Forty years ago this week Cleveland, along with much of the Northeast, was pounded by an historic, record-setting, devastating blizzard. Fifty-one Ohioans died, winds gusted between 80 and 100 mph, and the barometric pressure reached an all-time low of 28.28 over Cleveland (which is lower than what you’ll find in the middle of most hurricanes.)
There are many, many great photos floating around (one of our favorites shows just some of the abandoned cars — those left on roads — that Cleveland police towed to Edgewater) but the real flavor, of course, comes via video. Check out Channel 8’s broadcast in the midst of the fury and some additional archival footage from Channel 5 below that.
This article appears in Jan 24-30, 2018.
I remember it very well…..
Why anyone tried to go to work that day besides first responders and medical personnel is beyond my understanding. I was a student at Kent State and the blizzard shut down the university for two weeks. It took that long to dig all of the cars out in Portage County.
I spent the evening on the shore way in a car that would not start, had no heat or blankets. The next morning a motorist stopped by and saw that a was a nasty shade of blue and offered to take me to a hotel next to the shore way. Maybe a Howard Johnsons? I offered to pay him for a ride home. He took me home but wouldnt accept any payment. My gratitude to this man and I didnt get or remember a name.
All these years later, I’m absolutely SICK of hearing about the “Blizzard of ’78”!!! STOP!