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Click on the links to read about snowstorms which have occurred throughout history.

New York City, New York, USA (1888, March 12-13)
Although the weather forecast read “Light snow, then clearing,” 24 inches of snow had fallen by the next morning. Temperatures dropped to 15 degrees, and 40-mile-per-hour winds created 20-foot drifts of snow in the streets. The thirty-six-hour storm paralyzed the entire city and all communities 30 miles around, severing the area from the rest of the nation. Some people enjoyed the snow, taking advantage of winter sports like skating, skiing, and sled rides. Others found the food and water shortages inconvenient. Many poorer city sections went without heat or food as delivery wagons were unable to carry out orders. More than 200 people died from excessive cold and extreme storm conditions. 600 others perished in other areas along the East Coast.

Midwestern United States (1940, November 11)
A blizzard that started in Canada blew down through the American Midwest, bringing high winds and low temperatures. The blizzard killed more than 100 people in an area from the Rocky Mountains to Louisiana.

North Dakota and Minnesota, USA (1941, March 16)
60 perished in this blizzard.

New York City, New York, USA (1947, December 26)
The storm began at 5:25 a.m. and would eventually become the worst blizzard in New York City since 1888. Beginning the day after Christmas, 25.8 inches (nearly 100 million tons) of snow were dropped on the streets. Thousands of commuters were trapped in the city, stranded on trains and subways. 30,000 men worked for an entire week at a cost of $6 million to remove the snow. 77 people died in eight northeastern states.

Midwestern United States (1978, January)
Called the worst disaster in the history of Ohio by its governor, at least 60 perished in this snowstorm. Throughout 19 states, federal troops and local public work crews struggled to clear rural highways and city streets of high snowdrifts. Thousands were stranded on interstate highways and in airports. In Indiana, a Florida-bound passenger train was stuck for several days in 18-foot-high snow.

Boston, Massachusetts, USA (1978, February)
A record 27.1 inch snowfall began on February 6 and brought the city of Boston to a complete standstill. Roads in and out were jammed with stalled cars and high snow, leading the state governor to declare a state of emergency. On one 8-mile highway stretch, about 3,000 cars and 500 trucks were stuck for 4 days. The city was closed to al unnecessary traffic, and National Guardsmen were on alert to prevent looting, arrest sightseeing motorists, and help with cleaning up snow. The storm was driven by hurricane force winds, and hundreds of coastal homes were destroyed, flooded, and swept away by waves. Children seemed to enjoy the snow, sledding on empty streets while adults skied cross-country. Block parties sprung up behind snowdrifts. However, it wasn’t all fun - 29 people died and more than 10,000 were left homeless. Millions of dollars of property damage were incurred, especially along the coast.

Western Europe (1978, February)
Record low temperatures and heavy snowfalls swept through Western Europe, causing at least 19 deaths.

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