Day of the beasts! Jan 67 and Jan 78!

[Harry]

Figured i would do a thread for these two puppies. Feel free to add to it.

For here anyways BOTH struck on this same date. Pretty wild to have the two biggest snow events ever happen on the same date.

Southwest Lower Michigan Weather History

The Weather History for January 26th

1/26/1967

Temperatures in the 20s are some 40 degrees colder than the day before, and heavy snow begins falling, piling up a foot or more along with increasing winds.

1/26/1978

A storm known as the Cleveland Superbomb moves north from the Gulf of Mexico and deepens explosively, becoming one of the worst blizzards in Midwest history. From one to two feet of snow falls across southern Lower Michigan, whipped into huge drifts by strong gusty winds. Several new records were set including a new record low sea level barometric pressure of 28.68 , observed at 6:00 AM. At least 9 deaths were attributed to the blizzard, most roads were impassable, roofs collapsed under the weight of the snow and the airport in Grand Rapids was closed from late on the 25th until the 27th. Governor Milliken declared a state of emergency and requested additional federal aid for snow removal.

This is Jan 67 at KBTL.

1967-01-25	55.0	30.0	0.13	0	0
1967-01-26	30.0	22.0	2.11	21.1	19
1967-01-27	26.0	21.0	0.71	7.5	26

Jan 67 at station just up the road from KBTL. Jackpot perhaps?

1967-01-26	32.0	21.0	1.01	12.1	12
1967-01-27	26.0	20.0	1.06	18.1	28
1967-01-28	35.0	21.0	0.03	1	29

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Here is Jan 78 at KBTL.

1978-01-25	36.0	26.0	0.05	0.5	7
1978-01-26	28.0	21.0	1.4	18	27
1978-01-27	21.0	13.0	0.12	5	29
1978-01-28	26.0	10.0	0.03	0.5	30
1978-01-29	25.0	15.0	0.02	0.3	30

Here is that other station.

1978-01-24	31.0	9999	0.02	0.5	10
1978-01-25	30.0	25.0	0.04	0.9	11
1978-01-26	28.0	20.0	2.18	18	28
1978-01-27	23.0	17.0	0.4	4	32
1978-01-28	28.0	15.0	0.2	3	36
1978-01-29	28.0	12.0	0.06	1	37

[michsnowfreak]

http://www.absolutemichigan.com/dig/michigan/michigans-great-blizzard-of-1978/

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dtx/stories/blizzard1978.php

[MOTOR CITY JOHN]

100,000 automobiles were cited as being abandoned in L MI.

[Hoosier]

1967 was an ice storm here. 1978, although not the biggest snowstorm on record, is one of if not the most severe snowstorm when factoring in the combination of snow/wind/temps. I've seen some reports of drifts reaching nearly 20 feet across the area, simply mind boggling if true. For comparison, the 2007 blizzard (a great storm in its own right) produced drifts of 8-10 feet outside of town.

[Chicago WX]

44 years later, Jan 1967 still remains the big dog for Chicago. Although Jan 1999 did break its 24 hour snow record.

LOT write up about the 1967 blizzard. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=lot&storyid=13430&source=2

Also, which isn't probably known to many because the snow is what was most remembered, but Jan 67 was a major ice storm for central IL on through LAF and points ENE.

EDIT: damn it, Hoosier beat with me with the ice storm reference.

[Indystorm]

Privileged to have experienced them both...'67 as a teenager in Hobart Indiana who relished getting a week off from school and then living on the north side of Indpls in 78 with transformers blowing and wind whipped white out snow....not as much there as up here in Michiana where I currently live but still memorable.

[Harry]

44 years later, Jan 1967 still remains the big dog for Chicago. Although Jan 1999 did break its 24 hour snow record.

LOT write up about the 1967 blizzard. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=lot&storyid=13430&source=2

Also, which isn't probably known to many because the snow is what was most remembered, but Jan 67 was a major ice storm for central IL on through LAF and points ENE.

EDIT: damn it, Hoosier beat with me with the ice storm reference.

Hate to but have to admit that i doubt Jan 67 will be topped here any time soon. Probably not in my lifetime anyways. That thing was a mind blowing epic QPF bomb.

Need a time machine.

[IWXwx]

1967 was an ice storm here. 1978, although not the biggest snowstorm on record, is one of if not the most severe snowstorm when factoring in the combination of snow/wind/temps. I've seen some reports of drifts reaching nearly 20 feet across the area, simply mind boggling if true. For comparison, the 2007 blizzard (a great storm in its own right) produced drifts of 8-10 feet outside of town.

I'm not sure about 20' drifts, but I will testify that I saw drifts at least 15' high.

[Chicago WX]

Hate to but have to admit that i doubt Jan 67 will be topped here any time soon. Probably not in my lifetime anyways. That thing was a mind blowing epic QPF bomb.

Need a time machine.

You never know man...you never know.

[Tony]

<br />Privileged to have experienced them both...'67 as a teenager in Hobart Indiana who relished getting a week off from school and then living on the north side of Indpls in 78 with transformers blowing and wind whipped white out snow....not as much there as up here in Michiana where I currently live but still memorable.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

I remember both well. I was livving in Gary IN in 1967 and Chicago in 1978. It sure would be great to have my kids experience a storm like one of these. It's been like forever...well we did have the "99" blizzard which is when my son was born. That storm really didn't have a huge impact like the other 2 did. Maybe because it was on a weekend.

