1983 — Feb 10-12, Snow Storm/Blizzard, Mid-Atlantic to Southern New England –31-54
— >70 AP. “Cold, Ice Slow Cleanup Effort.” Greenville Record, PA. 2-14-1983, p. 1.[1]
— >69 Daily News, Huntingdon, PA. “New Storm Heads Up East Coast.” 2-14-1983, p. 1.[2]
— >66 AP. “Snow kills 66; New storm due.” Post-Star, Glens Falls, NY. 2-14-1983, p. 1.
— 56 AP. “Death toll at 89 in Blizzard of ’83.” Post-Star, Glens Falls, NY, 2-15-1983, p. 1.[3]
–49-54 Blanchard tally based on State breakouts below.
— 42 AP-CP. “East Coast digging out…” Winnipeg Free Press, Canada. 2-14-1983, p. 26.[4]
— 31 Blanchard tally of localized/individualized deaths within State breakouts.[5]
–13-16 NCDC. Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983.[6]
— 13[7] NWS FO, Philadelphia/Mount Holly. “Historical Weather Facts…,” Oct 17, 2005.
Summary of Fatality Breakouts by State
Connecticut 4
Delaware 2-3
District of Columbia 1-2
Maryland 4
Massachusetts 5
New Jersey 3
New York 15
North Carolina 1
Pennsylvania >9
Virginia 2-3
West Virginia 3-5
Breakout of Fatalities by State
Connecticut ( 4)
— 4 AP/Daniszewski. “Cold, Ice Slow Cleanup Effort.” Greenville Record, PA. 2-14-1983, p. 1.
Delaware (2-3)
— 3 AP/Daniszewski. “Cold, Ice Slow Cleanup Effort.” Greenville Record, PA. 2-14-1983, p. 1.
— 1 Georgetown area, Feb 12. Man found dead in the snow near Georgetown. NCDC.[8]
— 1 Harrington area, Feb 12. Elderly female found alongside her mobile home in snow. NCDC.[9]
District of Columbia (1-2)
— 2 AP/Daniszewski. “Cold, Ice Slow Cleanup Effort.” Greenville Record, PA. 2-14-1983, p. 1.
— 1 Exposure; male found dead on the Ellipse. NCDC. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 19.
Maryland ( 4)
–1 Baltimore. Man hit by skidding car. Baltimore Sun. “The famed Blizzard of ’83…” 2-8-1993
–1 Glen Burnie, Feb 11-12. Apparent carbon monoxide poisoning; car in snow; woman. NCDC.[10]
–1 Glen Burnie, Feb 11-12. Man collapsed; died of exposure walking home after car stranded.[11]
–1 Linthicum (heart attack shoveling snow). AP. Frederick News-Post, MD. 2-13-1983, 14.[12]
Massachusetts ( 5)
–5 AP/Daniszewski. “Cold, Ice Slow Cleanup Effort.” Greenville Record, PA. 2-14-1983, p. 1.
–1 Cape Cod, Harwich, Feb 12. Male, 89, “after shoveling snow.”[13]
–1 Cape Cod, So. Harwich, Feb 12. Male, 78, “suffered cardiac arrest after shoveling snow.”[14]
–1 Cape Cod, South Yarmouth, Feb 12. Male (Arthur Eames), 78; after shoveling snow.[15]
–1 Waltham, Feb 12. Hypothermia, male, 17, after being found lying in a Watertown field.[16]
–1 West Bridgewater, Feb 12. Male (Robert Cookson), 54, collapsed/died after shoveling snow.[17]
New Jersey ( 3)
— 3 AP/Daniszewski. “Cold, Ice Slow Cleanup Effort.” Greenville Record, PA. 2-14-1983, p. 1.
–1 Boy, 9, crushed; “slipped in the snow and fell under an automatic garage door”[18]
New York ( 15)
–15 AP/Daniszewski. “Cold, Ice Slow Cleanup Effort.” Greenville Record, PA. 2-14-1983, p. 1.
