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February 1983 North American blizzard
Snowfall totals across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States from the blizzard
Meteorological history
FormedFebruary 9, 1983
DissipatedMoved offshore on February 12, 1983
Winter storm
Maximum snowfall or ice accretion35 in (89 cm) in Glen Cary, West Virginia[1]
Overall effects
Fatalities46[1]
Areas affectedMid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, and New England
Part of the 1982–83 North American winter

A blizzard in February 1983, nicknamed the "Megalopolitan Blizzard", impacted the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and New England regions of the United States. First developing as a low-pressure area on February 9 while a El Niño event ensued, the low then moved eastward across the Gulf of Mexico and emerged over the Atlantic Ocean near the Georgia–South Carolina border. The low then developed and intensified into a cyclone as it moved parallel along the East Coast of the United States The cyclone then moved northward, while producing blizzard conditions and heavy snowfall across portions of the Mid-Atlantic on February 11, including across Maryland and northern Virginia. Continuing to intensify and moving northward, the cyclone then brought heavy snow and blizzard conditions to parts of the Northeast and New England. Overall, the blizzard caused 46 deaths and set multiple weather records in terms of snowfall.[2][3]

Meteorological synopsis

In 1982 and 1983, a strong El Niño occurred, including on the dates during the blizzard's occurrance, which led to above-average temperatures across the northern United States and a cooler and wetter weather pattern across the South.[4][5] On February 9, a low-pressure area formed, which was centered over eastern Texas and along the Texas-Gulf of Mexico coastline.[6][7] The low then progressed eastward across the Gulf the next day, before moving across the Southeastern United States and emerging in the Atlantic Ocean off the Georgia-Florida coast.[6][7] The low then intensified and fully developed into a cyclone as it approached Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.[6][7] As the cyclone moved northward along the East Coast of the United States, snow fell across the Mid-Atlantic beginning on February 11.[1] The cyclone then produced snow across the Northeastern United States and New England regions, continuing to intensify as its pressure dropped to 1003 millibars by February 12.[7][1] The low's pressure continued to drop on that day while reaching portions of southern New England.[6] The low then tracked offshore northward, off the New England coast.[8] The blizzard was nicknamed the "Megalopolitan Blizzard" after the system hit numerous metropolitan areas along the East Coast of the United States with 30–75 centimetres (12–30 in) of snow.[9][10]

Preparations and impact

Mid-Atlantic

The SS Marine Electric pictured before its sinking. The cyclone caused the merchant ship to submerge on February 12, causing at least 31 deaths.

In preparation of the blizzard in Virginia, Eastern Mennonite University and James Madison University were closed, with the latter cancelling its classes for the first time since the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962.[11] At Richmond International Airport in Richmond, 17.7 inches (45 cm) of snow fell, which is the third-highest snow accumulation in the city.[12][13] Daily snowfall records were set in Lynchburg and Roanoke, where 14.6 inches (37 cm) and 18.4 inches (47 cm) of snow fell in 24 hours, respectively.[14][15] The heaviest snow fell in Woodstock, where 32 inches (81 cm) of snow accumulated.[11] The cyclone caused the SS Marine Electric, a merchant ship, to capsize, killing at least 31 people.[16]

In Maryland, 22.8 inches (58 cm) of snow fell in Baltimore, which was the second-highest snowfall after the Knickerbocker storm in 1922.[17] Some areas in Frederick and Montgomery counties in Maryland had its heaviest snowfall on record.[18] In Washington, D.C., 16.4 inches (42 cm) of snow fell, closing Baltimore/Washington International Airport, Dulles International Airport, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and shutting down the Washington Metro.[18][19] Numerous vehicle accidents occurred in West Virginia, as there were more than 34,000 power outages across Charleston and Pineville.[20] The highest snow accumulation from the blizzard fell in Glen Cary, West Virginia, where 35 inches (89 cm) of snow accumulated.[1] In Windsor Locks, West Virginia, a record 19 inches (48 cm) of snow fell in 12 hours.[21]

Northeastern United States

The low-pressure area causing blizzard conditions across portions of the Northeast on February 12

In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the snow prompted firefighters and emergency management to sleep in the fire department's halls to prepare for emergencies.[22] On February 11, the heavy snowfall also cancelled Ronald and Nancy Reagan's trip to Camp David, in which George Shultz was invited for dinner and marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War.[23][24] The blizzard also produced 21 inches (53 cm) in Springfield, Massachusetts, which is the third-highest snowfall total there since 1905 as of 2013.[25] The blizzard also produced the same total at Bradley International Airport in Hartford, Connecticut, which is the fourth-highest snowfall total there as of 2015.[26] Hundreds of vehicles were abandoned on the Staten Island Expressway as heavy snowfall rates occurred and up to 22 inches (56 cm) of snow fell.[27][28] In Central Park, 17.6 inches (45 cm) of snow fell, which is the thirteenth-highest snowfall accumulation there since 1869 as of 2021.[29][30] Twenty-four hour snowfall records were set in Allentown, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia, with all three cities receiving more than 20 inches (51 cm) of snow.[1][21] At Harrisburg International Airport, 25 inches (64 cm) of snow fell, which is the second-highest snow accumulation across the Susquehanna Valley.[9] The blizzard also stranded thousands of people at an Aerosmith concert in Springfield, Massachusetts.[31][32] Lightning also occurred during the blizzard in some areas across the Northeast.[33]

