1974 — Nov 30-Dec 2, Snowstorms, esp. SE MI (32), Northeast OH (12), West PA (11) — 71

lornajarrettblanchard December 30, 1974

–71 Blanchard tally from State breakouts below.

Summary of State Breakouts Below

Iowa ( >6)

Maryland ( 2)

Michigan ( 32)

New York ( 5)

Ohio (>12)

Pennsylvania ( 11)

Virginia ( 2)

West Virginia ( 1)

Breakout of Winter-Weather-Related Fatalities by State (and localities where noted)

Iowa (>6)

—>6 Traffic accidents “on slick highways.” United Press International, 12-2-1974.[1]

— 1 West Point RR1. Car goes into ditch on snowy road; driver uses tractor to retrieve; turns over.[2]

Maryland ( 2)

–2 Garrett Co. House fire; fire equipment “hampered by snow and hazardous road conditions.”[3]

Michigan ( 32)

— 32 “…persons dead of heart attacks brought on by various forms of exertion in the snow.”[4]

–>27 AP. “Worst Snowfall of Century…27 Dead in [MI].” Hillsdale Daily News, MI. 12-3-1974, p. 18.

— 27 UPI. Heart attacks shoveling snow.[5]

— 18 Detroit, Dec 1-2. Heart attacks shoveling snow.[6]

New York ( 5)

–3 Monroe County, Dec 2. Heart attacks shoveling snow. NOAA. Storm Data, 16/12, 1974, p. 4

–1 Monroe County, Dec 2. Auto accident on slick road. NOAA. Storm Data, 16/12, 1974, p. 4.

–1 Ontario, Wayne Co., Dec 2. Auto accident, snow-covered road. Storm Data, 16/12, 1974, p4.

Ohio (>12)

—>12 Schmidlin and Schmidlin. Thunder in the Heartland. 1996, p. 57.[7]

Breakout of fatalities by locality where we have seen reporting:

— 2 Cincinnati, Dec 2. Heart attacks shoveling snow; Harold Boyd, 52; Chris Stocker, 80.[8]

— 1 Cleveland, Dec 1. Heart attack shoveling snow; Municipal court Judge Joseph Sterns, 72.[9]

— 1 Dover, Dec 1 or 2. Heart attack while shoveling snow.

— 1 Sheffield Lake, OH, Dec 2. Heart attack while shoveling snow; Grant Eugene Reed, 70.[10]

Pennsylvania ( 11)

–11 Blanchard tally. (Include the Clarion County traffic fatality not included in Storm Data.)

–10 Environmental Data Service, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 16, No. 12, December 1974, p. 5.[11]

–1 Electrocution; male stepped onto fallen power line.

–2 Heart attacks shoveling snow.

–7 Traffic accidents.

–4 Car catches fire after getting stuck in snow, State Route 251, Beaver Co.[12]

–1 Farmington Twnsp. Clarion Co., Dec 2. Truck skids on “ice-covered…highway…into a tree.” (Cook)[13]

Virginia ( 2)

–1 Ivanhoe, Wythe Co., Dec 1. Hypothermia; Randolph Hinds “found frozen to death…at home.”[14]

–1 Speedwell, Wythe Co., Hypothermia; Albert Park; body found in stranded car, Rte. 19.[15]

West Virginia ( 1)

–1 No detail. Environmental Data Service, NOAA. Storm Data, V16/N12, Dec 1974, p.6.

–1 Terra Alta, WV-7, Dec 1. Car gets stuck in snow; girl, 14, gets out to push; hit by oncoming car.[16]

Narrative Information

Dec 3 overview: “A storm that carried its fury from the Midwest to the East Coast left more than 35,000 persons stranded today. Michigan officials called the snow storm the worst since 1886. National Guard heavy equipment was mobilized in western Maryland and several communities were virtually isolated in Pennsylvania. The story was the same in parts of Ohio and West Virginia.

