Michigan’s Great Blizzard of 1978
Blizzard of ’78 – Somerset, MI by Billie K67
“The most extensive and very nearly the most severe blizzard in Michigan history raged throughout Thursday January 26, 1978 and into part of Friday January 27. About 20 people died as a direct or indirect result of the storm, most due to heart attacks or traffic accidents. At least one person died of exposure in a stranded automobile. Many were hospitalized for exposure, mostly from homes that lost power and heat. About 100,000 cars were abandoned on Michigan highways, most of them in the southeast part of the state.”
~National Weather Service Ann Arbor Meteorologist in Charge, C.R. Snider on January 30th, 1978
Wikipedia’s entry on The Great Blizzard of 1978 relates that Michigan Governor William Milliken declared a state of emergency and called out the Michigan National Guard, the Michigan State Police pronounced Traverse City, Michigan “unofficially closed” and warned area residents to stay home, and classes at the University of Michigan were canceled for the first time in its 140 year history.
More Links:
- Mid-Michigan Weather has a great selection of photos from the Blizzard of 1978
- The National Weather Service in Detroit explains the unique weather pattern that spawned this monster storm
- The Traverse City Record-Eagle has an account of the blizzard of 78
- Here’s a photo of the massive drifts in Kalamazoo
- Weather blogger Bill Steffen has some details, noting that Muskegon received a whopping 52″ of snow and measured a 14′ high snow drift.
- WGBU-TV has some photos of the storm’s impact on northeast Ohio.