[Chicago WX]

<br /><br /><br />

I remember both well. I was livving in Gary IN in 1967 and Chicago in 1978. It sure would be great to have my kids experience a storm like one of these. It's been like forever...well we did have the "99" blizzard which is when my son was born. That storm really didn't have a huge impact like the other 2 did. Maybe because it was on a weekend.

Jan 99 has to be one of the better forecasted big storms that I can remember. I think most people were aware of that storm for 4-5 days beforehand. Granted LOT and the TV mets ended up being too low with their predicted snowfall totals, but that isn't really shocking I guess.

[London snowsquall]

There must be something about the 26th of January. Three huge storms in this area on that date and I was around for them all. 1967 dumped about 20 inches, 1978 was about the same and 1971 was about 15. The best one of them all was 1971 even tho' the amount according to the airport recording station was the smallest. 24 consecutive hours of a full-out blizzard with zero visibilities. Haven't come close since. Superstorm '78 was very intense but the zero visibility lasted from 8 in the morning to around 4 in the afternoon. The 71 blizzard started with zero visibility at 4pm and was consecutive until 4 pm the next day.

The 71 storm is never mentioned by anyone else - maybe it was SW Ontario special? Hard to believe nothing happened in Michigan because according to a book I had, the storm came from there. Nonetheless, this area and the surrounding states are long overdue for a doozy like one of these. This regional board would freak......................

[Harry]

There must be something about the 26th of January. Three huge storms in this area on that date and I was around for them all. 1967 dumped about 20 inches, 1978 was about the same and 1971 was about 15. The best one of them all was 1971 even tho' the amount according to the airport recording station was the smallest. 24 consecutive hours of a full-out blizzard with zero visibilities. Haven't come close since. Superstorm '78 was very intense but the zero visibility lasted from 8 in the morning to around 4 in the afternoon. The 71 blizzard started with zero visibility at 4pm and was consecutive until 4 pm the next day.

The 71 storm is never mentioned by anyone else - maybe it was SW Ontario special? Hard to believe nothing happened in Michigan because according to a book I had, the storm came from there. Nonetheless, this area and the surrounding states are long overdue for a doozy like one of these. This regional board would freak......................

Perhaps it was Lake effect OR a system that went due north up the apps? Nothing significant shows up in either 71 or 72 in late Jan and Feb at Detroit and out this way. May wanna ask the Ohio or Pittsburgh people.

[London snowsquall]

Perhaps it was Lake effect OR a system that went due north up the apps? Nothing significant shows up in either 71 or 72 in late Jan and Feb at Detroit and out this way. May wanna ask the Ohio or Pittsburgh people.

I looked up the wind direction on the 71 event and it varied between 270-310 which is prime direction for major lake effect here, so you are probably right. It would also explain why it's a none-issue for everyone else. What would make it very unusual is to get 30-40 mph winds with the snow for such a long period continuously and not be a synoptic storm. I never thought of it as being lake effect, so nice grab Harry.

It sure paralyzed this area.

[AppsRunner]

There must be something about the 26th of January. Three huge storms in this area on that date and I was around for them all. 1967 dumped about 20 inches, 1978 was about the same and 1971 was about 15. The best one of them all was 1971 even tho' the amount according to the airport recording station was the smallest. 24 consecutive hours of a full-out blizzard with zero visibilities. Haven't come close since. Superstorm '78 was very intense but the zero visibility lasted from 8 in the morning to around 4 in the afternoon. The 71 blizzard started with zero visibility at 4pm and was consecutive until 4 pm the next day.

The 71 storm is never mentioned by anyone else - maybe it was SW Ontario special? Hard to believe nothing happened in Michigan because according to a book I had, the storm came from there. Nonetheless, this area and the surrounding states are long overdue for a doozy like one of these. This regional board would freak......................

Perhaps it was Lake effect OR a system that went due north up the apps? Nothing significant shows up in either 71 or 72 in late Jan and Feb at Detroit and out this way. May wanna ask the Ohio or Pittsburgh people.

I looked up the wind direction on the 71 event and it varied between 270-310 which is prime direction for major lake effect here, so you are probably right. It would also explain why it's a none-issue for everyone else. What would make it very unusual is to get 30-40 mph winds with the snow for such a long period continuously and not be a synoptic storm. I never thought of it as being lake effect, so nice grab Harry.

It sure paralyzed this area.

Perhaps it was Feb. 7-9th, 1971?

Low from Georgia to the Apps... basically was a 9-12" storm for most of OH (Except for NWOH... where Toledo ended with 1")

[TimChgo9]

I was only 8 months old for 1967..

I was 12 in 1978, and remember that one very well. I would love it if my kids could experience that just one time. I remember 8 and 10 foot snow piles around the driveways in my neighborhood. We built some legendary snow forts that winter. The snow piles made by the snow plows clearing the church parking lot were enormous, and were a favorite place to play after school..(for some reason, the nuns forbid us to play on the snow piles....).

Ah, what a time that was....