Blizzard of 1978

[dashaver63]

My son was recently reading about this in his Ohio History class. Brought back a lot of memmories of that storm. I'm curious to here how bad it was in Michigan. I can tell you down here in Ohio, I can remember digging through a snow drift that went from the peak of the house half way down our drive just to get out, took 3 days to get all that cleaned off. I hope to NEVER see another storm like that ever again.

[mikesmiph]

I was stationed at MCAS Yuma AZ at the time. I remember my partents sending me pictures. Not much more of it.

[djkimmel]

Man that was a long time ago. Not sure I can remember which one that was. The one I remember the most happened when I was younger than that even. We were out of school for a week in Flint and had snowmobilers running up and down Grand Traverse Ave.

I would have been in the big burg of Owosso for that one... Can't recall that one for sure...? Can't recall a whole bunch of that period? The high school years. I remember looking out the window a lot wondering when the next time I'd get to go fishing or hunting would be.

[TritonTR20]

My pickup was completely buried! Snowmobiles couldn't even get out for the first 3 days because they would bog down and get stuck.

[Bender]

I was in Coshocton, OH in 78 and was still little. I remember we had to feed the neighbor's horse but I don't remember how we did it. My mom has some photos, I should ask her to scan them.

[Skulley]

I was less than a year out of High School.  I remember my college classes being cancelled for three (3) days.  Couldn't go anywhere.  I do remember making a whole bunch of money snowblowing my neighbors driveways.  I think I had the only snowblower that didn't burn out.  Of course being a pretty good small engine mechanic I was able to keep it running.  It was much worse in Ohio.  The further north you went the better the weather was but not that much better.  I had a 4WD pickup truck and was able to get around.  I was living in Dearborn Hts. at the time.  I remember about 21 inches of snow or something like that.  Those were great days!!  We need another blizzard like that for lake levels to remain up.

BD             

[dartag]

I was coming home from a motorcycle race in Kentucky.   we had to stop at the Mich state line and put our motorcycle chains through the tires to get home.    25 mph from the state line to commerce.  but we made it.    AHhhh the good old days.   

[dashaver63]

C.R. Snider, National Weather Service Meteorologist in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said on January 30, 1978:

" The most extensive and very nearly the most severe blizzard in Michigan history raged January 26, 1978 and into part of Friday January 27. About 20 people died as a direct or indirect result of the storm, most due to heart attacks or traffic accidents. At least one person died of exposure in a stranded automobile. Many were hospitalized for exposure, mostly from homes that lost power and heat. About 100,000 cars were abandoned on Michigan highways, most of them in the southeast part of the state.[1] "

One motorist described the wind after the snow stopped: "I tried to drive; every time I went one foot forward I was pushed back fifteen."[

[djkimmel]

That storm must be in the part of my memory that fell out. I keep remembering the one when I was younger, but not that one. It must have been bad were I lived at the time... maybe BD can repair my memory?

[fasttrack]

C.R. Snider, National Weather Service Meteorologist in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said on January 30, 1978:

" The most extensive and very nearly the most severe blizzard in Michigan history raged January 26, 1978 and into part of Friday January 27. About 20 people died as a direct or indirect result of the storm, most due to heart attacks or traffic accidents. At least one person died of exposure in a stranded automobile. Many were "

Jan 27, 1978 was my 7 yr birthday. No relatives could make it so we had a few neighbors come over to eat the cake that night. I remember my parents shoveling snow off the roof of the house, then WALKING off the roof, down the pile, to the ground.

[djkimmel]

That sounds like fun!!!

[dashaver63]

I remember all the huge snowdrifts we had around the house and making a series of tunnels through them. After all, we had plenty of time, no school for over a week. My dad went into work early that morning when it was still raining, when they finally closed up the plant at 7am, the storm was in full swing and it took him over an hour to make the 15 minute trip.

[djkimmel]

The storm I do remember earlier than 1978 was like that. No school for a week (even though we were only 2 blocks away!) and we had snow mountains with tunnels and rooms. I tried making money shoveling, but the first driveway took over 4 hours so our short-lived 'company' closed shop (and went back to the tunnels. Oh, and jumping off roofs into snow piles too!

My memory is either worse than I thought or maybe things weren't so bad in Owosso in 1978?? That's where I was that year. The earlier storm was in the wonderful burg of Flint.

[fiker]

In 1978 I was living in the country outside of Ann Arbor and teaching in South Lyon.  It was a 25 mile road trip.  We lived 3 miles from the nearest paved road. 

They didn't send the kids home early from school which was weird.  On the way home we got stuck just after we turned off of the pavement onto our road.  A neighbor came by with a huge John Deer tractor.  He hooked us up, and literally dragged us the 3 miles to our house.   It was quite the ride.  We were blinded most of the way with blowing snow.

The car ( a 1971 Ford Torino) had snow packed up under the hood everywhere.  It literally stayed in the driveway until Spring Thaw.  But, it did start right up when the time came.  Lucky for us we had a second car.

We were "cabin" bound for 3 or 4 days before we got plowed out.  In the mean time a friend showed up with milk and bread.  He had a 4x4 truck.

This is in the days before cable.  Our house was quite small.  I truly understand the saying "cabin fever". 

[zooker]

umm i was like 3 and living south of buffalo...


zooker

[Mike S.]

Wow, I've never seen snow like that.  Wasn't born until 80, and didn't move to Michigan till 95.  Would like to see ALOT of snow.  Itching to jump on the sled. 

[djkimmel]

I just hope we don't get 3 feet all at once. That's all.

[zooker]

shoot dj i spent two years in vt no real snow.. come home to buffalo and boom march 1993.. 42" in ONE night..

zooker

[djkimmel]

Snow fort time!!!

It seemed a lot more fun back then to get days off from school and now be mad that the snow plow man just came through and buried the driveway again!!!!!

[zooker]

you all shovelin up der yet??

been pretty miserable here mostly low's in the mid 30's and wet..


zooker