Winter storms are part of life in Boston, but the blizzard that struck New England in 1978 shattered records.

That winter had already been rough. On January 21, 1978, a snowstorm buried Massachusetts under 21 inches of snow. When another storm was predicted shortly thereafter, people weren’t too worried. Weather forecasters anticipated about 10-12 inches of snowfall – bad, but by no means catastrophic. On the morning of February 6, 2017, people went to work, unaware of what was coming.

The blizzard started out as a cyclone. However, as it drew closer to New England, an arctic cold front combined with exceptionally strong high pressure, worsening the storm. The blizzard stayed above New England for 36 hours.
Flickr/Peter Prehn
During that time, 27.1 inches of snow fell in Boston. Winds up to 70 miles an hour whipped through the city, and the storm surge was more than 15 feet above the low tide mark.
Flickr/City of Boston Archives
People trying to get home from work faced a daunting journey.
Flickr/City of Boston Archives
The Neponset River spilled over its banks, flooding I-93, and snow drifts made many roads impassable. On an 8-mile portion of Route 128, 3000 cars and 500 trucks were deserted. Drivers trapped in their vehicles, tried to stay warm. However, the endlessly falling snow blocked tail pipes, causing 14 people to die from carbon monoxide poisoning.

A total of 99 people died as a result of the 1978 blizzard. This included rescue workers like the five-person Coast Guard crew of the Can Do, who perished while trying to help a vessel in distress.
On both the South Shore and North Shore, winds were even stronger, reaching 100 miles per hour in some areas. This combined with violent waves and flooding caused a lot of damage.
Martin & Jessica O'Brien
The political response was mixed. Boston Mayor Kevin White had been on vacation in Florida when the blizzard hit and was criticized for his slow return to Boston.
Flickr/City of Boston Archives

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Governor Michael Dukakis seemed to have a better grasp of the storm’s severity. He forbade any non-emergency driving, clearing roads for rescue efforts.
Flickr/City of Boston Archives
After 33 hours of unrelenting snowfall, the storm ended.
Flickr/City of Boston Archives
State troops and the National Guard began the clean-up operation.
Flickr/City of Boston Archives
Bostonians shoveled their way out of their homes and tried to uncover their cars.
Flickr/Jackie
They were greeted by a world buried under snow.
Flickr/City of Boston Archives

The 1978 blizzard caused $520 million dollars in damages. It was one of the worst storms that Boston ever faced.

Were you in Boston during the 1978 blizzard? Tell us about your experiences of this massive storm in the comments, or on the Only In Boston Facebook page.

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