— 1 Long Island. Youth “crushed to death…as he tried to dig out a snow plow stuck in drift.”[19]
— 2 Lower Hudson Valley, Central NY, Feb 11. NCDC. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 20.
—>8 NY City. Sunday Sun, Lowell, MA. “At least eight die in N.Y. storm.” 2-13-1983, A2.[20]
— 1 Manhattan, Feb 11. Boy, 10, killed when struck by a truck.
— >3 NYC. Heart attacks, mostly people in 60s or 70s.[21]
New York-New Jersey Metropolitan Area (19)
–19 UPI. “New storm threatens more woes for Northeast.” Brownsville Herald, TX, 2-14-1983, 8A.[22]
North Carolina ( 1)
— 1 AP/Daniszewski. “Cold, Ice Slow Cleanup Effort.” Greenville Record, PA. 2-14-1983, p. 1.
Pennsylvania (>9)
—>9 Blanchard tally based on locality breakouts below.
— 2 Eastern PA. Traffic accidents. NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 21.
—>2 Eastern PA. “…some deaths from heart attacks suffered while shoveling snow.” NCDC.[23]
— 1 Altoona, Blair Co. (so.-central PA), Rt. 220, Feb 12. Male cross-country skier hit by car.[24]
— 1 Bellefonte, Centre Co. west PA, Feb 11. Semi spun on snow-covered hwy; hit car. NCDC.[25]
— 1 Brookville, Jefferson Co., west PA, Feb 11. Three-vehicle collision when one slid. NCDC.[26]
— 1 I-81 (auto) Tyrone Herald, PA. “Record Setting Snow Buries Eastern Cities,” 2-12-1983, 1.[27]
— 1 West Mifflin, Allegheny Co. (west PA). Male, 63; apparent heart attack shoveling snow at home.[28]
Virginia (2-3)
— 3 AP/Daniszewski. “Cold, Ice Slow Cleanup Effort.” Greenville Record, PA. 2-14-1983, p. 1.
— 1 New Kent County, Feb 10-12. Elderly female “died from apparent hypothermia.” NCDC.[29]
— 1 Southwest VA, Feb 10. Male, 58, hit by pickup truck.[30]
— 1 Traffic accident. AP. “East paralyzed by blizzard.” Indiana Gazette, PA. 2-12-1983, p. 1.[31]
West Virginia (3-5)
— 5 AP/Daniszewski. “Cold, Ice Slow Cleanup Effort.” Greenville Record, PA. 2-14-1983, p. 1.
— 1 Martinsburg, Feb 11. Male “found dead in his car…” NCDC. “Storm Data. 25/2, 1983, 23.
— 2 Morgan Co., near Paw Paw, Feb 11. Asphyxiated; 4WDV became stuck in snow. NCDC.[32]
Breakout of Fatalities by Cause of Death (where noted):
Accident 1
–1 NJ. Boy, 9, crushed; “slipped in the snow and fell under an automatic garage door”
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning 1
–1 MD. Glen Burnie, Feb 11-12. Apparent carbon monoxide poisoning; car in snow; woman.
Exposure/Apparent Exposure/Hypothermia 6
–1 DE. Georgetown area, Feb 12. Man found dead in the snow near Georgetown. Apparent exp.
–1 DE. Harrington area, Feb 12. Elderly female found alongside her mobile home in snow.
–1 DC. Exposure; male found dead on the Ellipse. NCDC. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 19.
–1 MD. Glen Burnie, Feb 11-12. Man collapsed; died of exposure walking home; car stranded.
–1 MA. Waltham, Feb 12. Hypothermia, male, 17, after being found lying in a Watertown field.
–1 VA. New Kent County, Feb 10-12. Elderly female “died from apparent hypothermia.”