“Traffic began moving slowly in Ohio’s northern counties early today although authorities reported some 1,000 motorists in northwest Ohio were still stranded. The Toledo highway patrol post said patrolmen were working continuously in an effort to find shelters for the stranded motorists and remove abandoned cars from the highways. More than 10,000 persons were stranded in the Lucas County-Toledo area yesterday. One lane of I-75 north was opened but still slippery and dangerous. Other roads in the Lucas County area were in good condition. Many schools remained closed. Authorities in Ashland County [OH] reopened one lane of I-71 north at 6 a.m. today, but a Highway Patrol spokesman said ‘certain places on the road are just like ice’ and cautioned motorists against unnecessary driving. There also were many cars and trucks abandoned alongside I-71. In Wooster [Wayne County, OH], where a state of emergency was declared yesterday, all roads were slippery and dangerous. Schools there remained closed today. About half the schools in the Cleveland area, mostly in the suburbs, stayed shut down today….

“The National Weather Service said snow flurries over Michigan would push down into Ohio later in the day but are not expected to add significantly to the weekend snowfall.. The Weather Service warned of hazardous driving conditions on routes east of Ohio and said snow showers would continue in extreme eastern Ohio. Windy conditions will exist from eastern Ohio eastward today and diminish by evening.

“The American Red Cross estimated 35,000 stranded in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland, and reports indicated thousands more were trapped by snow-blocked highways in other states.

“In southwest Virginia, two persons froze to death. More than 18 inches of snow blanketed parts of the state.

“Dozens more died across the storm front in weather-related traffic accidents. In Michigan alone, 27 persons died of heart attacks suffered while shoveling snow. Many homes and other buildings were left without power, schools and shops were closed, and for the first time in its history, the Detroit Daily News — the nation’s largest afternoon newspaper — was unable to publish because it could not deliver its papers….

“Light snow continued to fall in western Maryland last night on top of 30 inches already on the ground. Most roads were open, but state police with the aid of 15 National Guard trucks worked last night to clear 20 miles of U.S. Route 40 from Frostburg in western Allegany County west to Keysers Ridge [Garrett County, MD]. ‘We don’t know how many people are out there,’ Maryland state police spokesman Bill Clark said. ‘It’s a tedious thing to get by blocked cars and the rescue operation is going slowly.’

“Detroit received 18.9 inches of snow, and hundreds of schools and thousands of offices, banks, stores and plants were closed. Some companies even bought radio time to tell workers to stay home. Helicopters circling over Ann Arbor, Mich., said it looked like a ghost town. Detroit police said the storm even put crime at a standstill, with the city going 42 hours without a homicide. The bloodless period ended with a shooting last night — in an argument over a parking space.” (United Press International. “Big storm moves eastward, 35,000 travelers left stranded.” Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria, OH. 12-3-1974, p. 26.)

Iowa

Dec 1: “Winter’s first major snowstorm caused near-blizzard conditions just south of the tri-state area yesterday before churning eastward out of the Upper Midwest early today. Although the National Weather Service predicted clearing skies and little chance of more snow today, Dubuque area lawmen warned holiday weekend travelers that cold temperatures could keep roads slippery in spots.

“Tri-state sheriffs reported snow accumulations ranging from three to seven inches last night. Slick driving conditions contributed to a rash of accidents and at least one fatality Friday night and Saturday…In Dubuque alone, police investigated more than 25 traffic accidents from Friday afternoon, when snow began to accumulate, to last night.

“Storm warnings stretched as far east as Pennsylvania, and most Midwestern states issued weather warnings for travelers….

“In the Dubuque area, many sheriffs reported slick highways and snowpacked rural roads, with snow drifting in many locations.

“The storm dumped more than a foot of snow on southeast Iowa, virtually paralyzing that region. Thunderstorms crackled across the lower Mississippi River Valley, soaking areas from southern Illinois to Louisiana.

