"Blizzard" in Perspective

[BigFish]

You guys that are too young to remember the "Blizzard of 1978"......this storm was not even a pimple on its ass! Sure it was snowy and windy but it does not even compare to that one! I remember it well as I am sure many others here do.........and I have to almost laugh when comparisons are made.

[Clammer]

AMEN .to that Larry //

but also that was a middle of a weekday //

&& we didn,t have the scare factors that there is now ................they start closing places before the 1st snow flake

[chrisjoe13]

That blizzard is part of the reason so many freak out every time it snows.

[tysdad115]

I was 5 when 78 hit, I still remember the massive snow drifts and piles of snow after it finally stopped.

[striperman36]

Originally Posted by Clammer

AMEN .to that Larry //

but also that was a middle of a weekday //

&& we didn,t have the scare factors that there is now ................they start closing places before the 1st snow flake

meteorologically it was, it just didn't stay around as long.

[OLD GOAT]

The blizzard of 78 the wind blew 98mph at Chatham weather station.
The meteorologists were snowed in an extra day.
The most handsome guy in the world plowed them out

[striperman36]

If there were the same factors, particularly the blocking high in CA, we would this storm would have matched 78.
We fortunately, for most, had a near miss.
Winters still young, just watch the storms coming of the Pacific.

This one was the one was also the largest storm to hit San Diego this winter so far, if the moisture escapes over the Continental Divide, somebody on th East Coast is going to get some weather.

[BigFish]

Originally Posted by striperman36

meteorologically it was, it just didn't stay around as long.

I disagree as there were many factors that made it a significantly larger storm other than the fact it sat on us and dumped heavy snow on us non-stop for 36 hours. It was not only a blizzard as the silly weatherman classification requires 35+ mph winds and 1/4 mile or less visibility for 3 sustained hours or more.....it far exceeded that as it was whiteout conditions for several hours where I grew up south of Boston. The tidal stage was significantly higher I believe due to the moon phase, winds were significantly higher for a sustained period and yes the fact it was not predicted to be the storm it was resulted in the unprepared situations many faced in that storm! The results were unprecedented since.......highways clogged with thousands of cars and people stranded, school canceled for 2 solid weeks due to the inability to clear snow as there was no place to put it. We did not drive cars for a week afterwards.....unheard of! They had to systematically clear roads and tow the stranded vehicles which took quite awhile to do.

Spare me the shoulda, woulda, coulda's Striperman........it wasn't! Anything you add imaginary variables to will always be greater and bigger......the fact remains....it wasn't and it didn't.

[BigFish]

And yeah...78' was the storm and the reason why folks run to the store today pre-storm to buy all the necessities we do. Because of fear of it happening again!

[striperman36]

Originally Posted by BigFish

I disagree as there were many factors that made it a significantly larger storm other than the fact it sat on us and dumped heavy snow on us non-stop for 36 hours. It was not only a blizzard as the silly weatherman classification requires 35+ mph winds and 1/4 mile or less visibility for 3 sustained hours or more.....it far exceeded that as it was whiteout conditions for several hours where I grew up south of Boston. The tidal stage was significantly higher I believe due to the moon phase, winds were significantly higher for a sustained period and yes the fact it was not predicted to be the storm it was resulted in the unprepared situations many faced in that storm! The results were unprecedented since.......highways clogged with thousands of cars and people stranded, school canceled for 2 solid weeks due to the inability to clear snow as there was no place to put it. We did not drive cars for a week afterwards.....unheard of! They had to systematically clear roads and tow the stranded vehicles which took quite awhile to do.

Spare me the shoulda, woulda, coulda's Striperman........it wasn't! Anything you add imaginary variables to will always be greater and bigger......the fact remains....it wasn't and it didn't.

Did you have coffee yet?

[BigFish]

I did. I just hate when people add their "Well if it had done this and if this had happened" to the mix. If so and so was not injured the Red Sox would have won the World Series that year......that kind of baloney! Going for second cup!

[Raven]

LOL -> or at least a Donut to sweeten him up

EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY

Bigfish needs a donut !!!!! FAST

i always thought Blizzard was the tiniest flake possible so
it is carried by the wind sideways more than falling vertically
straight down....

i feel fortunate to have missed the blizzard of 78

[BigFish]

I tell ya though I can't deny your meteorological knowledge! I have been watching your posts and they are fascinating! Do you have a degree in it or just an interest??