Heart Attacks related to Shoveling Snow >11
— 1 MD. Linthicum (heart attack shoveling snow). Frederick News-Post, MD. 2-13-1983, 14
— 1 MA. Cape Cod, Harwich, Feb 12. Male, 89, “after shoveling snow.”
— 1 MA. Cape Cod, So. Harwich, Feb 12. Male, 78, cardiac arrest after shoveling snow.
— 1 MA. Cape Cod, South Yarmouth, Feb 12. Male (Arthur Eames), 78; after shoveling snow.
— 1 MA. West Bridgewater, Feb 12. Male, 54 collapsed and died after shoveling snow.
–>3 NY. NYC. Heart attacks, mostly people in 60s or 70s.[33]
—>2 PA (Eastern). “…some deaths from heart attacks suffered while shoveling snow.” NCDC.
— 1 PA. West Mifflin, Allegheny Co. (west PA). Male, 63; apparent heart attack shoveling snow.
Vehicular 9
–1 MD. Baltimore. Man hit by skidding car. Baltimore Sun. “The famed Blizzard…” 2-8-1993.
–1 NY. Long Island. Youth crushed trying to dig out snow plow stuck in drift; rolled over him.
–1 NY. Manhattan, Feb 11. Boy, 10, killed when struck by a truck.
–2 PA (Eastern). Traffic accidents. NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 21.
–1 PA. Altoona, Blair Co. (so.-central PA), Rt. 220, Feb 12. Male cross-country skier hit by car.
–1 PA. Bellefonte, Centre Co. west PA, Feb 11. Semi spun on snow-covered hwy; hit car. NCDC
–1 PA. Brookville, Jefferson Co., west PA, Feb 11. Three-vehicle collision when one slid.
–1 VA (Southwest), Feb 10. Male, 58, hit by pickup truck.
Other 3
–1 WV. Martinsburg, Feb 11. Male “found dead in his car…” NCDC. Storm Data. 25/2, 1983, 23.
–2 WV. Morgan Co., near Paw Paw, Feb 11. Asphyxiated; 4WDV became stuck in snow.
Narrative Information
NCDC: “An intense low pressure system which organized in the gulf states and moved northeastward up the eastern U.S. coast, dumped record amounts of snow and created blizzard conditions over much of the northeastern U.S. on February 10th to the 12th. The storm paralyzed many major eastern cities with snow amounting to 22.8″ at Washington and Baltimore, 22″ at New York, 21.3″ at Philadelphia, 18″ at Roanoke, and 13″ at Boston. The Blue Ridge area of the Appalachian Mountains had some of the highest amounts as evidenced by Glen Gary, West Virginia which received 35 inches. There were 46 storm-related deaths, 33 of which occurred when a freighter capsized in strong winds and sank in the Atlantic off Chincoteague, Virginia near Maryland-Virginia border.[34] Most of the remaining deaths were attributed to weather-related traffic accidents and heart attacks brought on from shoveling the heavy, wet snow.” (NCDC. “East Coast Snowstorm on February 10-12, 1983.” Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, 4.)
NWS: “Feb 11…1983… The Mid Atlantic Coast States and…[Southern] New England were in the midst of a major blizzard. Winds gusted to over 40 mph, visibility was near zero miles, and temperatures were mostly in the teens. In PA, the storm produced 21″ at PHL, 24″ at
Harrisburg, and 25″ at ABE, establishing record 24 hour totals and single storm totals
for those locations. NYC received 22″ of snow, and 35″ was reported at Glen Gary,
located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of WV. Windsor Locks CT received a record
19″ of snow in 12 hours. The storm resulted in 46 deaths, 33 of which occurred when
a freighter capsized and sank off the MD/VA coast. Heavy snow was reported from
NErn GA to Ern ME. (10th-12th).” (NWS FO, Philadelphia/Mount Holly. “Historical Weather Facts…,” Oct 17, 2005.)
