Historic Winter Storms That Shaped the US

As Winter Storm Fern sweeps across the United States this weekend, more than half of the nation's states are bracing for severe wintry weather. The storm is expected to bring a dangerous combination of ice, heavy snow, and dangerously cold wind chills to a vast region.

While the immediate focus is on preparation and safety, this event brings to mind a long history of devastating winter weather. The worst snowstorms to hit the US since the 1920s have not only been impossible to forget for those who lived through them but have also caused fatalities, major damage, and lasting infrastructure changes.

According to meteorologist David Stark, a blizzard is defined by specific criteria: winds must be at least 35 mph and visibility must be reduced to less than a quarter of a mile. Many of the most destructive storms in US history have met this definition, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape and the collective memory.

The Knickerbocker Storm of 1922 struck Washington, DC, from January 27 to 29, dropping 24 inches of snow with no warning. Residents had been told to expect fair weather with slowly rising temperatures just a day before the storm hit. The blizzard's name comes from the tragic collapse of the Knickerbocker Theatre, whose roof gave way under the weight of the snow. The collapse killed 98 people who were watching a silent film and injured 133 others. In the aftermath, building codes were updated nationwide to require stronger roof support structures.

On November 11, 1940, the Armistice Day Blizzard battered the Upper Midwest. Temperatures dropped suddenly, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the "winds of hell" began to blow. A hunter stranded during the storm noted that only the tops of telephone poles could be seen above the snow. The storm killed 150 people in total, including 49 in Minnesota, and also killed 1.6 million turkeys. Its lasting repercussion was a shift in weather forecasting; to improve accuracy, forecasting moved out of major cities like Chicago to become more localized.

The Great Appalachian Storm of 1950, which began on November 24, was described by the Washington Post as a "meteorological powerhouse." This slow-moving blizzard affected 22 states, burying parts of West Virginia and Pennsylvania under as much as 62 inches of snow. Winds with gusts up to 160 mph knocked over trees and caused almost 1 million power outages. The storm killed at least 383 people and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. Two cyclone researchers later called it the "benchmark" storm for comparing all other major 20th-century storms.

While many storms are remembered for their human cost, others are notable for sheer volume. In February 1959, a six-day snowstorm on Mount Shasta, California, dropped a staggering 189 inches of snow—approximately 16 feet. This event holds the world record for the most snow falling in a single storm. Because the mountain is uninhabited, no deaths occurred.

The Chicago Blizzard of 1967 remains the city's highest snowfall on record. On January 26 and 27, 23 inches of snow fell accompanied by 53 mph wind gusts. The storm caught the city completely off guard, as temperatures had been warm just two days earlier. The sudden, heavy accumulation left 50,000 cars abandoned, led to shop looting, and forced 650 students to sleep at their schools because buses could not navigate the snow. Twenty-six people died.

In 1969, a 100-hour snowstorm pummeled the Northeast for four consecutive days. On the first day alone, 4 feet of snow fell on Mount Washington, New Hampshire, with another 4 feet falling over the subsequent days. Boston received 26.3 inches, while Portland, Maine, saw 26.9 inches. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration rated this the worst snowstorm of the century based on snow amount, area affected, and number of people impacted. Its size was the most critical factor; the storm was 4.5 times larger than the 1993 "storm of the century." Despite its severity, it remains relatively unknown because much of it occurred outside the Northeast corridor.

The Blizzard of 1977 struck on January 28, bringing 70 mph winds and heavy snowfall. The Los Angeles Times described it as a "perfect storm, a once-in-a-generation weather system." The storm was particularly brutal in Buffalo, New York, because snow had fallen for 28 consecutive days prior, piling up on Lake Erie and providing ample material for the winds to blow. The storm remained in the region for three days, causing so many people to abandon their cars that one in five vehicles in Buffalo was illegally parked or abandoned. It killed 29 people, six of whom died in their cars.

The Storm of the Century in 1993 is commonly referred to as the worst snowstorm of the 20th century. Beginning on March 12, it covered areas from Florida to Maine, affecting more than 100 million people. Winds reached 100 mph, and The New York Times described it as "a monster with the heart of a blizzard and the soul of a hurricane." Power cuts plunged 2.5 million homes into darkness. The storm killed 300 people and caused at least $2 billion in damage. NOAA classed it as a Category 5 storm, making it the second-highest rated snowstorm after the 100-hour storm of 1969.

In January 2016, Winter Storm Jonas, also known as Snowzilla, affected over 102 million people and killed 52. An estimated 24 million people experienced over 20 inches of snow, with Glengary, West Virginia, receiving the most at 42 inches. In Delaware, wind gusts were recorded at 75 mph, and New Jersey faced intense flooding with water surging higher than it did during Hurricane Sandy. According to NOAA, it was one of the most powerful snowstorms in the Northeast in 60 years.

Some storms are remembered not just for snow, but for unusual atmospheric conditions. The Megalopolitan Blizzard of 1983 struck from February 10 to 12, hitting a wide area from Virginia to New England. It was particularly memorable for the presence of thundersnow—thunder and lightning accompanying snowfall. The Washington Post reported that this thundersnow produced extremely strong winds and whiteout conditions. The storm caused 25-foot waves in the Atlantic Ocean and 55 mph winds that capsized a coal-carrying boat, killing 34 people.

In February 2010, Washington, DC, was buried under what became known as "Snowmageddon." Snow fell uninterrupted for 30 hours, recording just over 32 inches of wet, heavy snow. The weight of the snow caused power outages for 200,000 properties and the collapse of several churches and an airport hangar. Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania all declared a state of emergency. The name was solidified when former President Barack Obama repeated it.

The Polar Vortex of 2019 brought a different kind of extreme weather. In late January, cold air from the Arctic descended onto North America, killing 21 people. Across the Midwest, more than 30 cold temperature records were broken. Illinois was hit particularly hard, with Rockford recording -31 degrees Fahrenheit, while wind chills in Minneapolis-St. Paul plunged to -65 degrees Fahrenheit.

From the Knickerbocker Storm that changed building codes to the Great Appalachian Storm that set the benchmark for meteorological study, winter weather has consistently forced adaptation. The Blizzard of 1977 and the Storm of the Century demonstrated the vulnerability of modern infrastructure to extreme conditions.

As Winter Storm Fern moves across the country, the lessons learned from these historic events remain relevant. The human cost, measured in lives lost and communities disrupted, underscores the importance of preparation. The economic impact, ranging from billions in damage to the collapse of critical infrastructure, highlights the need for resilient design.

While meteorologists continue to refine their models and predictions, the history of US winter storms serves as a reminder of nature's power. Each event, from the localized tragedy of the Knickerbocker Theatre collapse to the continental scale of the 1993 storm, adds to the narrative of a nation constantly negotiating its relationship with the elements.