As the East Coast braces for what could be an intense blizzard this weekend, INSIDE EDITION looks back at some of the biggest storms in recorded history.
As the East Coast braces for what could be an intense blizzard this weekend, INSIDE EDITION looks back at some of the biggest storms in recorded history.
Read: How to Prepare For This Weekend's Snow Storm
The Blizzard of 1888
The blizzard of 1888 hit the East Coast without warning as it came late in the winter season. In mid-March, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington received over 50 inches of snow.
The storm was called “The Great White Hurricane” and still lives in infamy. The weather disaster resulted in 400 deaths, including 200 in New York City.
Due to the gridlock traffic of horses and buggies, the storm resulted in the building of America’s first underground subway system in the decades that followed.
The Knickerbocker Storm of 1922
In 1922, a two-day storm slammed into the upper South and Mid-Atlantic regions of America, dumping 28 inches of snow were dumped on Washington, D.C.
The storm was dubbed “The Knickerbocker Storm.” Hundreds of people were inside the Knickerbocker theater in D.C taking in a movie when the roof collapsed under the weight of the snow. Ninety-eight people perished in the disaster and it is still one of the deadliest storms in the Capitol’s history.
The Great Midwest Blizzard of 1967
In 1967, an immense blizzard struck between the Ohio Valley down to New Mexico, dropping 23 inches of snow. It still holds Chicago’s record for heaviest snowfall in a two hour period and resulted in the deaths of 76 people.
Read: Elderly Man Gets Ticket For Driving Car That Was Nearly Completely Covered in Snow
The snowstorm created havoc in The Windy City, leaving around 800 buses and 50,000 cars abandoned on the city streets and expressways.
Storm of 1978
In February 1978, hurricane-force winds mixed with intense snow surprised the Northeast for three straight days.
The storm forced drivers to abandon their cars on highways in New England, New York and New Jersey. Many homeowners were trapped inside their houses without heat, water or power for a week in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Flooding in Cape Cod and Long Island destroyed many homes. According to reports, it is estimated that 100 people died in the shock storm.
The Storm of the Century 1993
Leaving $10 billion in damages across the entire East Coast, the March 1993 blizzard known as “The Storm of the Century” lived up to its name.
The storm affected 26 states and parts of Canada and released several feet of snow along with hurricane-force winds that created massive ocean swells. Homes were destroyed in parts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Long Island.
A reported 318 people died in the tempest.
The Blizzard of 1996
Three years after “The Storm of the Century,” the mid-Atlantic and Northeast were pounded again with an average of three feet of snow. Philadelphia accumulated 30.7 inches, the highest in the city’s record to date.
The storm claimed the lives of 154 people, many of whom died in car accidents. Due to the weather pattern changing from cold to warm, nor’easters emerged, leaving massive flooding thanks to a combination of melting snow and rain which killed 33 more people.
Smowmageddon 2015
The snow came fast and furious over the early part of 2015 and started with what many on social media called “Snowmaggedon.”
In January, winter storm Juno arrived in the Midwest and East Coast.
Surprisingly, the storm even hit parts of Texas where snow does not usually fall. An estimated 30,000 cows died in the Texas storm.
In New England, people were snowed in for days and, in some cases, weeks. Buffalo, New York experienced a baby boom nine months after the storm hit.
Worcester, Massachusetts received over 34 inches of snow, the city’s highest record. Overall, 24-35 inches of snow fell across the Midwest and East Coast.
Watch: Little Girl Can't Stop Giggling When Dad Tries to Explain Snow
