Blizzard of ’78: Where Were You 34 Years Ago Today?

It’s hard to believe it’s been 34 years since Rhode Island was hit with the Blizzard of '78, but the stories will withstand the test of time.

On Feb. 6, 1978, the area was blanketed with a record 27 inches of snow with the added bonus of hurricane force winds. The storm began the morning of Feb. 6 and lasted through the following evening. It was a storm that was never really predicted to be this large, and yet from it one good thing came – we learned about emergency preparedness.

The snow came down so quickly (at a rate of an inch an hour) thousands of motorists were stranded in snowdrifts. Roads throughout New England were impassible and cars were abandoned at every turn. Here in Rhode Island, it was labeled "The Week the State Stood Still."

As a child it was almost magical because we didn't understand the danger. Our parents shielded us from the chaos and we didn't know people lost their lives in that storm. Looking back as an adult, it's terrifying how unprepared we were for this event. 

Thirty-four years ago we had 27 inches of snow. Today, the forecast is saying temps will be in the 50s. I’ll take the 50-degree temps over what happened here a little more than three decades ago.

The National Weather Service has this presentation revisiting the storm. We would love to hear your stories from the Blizzard of '78 and see your photos. You can upload your photos directly to our image gallery and tell us your stories.