WeatherWhys for February 6,2015 from accuweather.com

On Feb. 5-7, 1978, a powerful coastal storm was generated by the huge temperature difference between cold over the continent and mild, moist air over the Gulf Stream. Late on the 6th and early on the 7th, the storm looped south of Long Island, prolonging the snow. At the storm's height, snow fell at 4 or 5 inches per hour. High winds produced waves more than 40 feet along the eastern New England coast.