of at least 100 men.
The Great Blizzard of 1888 continues to stand out among the biggest wintry events to impact the Northeast, with it taking decades for any storm to surpass the records it set. In New York City, the Great Blizzard broke the previous snowfall record of 18" from 1872. It would take almost 6 decades until the 21" snowfall record of 1888 was surpassed. This occurred when a blizzard in 1947 dropped 26.4 inches in Central Park. Including the 1947 storm, only three snowstorms have surpassed the 1888 record.
When the Great Blizzard occurred, weather forecasting was still in its infancy. This led to many people being caught off guard by the extent and severity of the blizzard. While substantial storms similar to 1888 can and do still occur across the I-95 corridor, and can wreak havoc on transportation networks impacting millions of people. One advantage we have in the twenty-first century is ample lead time, allowing for many to make the proper preparations ahead of such events. At WeatherWorks, we help guide municipalities, facilities, and contractors with actionable weather consultation so they can make informed, weather-related decisions. Find out how Storm Alert service can help you, today!
