What Are the 5 Deadliest Blizzards in US History?

1. The Great Blizzard

Baxter Street, NY, Blizzard, March 1888 (Credit: NOAA)

March 11-14, 1888

The Great Blizzard brought 40+ inches of snow to Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York in 1888. Railroads were closed due to the hazardous conditions and this prevented many people from having any form of transportation.

Houses, cars, and trains were also buried and 200 ships sunk due to fierce winds. Massive flooding and inextinguishable fires destroyed major cities. The blizzard took the lives of more than 400 people throughout the northeast making it the deadliest blizzard in US history for a winter storm.

Death toll: 400+

2. The Great Appalachian Storm

The 1950 Snow Bowl. Michigan won, 9-3. (Credit: New England Historical Society)

November 24, 1950

The Great Appalachian storm (a.k.a Great Sou'easter) brought 57 inches of snow to the Carolinas on its way to Ohio, and much of the southeast. One of the oddest features of the storm was that it moved from east to west. But more than 99 percent of cyclones move the other way, from west to east. Winds in Concord reached as high as 110mph!

Along the coast, the Appalachian Storm washed away houses, beaches, cottages and railroad tracks. The winter storm hit 22 states, left 1,000,000 without power, killed 353, injured 160, and caused $66.7 million in damages. It became a case study for tracking and predicting winter weather.

Death toll: 353

3. The Storm of the Century

March 12-15, 1993

Coming a week before spring, the Storm of the Century was both a blizzard and a cyclone creating heavy rainfall and tornadoes. At one point, the storm stretched from Canada to Central America but focused the majority of its wrath on Cuba and the Eastern U.S. It shut down the South for three days.

This winter storm caused over 310 deaths and $6.6 billion in damage. But thanks to a successful five-day forecast from the National Weather Service, a State of Emergency was declared. Many lives were saved thanks to the preparations that some states were able to put into place prior to the storm.

Death toll: 310-318

4. The White Hurricane

Cleveland after the blizzard (Credit: Wikipedia)

November 7-10, 1913

The White Hurricane is the deadliest natural disaster to ever hit the Great Lakes region of the U.S. As a blizzard with hurricane-force wind, waves on the lakes reached 35 feet high (10 meters) and the storm's sustained wind speed reached 60 mph (96 km/h) for more than half a day. More than 250 people died. Mostly sailors, who were out on the Lakes, were killed.

Death toll: 250+

5. The Children's Blizzard

January 12, 1888

Rounding out the list of deadliest blizzards is The Children’s Blizzard. This blizzard started several degrees above freezing in the Dakota Territory and Nebraska. Then temperatures plummeted to a wind chill of minus 40. Children, who were sent home by the teachers because of the snow, were unprepared for the sudden cold. 235 died, many from hypothermia.

Death toll: 235

Summary

In all, the 5 deadliest blizzards in US History (Great Blizzard, Great Appalachian Storm, Storm of the Century, White Hurricane, and Children’s Blizzard) left a devastating trail of destruction. They resulted in over 1,000 deaths and millions of dollars in damages.

Don't be caught unprepared. Winter officially starts December 21st and typically runs through March 20, 2022 in the US. Learn more about winter storm preparedness so you'll be ready for the next big blizzard.

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