Several airports were closed as a result of near-zero visibility caused by the heavy snowfall, including LaGuardia Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport across the New York metropolitan area, as well as Philadelphia International Airport.[34] Multiple departing flights from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport were cancelled, and the Pennsylvania State Police noted that Interstate 80 "closed itself".[35] Businesses and schools across Pennsylvania were closed, and Interstate 95 in Philadelphia was closed.[20] A snow emergency was declared in New York City, as well as a state of emergency for several areas in New Jersey, including Trenton.[20]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Smith, Christopher (February 11, 2021). "On This Day in 1983: Megapolitan Blizzard". WeatherBug. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  2. ^ McFadden, Robert D. (February 13, 1983). "20-inch snowfall paralyzes much of Mid-Atlantic area; 25 die in sinking off Virginia". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  3. ^ "Blizzard of 1983 buries New York region with as many as 2 feet of snow". WABC-TV. February 12, 2020. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  4. ^ Williams, Jack (June 12, 2015). "How the super El Nino of 1982-83 kept itself a secret". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  5. ^ Schwartz, Glenn (January 16, 2016). "'Hurricane' Schwartz: The blizzard explained". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "Summary of the February 10 - 12th Nor'easter". National Weather Service Charleston, West Virginia. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d Chang, Simon; Brehme, Katherine; Madala, Rangarao; Sashegyi, Keith (August 1, 1989). "A Numerical Study of the East Coast Snowstorm of 10–12 February 1983". American Meteorological Society. 117 (8): 1768–1778. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1989)117<1768:ANSOTE>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 1520-0493.
  8. ^ "Top Snow Storms". National Weather Service Charleston, West Virginia. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Record snow: Remembering 1983's Megapolitan Blizzard". WGAL. February 9, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  10. ^ Gedzelman, Stanley David; Rosenbaum, Jeffrey Marc; Lawrence, James R. (June 15, 1989). "The Megalopolitan Snowstorm of 11–12 February 1983: Isotopic Composition of the Snow". Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. 46 (12): 1637–1649. doi:10.1175/1520-0469(1989)046<1637:TMSOFI>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0022-4928.
  11. ^ a b Beddoes, Benjamin (February 10, 2023). "A look back at the area's biggest February snowstorm". WHSV-TV. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  12. ^ Wise, Megan (December 7, 2023). "Top 5 biggest winter storms in Richmond's modern climate history". WWBT. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  13. ^ Martz, Michael (August 12, 2022). "IG: Virginia failed to prepare for unexpected with snow that crippled I-95". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  14. ^ "Here are DC's 15 worst winter storms of all time". WUSA (TV). September 26, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  15. ^ Milenky, Elissa; Hayden, Betty (January 8, 1996). "Near-blizzard blankets VA.: Roanoke's 24-hour record falls". Virginia Tech Library. The Roanoke Times. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  16. ^ Thomas, Mike; Colucci, John (January 2, 2023). "A timeline of the snowiest blizzards in DC, Maryland and Virginia history". WTTG. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  17. ^ Brandt, Ed (February 8, 1993). "The famed Blizzard of '83 buried the Baltimore area in almost 2 feet of snow". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Evans, Brooke (January 19, 2016). "The 10 Worst Winter Storms in DC History". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  19. ^ Weil, Martin (February 11, 2023). "Saturday, warmer than average, was anniversary of a huge storm". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  20. ^ a b c Coder, Tim (February 11, 1983). "A blizzard crippled the East Coast with nearly 2..." United Press International. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  21. ^ a b "This Day in Weather History: February 11th". National Weather Service Aberdeen, South Dakota. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  22. ^ "Lancaster That Was: Winter's worst dropped two feet of snow on the county in 1983". Lancaster Online. January 11, 2015. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  23. ^ Taubman, Philip (January 6, 2023). "'I Protect Ronnie From Himself': How Nancy Reagan Used a Snowstorm to Help Thaw the Cold War". Politico. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  24. ^ Tumulty, Karen (April 1, 2021). "How Nancy Reagan helped end the Cold War". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  25. ^ "Historic western Massachusetts winter storms: Top 10 snowfall totals recorded since 1905". Masslive. February 8, 2013. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  26. ^ Saulmon, Greg (January 27, 2015). "11 historic snow totals from Western Massachusetts winter storms". Masslive. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  27. ^ D'Anna, Eddie (February 11, 2015). "A look back: 32 years ago this week, 'Blizzard of 1983' dropped 22 inches of snow, left cars abandoned on SIE". Staten Island Advance. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  28. ^ Zaffarano, Steve (February 10, 2020). "Blizzard of 1983: Crippling 22-inch 'Megalopolitan' storm; cars abandoned on the SIE". Staten Island Advance. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  29. ^ "Biggest Snowstorms (One Foot or More) at Central Park (1869 to Present)" (PDF). National Weather Service. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  30. ^ "Throwback Thursday: The Blizzard of '83". West Side Rag. December 28, 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  31. ^ Jensen, Tim (February 13, 2023). "40 Years Ago: New England's Worst Blizzard And An Awful Rock Concert". Patch Media. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  32. ^ Karolyi, Mike (February 3, 2023). "1983 Blizzard Strands Thousands at This Aerosmith Concert! Were You There?". Q105.7. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  33. ^ Dolce, Chris; Erdman, Jonathan (January 14, 2020). "Major Northeast Snowstorms Have a Distinct Seasonal Peak, And It Begins Now". Wunderground. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  34. ^ McFadden, Robert D. (February 12, 1983). "East hit hard by worst storm of winter". The New York Times. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  35. ^ "A Winter To Remember During The Winter Of 1982-83, El Nino Sent Warm, Moist Air Through The Northeastern United States. Temperatures Were Unusually Mild, But The Winter Was Eventful - 59.2 Inches Of Snow Fell In The Wilkes-barre Area". Times Leader. January 2, 1995. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=February_1983_North_American_blizzard&oldid=1205536063

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