“As the storm moved eastward early today, it changed from snow to sleet and rain in some areas. But further eastward, rain was expected to turn to snow as rains moved over the Appalachians and headed toward western Maryland and northwestern Virginia.” (Telegraph Herald, Dubuque, IA. “Snow to end, but ice may linger.” 12-1-1974, p. 1.)

Maryland

NOAA: “December 1…Storms. A wide spread storm moved thru the state on December 1^st damaging areas from the Atlantic westward to the mountains.

Tidal areas had winds gusting to 60 mph, high tides 3 to 6 feet above normal and wind driven waves up to 6 to 8 feet in spots. Destroyed or damaged were seawalls, bulkheads, piers, marinas, small craft and some buildings. Beaches were eroded and low areas flooded. Along the Western Chesapeake, Anne Arundel, Calvert, St. Mary’s and Charles Counties suffered damage along the Bay and also along the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers. Along the Eastern Chesapeake damage was less severe, but occurred in southern Dorchester and Somerset Counties. Along the Atlantic Coast Ocean City suffered relatively little damage as compared to the bordering Delaware Coast. Damage was limited to a buckled boardwalk and debris.

Interior. Violent wind and rain storms accounted for damage in the interior counties. Falling limbs and trees caused wide spread electrical outages and blocked roads. High winds tore off roofs, awnings, damaged barns and sheds, signs and flying debris broke windows and windshields. Heavy rain flooded basements and closed roads when streams overflowed.

Garrett and Allegany Counties. High winds, heavy wet snow and electrical storms caused incalculable damage and inconveniences in the two western counties. Heavy snow, up to 30 inches, and high winds crippled traffic, broke lines, towers, antenna and trees. 3000 persons were stranded and 400 cars abandoned along a 20 mile stretch between Frostburg and Keysers Ridge. Drifting kept the roads closed for the next two days. The weight of the snow and winds extensively broke trees and knocked out communications and utilities for 23,500 persons from 24 hours to 6 days. 15 to 20 inch think ice and snow accumulations and lightning knocked out cable TV antenna, microwave and relay towers. The storm was described as one of the most damaging to lines and facilities.

Michigan

NOAA: “Wayne, Oakland, Monroe, Washtenaw, Macomb and Lenawee Counties. December 1. All Day…Heavy Snow. Snow depth averaged 15”, up to 21.2 inches at Beverly Hills. Man died of exposure in Monroe Co….” (Environmental Data Service, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 16, No. 12, December 1974, p. 3.)

Dec 3: “More than 27 persons suffered fatal heart attacks and thousands were snowbound as southeast Michigan dug out from its worst snowfall of the century. Police said all the deaths came in heart attacks suffered by people trying to shovel away the blizzard’s fallout.

“Most businesses, industry and government institutions were scheduled to re-open today after the economy of the area ground to a halt on Monday [Dec 2]. Some schools remained closed.

“More than 11,000 weekend travelers worked all Monday to free their cars from roadside ditches and drifts after spending Sunday night in a variety of public buildings.

“The 18.9 inch snowfall was the greatest ever recorded in the Detroit area since 24.5 inches accumulated in 1886. Flurries continued most of Monday, but the forecast for today mentioned no snow.

“The storm, which blasted the area from Sunday morning until early Monday, brought traffic to a virtual standstill until road crews began opening the highways Monday afternoon. The Monroe County area, hardest hit, still had many blocked roadways Monday night.

“Thousands of motorists tried in vain to make their way through snowbound streets, and some 5,000 ended up calling the Michigan Auto Club for emergency road service.

“With car and bus travel almost impossible, thousands filled the available Amtrak trains to New York and Chicago. At Detroit Metropolitan Airport, stranded travelers scrambled to get seats on any flight available once service resumed….

“Some 4,500 persons were jammed into Monroe-area schools, churches, and fire stations after being stopped cold Sunday night. In Jackson and Washtenaw counties, 2,200 and 3,000 persons found overnight lodging care in the Red Cross and scattered public buildings. About 1,900 persons were stranded Sunday night in Calhoun County.