[striperman36]

Originally Posted by BigFish

I did. I just hate when people add their "Well if it had done this and if this had happened" to the mix. If so and so was not injured the Red Sox would have won the World Series that year......that kind of baloney! Going for second cup!

That could have happened too.

[Raven]

.........i like the science of it all too Larry

..........interesting how after the San Diego stadium got flooded


that big storm merged into our Blizzard

[striperman36]

Massachusetts snow map, December 2010 - Boston.com

[striperman36]

Originally Posted by Raven

.........i like the science of it all too Larry

..........interesting how after the San Diego stadium got flooded


that big storm merged into our Blizzard

that's the interesting part

Best writeup about 1978 from a nautical standpoint was '12 hours till Dawn'

[striperman36]

http://hullnantasket.homestead.com/f...ite_shot_a.jpg


Looks similar to the shot from yesterday.

[BigFish]

The shot might be similar in scale but the characteristics and result of the storms was entirely different based on circumstances, moon phase, tidal stage, wind speed, and the speed with which the storm moves past.

[striperman36]

Originally Posted by BigFish

The shot might be similar in scale but the characteristics and result of the storms was entirely different based on circumstances, moon phase, tidal stage, wind speed, and the speed with which the storm moves past.

Not arguin that. I'm just posting the picture of how similar the storms where.

[Raven]

incredible that it took out 100 feet of sea wall in Scituate

i guess the designers will have to build something even bigger

[Raven]

thats what is being reported....

maybe we'll hear some thunder soon

[striperman36]

And rain. then freeze into cubes

[striperman36]

Originally Posted by BigFish

The shot might be similar in scale but the characteristics and result of the storms was entirely different based on circumstances, moon phase, tidal stage, wind speed, and the speed with which the storm moves past.

Is this a what could have been post? Larry, I'm shocked, Shocked!!

[Saltheart]

The Blizzard of 78 was indeed "A Happening". I was living in Worcester at the time and they manage snow well there. One of the worst I can remember was a big one around 69 in Cumberland where we had a lot of snow and it was soaking wet. I bet if it hadn't been wet snow there would have been more than in 78. The big think about the one in the late 60's was it turned bitter cold near the end of the storm and everything froze up rock solid. Plows were breaking down everywhere as they hit ice wall. I think it was 3 days before a big earth moving machine (payloader with tires taller than me) finally cleared our street. The pile at the end of our driveway had to be 12 feet tall , no lie.
Those two storms 69 and 78 are the ones I think of when I think of a Big Blizzard.

[Mr. Sandman]

I lost power for about 6 hours here and decided to go out to dinner in the peak of the storm. They had power in OB so I went down and had a few beers and some Mex food. I went back to get my truck which was parked in an open spot facing the open water (NE) and the wind was ripping, as I was walking to the car a gust came thru and stopped me in my tracks and I had to get down on one knee at one point...honest it was >70mph head on, the howl was awesome, I could not open my eyes...it let up a little and I made my way to the truck. But I was really struggling to get the door open. The wind was blowin out here man! It changed to rain latter in the night and our accumulation was 7 or 8" of soggy wet slush. The next day the roads were fine.

I wonder if any scallop boats were out there off Nantucket?...you always read about those guys how fish thru these things.

[BigFish]

Originally Posted by striperman36

Is this a what could have been post? Larry, I'm shocked, Shocked!!

No "If's" of "Butt's" or "shoulda, woulda, coulda's" in there! Just that you said the pics looked similar but in fact, as I said......the results and characteristics of the 2 storms were decidedly different. Thats all.

[Slingah]

I got a few twigs in my yard that blew out of the trees....and about 2-3" of snow...the tarp didn't even get blown off my woodpile
I remember the '78 Blizzard very well...fell on my 15th Birthday....how can they even think of comparing these two???
and if Grandma had balls she'd be Grandpa

[Raider Ronnie]

I was 14 in 78 and this storm doesn't come close to comparing !
The storm we had a week before the blizzard compares closer !
I think we had 14 or 16 inches, just didn't have the high winds.

[BMEUPSCOTTY]

ugh... this is hard to watch... one guy is talking about the strength of the storm... how low the pressure got... how fast it got there... the other side is comparing the effect the storms had on them... due to the slower forward motion, position in relation to the 40/70 benchmark, etc... this storm WAS a BOMB... just didn't hang around... are we comparing storms? or just snowfall totals?