Throwback: 42nd anniversary of “Great Blizzard of 1978”

It has been 42 years since the “Great Blizzard of 1978” that wrecked havoc through Ohio Valley and Great Lakes.

The storm on January 26, 1978 dumped huge amounts of snow—up to 15 feet drifts in some places—and blew at near-hurricane strength, leaving nearly $210 million in damage.

On the eve of the storm, the temperature in Columbus rose to 41 degrees and .65 inches of rain fell. But then, a system of arctic air came through, producing some of the lowest pressure readings ever recorded in the United States mainland that were not associated with hurricanes, reports 10TV.

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Wind gusts averaged 50 to 60 mph during the day as wind chills dropped down to about -50 degrees.

Visibility was near zero which stopped traffic, planes, and left thousands of people stranded.

In the end, the storm claimed 70 lives—51 of them from here in Ohio. This is still the strongest storm in Ohio history.

See below for footage of the “Great Blizzard of 1978.”

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