By Mark Leberfinger, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
January 5, 2015; 8:15 PM ET
The first weeks of January 1996 were brutal in the Northeast, not only because of the blizzard but also from a subsequent warmup along with heavy rain that triggered major flooding.
The blizzard and flooding caused an estimated $3 billion in damages ($4.5 billion in 2014 dollars) and claimed 184 lives, including 154 from the blizzard.
Pennsylvania was hardest-hit of the affected states with $1 billion in damages ($1.5 billion in 2014 dollars) from the combined events.
Blizzard, Flooding Cause Deadly January 1996 Combination
Blizzard, Flooding Cause Deadly January 1996 Combination
Two
cars remain sit buried in the snow as pedestrians walk on 21st Street in
Philadelphia on Monday, Jan. 8, 1996. Many Pennsylvania streets and
roadways were closed after Gov. Tom Ridge declared a state of emergency
and imposed a ban on non-essential travel. (AP Photo/Nanine
Hartzenbusch)
Blizzard Brings Record Snowfall
Blizzard Brings Record Snowfall
It was a classic one-two punch.
AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Steve Wistar
This is
an aerial view of flooded houses and businesses in West Nanticoke, Pa.,
Saturday, Jan. 20, 1996. The Susquehanna River spilled over its banks
causing flooding in low lying areas in the Wyoming Valley. (AP
Photo/George P. Widman)
Warmth, Rain Create Record Floods Along Susquehanna, James Basins
Warmth, Rain Create Record Floods Along Susquehanna, James Basins
"It was a nor'easter that, like so many, came out of the Gulf of Mexico and it was a classic nor'easter track for a blizzard," AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Steve Wistar said.
Philadelphia was the hardest-hit city from the Blizzard of '96 with the City of Brotherly Love receiving its biggest snowfall ever from one storm: 31 inches. Amounts up to 48 inches were reported in western Virginia and the mountains of West Virginia.
The Blizzard of '96 was one of a trio of snowstorms that left a deep snowpack across portions of the Northeast during the first half of the month.
Snow depths of 2 to 3 feet were common from central Pennsylvania into New York, the National Weather Service said.
It set the stage for major Northeast flooding.
"It was pretty well forecast with such a high surge of warm air on the heels of a large snowpack," Wistar said.
More than 3 inches of rain fell in 24 hours at Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The rainfall contributed to some of the worst flooding to affect Pennsylvania since Hurricane Agnes in 1972.
All but 10 of the Keystone State's 67 counties reported flooding.
Burlington, Vermont, reached 65 F on Jan. 19, 1996, when 1.62 inches of rain fell. State College, Pennsylvania, topped out at 57 F on Jan. 18, 1996, with 1.78 inches of rain falling.
In addition to the damage in Pennsylvania, West Virginia sustained $24 million in damages to its public buildings and infrastructure. Neighboring Ohio sustained $11 million in similar damages.
- William Smith · Top Commenter · Inventory at Rem BarI remember this one.I was 17 and a junior in high school.Man, they don't make blizzards like that one anymore. LOL! I remember they had plowed all the snow in my town, or my part of town,anyway, up into this one pile in one spot that reached past the phone-lines and utility poles.
Cody James · Top Commenter · Three Springs, PennsylvaniaThere are several other factors here that were not mentioned. The winter had been unusually cold up to this point so there was a fair amount of ice on the rivers. There were snow storms shortly before and after the bizzard. The part of Pennsylvania I lived in received 36" of snow during the blizzard and 10 " a few days later. There was already about 8-10" on the ground prior to the blizzard so there was a snow pack of over 50" when the weather turned warm. We then received nearly 2" of rain and temperatures were around 60 degrees. It was the worst flooding in my life time for the Susquehanna River.
Nate Fazakerly · Designer at Palmer Capital IncI totally remember this...I was an 11-year-old living in northern NJ, and remember jumping off trees into the snow. It was awesome!
Phil Bevere · University of Real LifeDave Mcneil, Brian Bucher, Nick Cardillo, remember this? we were at my house watching Football when it started.
Amos Peacheywish we"d get another like it, that was one of the best snowstorms ever in central Pa. that I remember of. I was 20 at that time.
Andrzej Moderski · Politechnika WroclawskaI measured the snow on my backyard - 32 inches. We were lucked in the house for a few days.
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