NCDC on Connecticut, Feb 11-12: “Heavy snow began falling during rush hour Friday evening and was accumulating very quickly at the rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour for almost 12 hours continuing into Saturday morning. At Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, the National Weather Service reported a storm total of 21 inches. Nineteen inches fell during 12 hours establishing a new record. Numerous motorists were stranded on state highways especially in Fairfield County. Emergency shelters in New Haven and Bridgeport were jammed and travel was just about impossible due to near zero visibility in the heavy snow and blowing snow with winds gusting to at least 30 MPH. About 300 people spent the night at the Hartford Civic Center after being snowed in during an evening concert.” (NCDC. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 15.)
NCDC on Delaware, Feb 11-12: “Low pressure moved from the southeast corner of the nation…northeastward along the coast…bringing one of the greatest snow storms on record to much of the state. Snow began during the early morning of the 6th and ended about 24 hours later. Amounts of 10 to 15 inches were common, with the greatest (around 20 inches) over extreme northern New Castle County and along the border of Dover and Sussex Counties. The largest official amount was 21 inches at Milford. Between 5 and 10 inches fell over southern Sussex County. Northeast winds gusting to over 50 MPH combined with wave action to cause beach erosion and property damage in the South Bethany area…with one road partially washed out. The storm was a factor in two fatalities: one, a man was found in the snow near Georgetown…the other, an elderly woman found alongside her mobile home near Harrington…both on the 12th. There were an undeterminable number of injuries attributed to falls and other storm-related causes.” (NCDC. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 16.)
NCDC on Maine, Feb 11-12: “This was the second snowstorm within a week. It left 6 to 12 inches of snow over coastal sections of York and Cumberland Counties with York County receiving the heaviest accumulations. Snowfall amounts tapered off rapidly away from the coast. No snow fell over the mountains or over northern or eastern Maine. Strong winds with gusts to 44 mph at Portland caused drifting snow which impeded coastal travel. Drifts of 10 to 12 feet high plagued Biddeford Pool. This is the storm that set many snowfall records along the Eastern Seaboard but gave Maine a glancing blow.” (NCDC. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 18.)
NCDC on Maryland, Feb 10-12: “One of the heaviest snowfalls on record occurred as an intense low pressure center moved up the coast from Georgia. Snow began during the afternoon or evening of the 10th and tapered off or ended some 24 hours later. Depths of 15 to 25 inches were common over the area with heaviest amounts through the north central counties. The greatest official total was 31 inches measured at Catoctin Park and Braddock Heights in Frederick County, and at Smithsburg in Washington County….Activities came to a virtual standstill with roads block…and no transit or air travel….” (NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 19.)
NCDC on Massachusetts, Feb 11-12: “Heavy snow began falling across the state during Friday evening. Snow accumulated at the rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour and strong northeasterly winds gusting 40 to 60 MPH caused near blizzard conditions with visibility near zero and considerable drifting. Airports were closed, including Logan International in Boston, for up to 15 hours. Most public transportation was halted as highway travel became nearly impossible as the entire state received 12 to 20 inches of snow in 12 hours or less. Thunderstorms occurred during the height of the storm. Peak wind gusts hit 72 MPH at Chatham on Cape Cod and &! MPH at Blue Hill Observatory in Milton. The storm was termed the worst snowstorm to hit the state since the famous Blizzard of ’78…” (NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 19.)
NCDC on New Hampshire, Feb 11-12: “….the Nashua area…[received] the most snow with 15 to 18 inches while the Seacoast Region had 8 to 11 inches….” (NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 20.)
NCDC on New Jersey (Southern), Feb 11-12: “The storm began on the 11th and continued overnight until the morning of the 12th dumping 14.0 inches of snow on the area. The high winds with gusts and freezing temperatures lashed snow into drifts over 4 feet high. High waves and tides were close to 3 feet above normal. It crippled travel on the ground and in the air, closed many businesses and government offices.” (NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 20.)
