In 10 states, one quarter of 19th-century Americans felt the impact. The snowdrifts caused telephone lines to crash down and buried trains carrying stranded passengers, whereas extremely strong winds foundered 200 ships. In all, we estimate that more than 400 lives were claimed, the deadliest count that a winter storm has ever recorded in the USA.
1899: the Great Arctic Outbreak
Temperatures throughout the entire United States dropped lower than average in February 1899, with the chill first setting in at the beginning of February 1899. However, the anticyclones flowed from Canada, freezing the Eastern states and the Midwest found itself in the most difficult situation.
1899: the Great Arctic Outbreak
Below Washington DC, snow had fallen for 51 uninterrupted hours. In the south, the ice flowed off the Mississippi and into the Gulf while completely damming up the flow of the Mississippi. The storm damaged the crops, severely beat the animals, and at least 100 people died from exposure. Below, workers are removing snow using horse-drawn wagons with trucks to haul it to the river in New York City.
1913: the Great Lakes storm
Approximately 12 vessels capsized during the storm, with tens more being wrecked afterward. The Charles S. Price, which is pictured below, was "flung in on end at the mouth of a small stream on the southeast corner of the lake." Experts believe that the storm resulted in the tragic loss of up to 300 lives—the toll of which surpassed the total fatalities of every other major Great Lakes disaster recorded in history.
1922: Knickerbocker Storm
There is indeed a grim reason behind the storm's name, as it received its moniker after the Knickerbocker Theater in Washington D.C., where the roof collapsed under the sheer force of the heavy snow on Saturday, January 28th, while a huge audience watched a film. Hundreds of people became trapped when the ceiling gave way during an intermission, raining down concrete and wet snow on those seated below, which tragically resulted in the deaths of 98 individuals and injuries to 133 others.
1967: Chicago blizzard
The city came to a halt as approximately 800 transit buses were abandoned alongside 50,000 cars scattered all over the city streets; O'Hare Airport also closed its doors. Commuters spent the night of Thursday, 26 January, in nearby hotels because the city’s roads were too dangerous to even attempt getting to their own homes by car or train with the roads completely blocked. However, on Friday morning, the road surfaces became unreachable, as it became clear that it would take hours to get from point A to point B, and authorities had to use helicopters to deliver much-needed supplies to hospitals.
1993: Storm of the century
More popularly known as the Superstorm of 1993, severe weather tore through the US, beginning in the Gulf of Mexico and moving up the East Coast into Canada from March 12 to 15. Currently recognized as one of the United States' most costly weather disasters of the 20th century, the storm caused an estimated $5.5 billion in damages, which amounts to nearly $9.9 billion today when adjusted for inflation.
1993: Storm of the century
Bringing the pressure central to the Category 3 hurricane, the storm aggressively carved a notable path of tornadoes, caused extensive coastal flooding, disrupted daily life with heavy snow, and brought freezing temperatures throughout Washington DC, among other affected areas.
1996: North American blizzard
America has faced the worst snowstorms in its history with over 60 people dead, starting from the 6th to the 8th of January. As the storm moved through the country, it broke state and city records in Rhode Island, Philadelphia, Virginia, and Providence, and it also deposited four feet of snow in certain areas.
1996: North American blizzard
President Clinton ordered a federal government shutdown that lasted nearly a week during the terrible weather, and he declared Washington, D.C., along with nine states, to be federal disaster areas. The storm significantly damaged property across America, as building roofs collapsed under the sheer volume of snow, and it also caused additional destruction from a coastal flood on Long Island.
2003: Presidents Day Storm
President Clinton ordered a federal government shutdown that lasted nearly a week during the terrible weather, and he declared Washington, D.C., along with nine states, to be federal disaster areas. The storm significantly damaged property across America, as building roofs collapsed under the sheer volume of snow, and it also caused additional destruction from a coastal flood on Long Island.
2011: Groundhog Day storm
Cities that are also on the path of the storm include Tulsa, Detroit, and New York. Officials declared a state of emergency in Missouri, and meteorologists issued blizzard warnings for Kansas City. In the image here, Kansas City is displayed, which received only the third blizzard warning in its history.
FAQ's
What are the worst snowstorms in US history?
The list includes catastrophic events like the Great Blizzard of 1888, the 1993 Storm of the Century, and the 2016 United States blizzard.
How are these historic snowstorms ranked?
Meteorologists and historians typically rank them using the Regional Snowfall Index (RSI), factoring in total snowfall, geographic area affected, and population impact.
Which storm caused the most fatalities?
The Great Blizzard of 1888 remains one of the deadliest, claiming over 400 lives, largely due to sudden blizzard conditions catching people unprepared along the East Coast.
Which storm brought the heaviest snowfall amounts?
The 1959 Mt. Shasta ski bowl storm holds a record for single-storm US snowfall, dropping 189 inches in California.
What made the 1993 "Storm of the Century" unique?
It was historically massive, bringing blizzard conditions, tornadoes, and hurricane-force winds from the Gulf of Mexico up into Canada simultaneously.
