March 11, 1888: The Great Blizzard of 1888 strikes New England, killing 400
The winter of 1888 was extremely mild on the east coast of
the United States. With March’s arrival, New Englanders felt that spring was
just around the corner. The 10th proved an equally auspicious day.
Off the coast in the Atlantic, Canadian winds blew hard from the north while a
low pressure system began to form east of Long Island. By the evening, it began to snow throughout
the eastern United States. Throughout the 11th, the snow accumulated heavily.
By the 12th, the snow drifts grew enormous. Business ground to a
halt. Schools and church services were canceled. Railroad became mired in tidal
wave sized snow drifts. Fire and ambulance services were unable to service
their communities. In all, the Great Blizzard of 1888 dropped anywhere from 10
inches in some places to over 58 inches in others. Due to the gridlock in
emergency services, the storm resulted in over 400 fatalities.
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