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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