“Detroit public schools, and many others inn the southeast corner of Michigan remained closed today, but officials said that classes would resume on Wednesday. Wayne State in Detroit and University of Michigan campuses at Ann Arbor and Dearborn were to resume classes today, officials said.

“Airport services resumed in mid-morning on Monday after overnight shutdowns at both Windsor and Detroit Metro airports. However, car traffic from the Detroit airport into the city was slow, with the Interstate 94 freeway still slippery.

“The heavy snow and strong winds interrupted electric service to about 14,000 Consumers Power Co. customers. Most of the outages lasted two to three hours, officials said. Hardest hit were the Adrian and Temperance areas where line crews reported difficulty in getting to some of the customers because of ice and snow or roads.

“Snowfall records showed Coldwater with 4 inches; Lansing, 6; Jackson, 9; Flint, 8 and Cleveland, 10. Two newspapers, the Detroit News and the Wayne Daily Eagle, failed to publish Monday editions.

“The snow force cancellation of Monday’s state House of Representatives session, and the Senate failed to get a quorum when just 15 members appeared….

Hundreds of cars abandoned on freeways and roads hampered snowplows, blocking them in some areas. National Guardsmen worked through the night using snowmobiles, trucks and tracked vehicles to rescue stranded motorists.” (Associated Press. “Worst Snowfall of Century Leaves 27 Dead in Michigan.” Hillsdale Daily News, MI. 12-3-1974, p. 18.)

Ohio

Dec 2: “Sections of northern Ohio were isolated Sunday by an erratic snowstorm that dealt heavy blows to some areas while virtually passing over others. More than a foot of snow fell on Toledo and Akron, blocking highways and causing power outages. But Sandusky, east of Toledo, escaped the brunt of the storm and Youngstown reported only an inch of snow on the ground.

“All highways in and out of Toledo were clogged by a 14-inch snowfall and bus and airline service was canceled there, leaving hundreds of travelers stranded. Both U.S. 23 and Interstate 75 were closed at Toledo. The Ohio Turnpike remained open, but traffic ground to a crawl near Toledo. Hotels and motels in Toledo and Bowling Green were jammed with stranded motorists and the American Red Cross set up emergency shelters to accommodate travelers. The only highways open from Ohio o Michigan were those in Williams County in the extreme northwestern corner of the state, according to the state highway patrol.

“Akron had about a foot of snow on the ground and most roads in Summit and Portage counties were either closed or nearly impassable.

“Numerous school closings were reported throughout the hard-hit areas. Classes also were canceled today at the University of Toledo. Bowling Green State University and Kent State University.

“There also were numerous power outages as the clinging wet snow snapped power lines. A broken power line in Toledo was blamed for a fire that burned a branch library to the ground. Damage was estimated at $1 million.

“Cleveland had about six inches of snow. Most streets and highways there were open, but I-271 was closed from the turnpike south….

“One death was attributed to the weather in Cleveland. Municipal Court Judge Joseph Sterns, 72, collapsed and died while shoveling snow….

“Elsewhere in the state, Zanesville reported eight inches on the ground, Dayton seven inches, Columbus three inches and Marietta and Cincinnati, two inches….” (Associated Press. “Snow paralyzes much of Northeast Ohio.” Times Reporter, Dover, OH. 12-2-1974, p. 1.)

Pennsylvania

NOAA Storm Data: “Western. 11/30-Night-12/1…10 [killed]…Electrical and heavy snow.

