The Northeastern United States blizzard of 1978 was a catastrophic, historic northeaster that struck New England, New Jersey, and the New York metropolitan area. The Blizzard of ’78 formed on Sunday, February 5, 1978, and broke up on February 7.
The storm was primarily known as “Storm Larry” in Connecticut, following the local convention promoted by the Travelers Weather Service on television and radio stations there. Snow fell mostly from Monday morning, February 6, to the evening of Tuesday, February 7. Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts were hit especially hard by this storm.
Boston received a record-breaking 27.1 inches (69 cm) of snow; Providence also broke a record, with 27.6 inches (70 cm) of snow; Atlantic City broke an all-time storm accumulation, with 20.1 inches (51 cm). Nearly all economic activity was disrupted in the worst-hit areas. The storm killed about 100 people in the Northeast and injured about 4,500. It caused more than US$520 million (US$2.04 billion in today) in damage.
Abandon cars along Route 128 near Needham, Massachusetts, during the Blizzard of 1978. (The National Archives)
Vehicles are seen stranded and abandoned in the deep snow on the exit for Burncoat Street off Interstate 290 in Worcester, Mass., Feb. 7, 1978, during the now infamous Blizzard of 1978. (AP Photo/Worcester Telegram Gazette)
A car rest on top of the Indian Orchard exit of I-291 east in Springfield on Feb. 7, 1978. (The Republican)
Bonnie Alexandre, of Boston’s Brighton district, attaches a sign to the antenna of her car in Boston in this Feb. 8, 1978 file photo. Alexandre placed the sign to warn snow plows that there is a car under that drift. (AP)
Roy Sodersjerna of Higham, Mass. suns himself on the hood of his car which is stuck in snow on Massachusetts Route 128 in Dedham on Feb. 9, 1978. Sodersjerna, who waits for plows and tow trucks to dig him out, has been living at a Red Cross shelter nearby since being trapped in the storm three days earlier. (AP)
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