Clevelanders are no strangers to the impact of winter weather. And this winter is no exception—lake effect snow has made for a harsh season so far, with Lake Erie’s warming temperatures and cold winds from the west combining to blanket the city’s far east side repeatedly.
But what does history tell us about the worst winters Northeast Ohio has faced? The Daily spoke with John Grabowski, visiting associate professor at Case Western Reserve University and editor of the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, to explore the city’s stormy past.
“Historically, Northeast Ohio/Greater Cleveland has experienced at least three major blizzards and several other memorable storms during its recorded weather history—which began in 1871,” Grabowski said.
“The dusting of snow on the campus last week pales in comparison with these historic storms,” Grabowski continued. “Perhaps it reflects a ‘new normal’ and, if so, what will summer bring?”
Read on to learn about the major snowstorms that have shaped Cleveland’s history. And, take a look at some recent snowy scenes featured on the university’s Instagram.
1. The White Hurricane of 1913
The first blizzard, in 1913, covered the Great Lakes and was known as the “White Hurricane.” The damage it caused was tragic, especially to the shipping industry. Over 250 sailors lost their lives and Cleveland had over 22 inches of snow during the three-day storm.
2. The Thanksgiving Storm of 1950
Thirty-seven years later, a five-day storm during the 1950 Thanksgiving holiday paralyzed the entire city. Over 10,000 cars were abandoned on snow-packed streets, schools and businesses were shuttered, and the National Guard was called in to assist with snow removal. Twenty-three people died because of the storm, which caused over a million dollars in damage.
3. The Blizzard of 1978
The third blizzard, in January 1978, is considered the worst to have hit the area. A cyclone moving from the west dropped the barometer to 28.26”—a record—and transportation was paralyzed (the entire Ohio Turnpike was closed).
It also had political power—it was a test of the new mayoral administration of Dennis Kucinich. He was stuck at a meeting in Washington and his staff in Cleveland had to cope with the chaos created by the storm. Indeed, every major snowstorm in the city was and still is a “test” of the mayoral administration, but this one, in particular, was even more difficult as the entire winter of 1977–78 ranks second in terms of total snowfall in the city.
4. Recent memorable winter storms
More recently, the winters of 2002 and 2022 had memorable storms during the holiday season. The 2002 storm made for a white Christmas with 13 inches of snow recorded, and that in 2022 with a mere 2 to 4 inches of snow came with high winds and very low temperatures.