“Heavy wet snow, beginning late at night Saturday, November 30 accompanied by thunder and lightning in many localities and continuing throughout the night as it moved through Western Pennsylvania, accumulated to depths ranging from 6 to 30 inches. Most of the damage was caused by the weight of the snow and ice, although additional damage from high winds and lightning was reported. Hazardous driving conditions were present throughout all the district. Travelers returning home from Thanksgiving holidays, students returning to school, hunters setting out for the first day of deer-hunting season…all were stranded all over Southwestern Pennsylvania. Interstate highways were blocked by heavy snow and stranded vehicles; Pennsylvania Turnpike was closed from Irwin to Carlisle. Trees, power and utility lines were down throughout all the southwestern counties of Pennsylvania. This caused a loss of light, heat and refrigeration to much of the district for periods of time ranging from a few hours up to more than a week. In a number of locations, especially in Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties, hospitals were forced to use emergency power for up to 8 hours. The loss of electrical power also meant no fuel for a number of relief vehicles since the pumps were powered by electricity. Radio stations were off the air and TV cables were down. High-tension lines were down across many roads, closing the roads or at best severely restricting traffic. A number of transformers and tree fires were reported and thousands of lead lines from poles to homes and lines leading to remote settlements were broken by the weight of the ice and snow. These lines were frequently snapped at intervals of a hundred feet or so, so that it meant a literal new installation rather than a simple repair

“The counties most seriously affected reported as follows:

Allegheny….

Greene….

Washington….

Lawrence….

Fayette….

Beaver….

Somerset….

Erie….

(Environmental Data Service, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 16, No. 12, December 1974, p. 5.)

Virginia

NOAA: “West. The first major snow storm of the year began Saturday afternoon [Nov 30] and before letting up Sunday left the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Mountains with up to 22 inches of snow in Bland County, with 6 to 12 inches being an average figure and over 800 people stranded. Many areas reported sleet, heavy rain, high winds and thunderstorms before the snow finally dominated. Extensive power failures and tree damage resulted. Structural damage was reported in Montgomery, Augusta and Rockingham Counties….” (Environmental Data Service, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 16, No. 12, December 1974, p. 6.)

Sources

Associated Press. “New Storm Swirls Out of the Pacific.” Winchester Evening Star, VA. 12-4-1974, p. 12. Accessed 11-25-2018: https://newspaperarchive.com/winchester-evening-star-dec-04-1974-p-12/

Associated Press. “Ohioans Dig Out of First Major Snowstorm of Winter.” Herald-Star, Steubenville, OH, 12-3-1974, p. 13. Accessed 11-24-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/steubenville-herald-star-dec-03-1974-p-13/

Associated Press. “Snow paralyzes much of Northeast Ohio.” Times Reporter, Dover, OH. 12-2-1974, p. 1. Accessed 11-24-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/dover-times-reporter-dec-02-1974-p-1/

Associated Press. “Worst Snowfall of Century Leaves 27 Dead in Michigan.” Hillsdale Daily News, MI. 12-3-1974, p18. Accessed 11-24-2018: https://newspaperarchive.com/hillsdale-daily-news-dec-03-1974-p-34/

Associated Press. “Wreck Kills Girl.” Beckley Post-Herald, WV, 12-2-1974, p. 6. Accessed 11-25-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/post-herald-dec-02-1974-p-6/

Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria, OH. “Elyria, area deaths.” 12-3-1974, p. 26. Accessed 11-24-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/elyria-chronicle-telegram-dec-02-1974-p-60/

Cumberland News. “Garrett House Fire Claims Mother, Son.” 12-3-1974, p. 16. Accessed 11-24-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/cumberland-news-dec-03-1974-p-15/

Environmental Data Service, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 16, No. 12, December 1974. Asheville, NC: EDS/NOAA. Accessed 11-25-2018 at: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/IPS/sd/sd.html?_finish=0.1810420393027058

Evening Democrat, Fort Madison, IA. “Killed after pulling car from ditch.” 12-2-1974, p. 1. Accessed 11-25-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/fort-madison-evening-democrat-dec-02-1974-p-1/

Leader-Times, Kittanning, PA. “Clarion Area Lumberman Crash Victim.” 12-3-1974, p. 1. Accessed 11-24-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/kittanning-leader-times-dec-03-1974-p-1/

Schmidlin, Thomas W. and Jeanne Appelhans Schmidlin. Thunder in the Heartland: A Chronicle of Outstanding Weather Events in Ohio. Kent State University Press, 1996, 362 pages.

Southwest Times, Pulaski, VA. “Heavy County Snowfall Leaves Motorists Stranded.” 12-2-1974, p. 1. Accessed 11-25-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/pulaski-southwest-times-dec-02-1974-p-1/

Telegraph Herald, Dubuque, IA. “Snow to end, but ice may linger.” 12-1-1974, p. 1. Accessed 11-25-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/dubuque-telegraph-herald-dec-01-1974-p-1/

United Press International. “Big storm moves eastward, 35,000 travelers left stranded.” Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria, OH. 12-3-1974, p. 26. Accessed 11-24-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/elyria-chronicle-telegram-dec-02-1974-p-60/

United Press International. “Much of N. East Staggers Under Major Winter Storm.” Evening Observer, Dunkirk-Fredonia, NY. 12-2-1974, p. 1. Accessed 11-25-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/dunkirk-evening-observer-dec-02-1974-p-1/

United Press International. “Southeastern Michigan, Detroit are Digging Out.” Holland Evening Sentinel, MI. 12-3-1974, p. 1. Accessed 11-24-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/holland-evening-sentinel-dec-03-1974-p-1/

[1] UPI. “Much of N. East Staggers Under Major Winter Storm.” Evening Observer, Dunkirk, NY. 12-2-1974, p. 1. “Almost one foot of snow hit southeastern Iowa, causing the death of at least six persons traveling on slick highways.”

[2] Victim identified as Anthony Herman Grelk, 23. (Evening Democrat, Fort Madison, IA. “Killed after pulling car from ditch.” 12-2-1974, p. 1.)

[3] Killed were Annie Opel, 70, and son Simon Opel, 32, who resided on Rock Lodge Road between McHenry and Bittinger. (Cumberland News. “Garrett House Fire Claims Mother, Son.” 12-3-1974, p. 16.)

[4] Associated Press. “New Storm Swirls Out of the Pacific.” Winchester Evening Star, VA. 12-4-1974, p. 12.

[5] UPI. “Big storm moves eastward, 35,000 travelers…stranded.” Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria, OH. 12-3-1974, p. 26.

[6] UPI. “Southeastern Michigan, Detroit are Digging Out.” Holland Evening Sentinel, MI. 12-3-1974, p. 1.

[7] “At least a dozen Ohioans died after shoveling the deep, heavy snow.”

[8] AP. “Ohioans Dig Out of First Major Snowstorm of Winter.” Herald-Star, Steubenville, OH, 12-3-1974, p. 13.

[9] Associated Press. “Snow paralyzes much of Northeast Ohio.” Times Reporter, Dover, OH. 12-2-1974, p. 1.

[10] Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria, OH. “Elyria, area deaths.” 12-3-1974, p. 26.

[11] Besides the ten deaths NOAA attributes to the winter weather, it notes, without including in their tally, the death of “A father and 3 young children burned to death in a mobile home fire which was possibly storm-related.”

[12] Mother and three children. It is our assumption that these four deaths were included in the traffic accident county, since the even was noted two paragraphs earlier in the Beaver County narrative.

[13] Victim identified as Anthony Wayne Cook Jr., of Cooksburg. (Leader-Times, Kittanning, PA. “Clarion Area Lumberman Crash Victim.” 12-3-1974, p. 1.)

[14] Southwest Times, Pulaski, VA. “Heavy County Snowfall Leaves Motorists Stranded.” 12-2-1974, p. 1.

[15] Southwest Times, Pulaski, VA. “Heavy County Snowfall Leaves Motorists Stranded.” 12-2-1974, p. 1.

[16] Associated Press. “Wreck Kills Girl.” Beckley Post-Herald, WV, 12-2-1974, p. 6.