NCDC on New York (Coastal), Feb 11-12: “The storm began on the 11th and continued overnight until the morning of the 12th dumping 17.6 inches of snow… The devastating blizzard was like a nightmare on the 11th. It was accompanied by a thunderstorm during the snowfall. The wind was gusting over 40 MPH causing high drifts with temperatures below freezing causing a wind-chill factor to feel about 20 degrees below zero on bare skin. Vehicles were stranded in a maze on local highways, ramps and side roads. All local airports were closed….” (NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 20.)
NCDC on North Carolina, Feb 10-11: “The second winter storm within a week[35] spread heavy snows over western sections of the state and produced gale-force winds along the coast. Minor beach erosion and flooding occurred along Hatteras Island north of Avon and resulted in minor overwash of Highway 12. The snow, which changed to freezing rain, caused isolated power outages and numerous traffic accidents. Snowfall amounts include: West Jefferson 20”, Linville 15”, Boone 6”, Asheville 5” and Charlotte 2”….” (NCDC. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 20.)
NCDC on Pennsylvania (Eastern): “One of the worst winter storms that ever hit the East Coast of the United States deposited record snow accumulations on some sections of Eastern Pennsylvania. During part of the storm, true blizzard conditions prevailed with winds gusting over 40 MPH and visibility was near zero in falling and blowing snow. Temperatures were mostly in the teens during the storm. New records for a single storm were established with 25.2 inches at Allentown, 24 inches at Harrisburg and Lancaster and 21.3 inches at Philadelphia. Southern and east central portions of Eastern Pennsylvania generally got 15 to 25 inches of snow with some unofficial reports of 26 to 28 inches. Amounts tapered off to 8 to 15 inches northward towards Wilkes-Barre-Scranton. About 6 to 12 inches accumulated from the Middle Susquehanna Valley to the extreme northeast….Considerable drifting occurred (up to 6 feet in spots) and many automobiles were struck or abandoned on roadways…The very hazardous weather conditions resulted in a number of traffic accidents and at least two deaths. There wer also some deaths from heart attacks suffered while shoveling snow. In Lancaster County the deep snow collapsed several large roofs on factories and stores.” (NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 21.)
NCDC on Rhode Island, Feb 11-12: “Heavy snow accumulated at the rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour beginning Friday evening. Strong northeast winds caused considerable blowing and drifting of the snow and an accumulation of 10 to 15 inches with greater amounts over the extreme south were reported. Travel was nearly impossible during the storm and many businesses did not open on Saturday.” (NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 21.)
NCDC on Virginia, Feb 10-12: This storm brought “…the heaviest snowfall in 40 years to much of the state. Some communities reported the most snow ever measured. Snow began early on the 10th over the western counties…while over the southeast portion around 2 inches fell before mixing with or changing to rain early on the 11th, changing back to snow before ending shortly after midnight of the 12th. The state was paralyzed for a time due to widespread 12 to 20 inches of snow. Luray and Woodstock, in the Shenandoah Valley each reported 32 inches. In the meantime, over 2 inches of rain brought some local flooding. An elderly New Kent County woman died from apparent hypothermia…while off Chincoteague, a freighter capsized and sank in heavy seas early on the 12th, with the loss of 33 [31] out of a crew of 36 [34] men. An undetermined number of people were treated for falls, auto accident and other storm related injuries…including many who were hurt while operating snow-blower machines. Widespread property damage included structural failure of roofs of sheds, buildings and greenhouses due to the weight of collected snow…including a large cow barn that collapsed in Lunenburg County.” (NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 23.)
Newspapers:
Feb 12: “Associated Press. One of the biggest Northeast blizzards in history swept into New England today, dumping up to 3 feet of snow in some areas and shutting down major cities, airports and highways.
“At least seven deaths were blamed on the storm, and 15 others died after a coal carrier sank in rough seas off Virginia. [31 died after the Marine Electric capsized on Feb 12.]
“Thousands of commuters were stranded in diners, shelters or in their cars and thousands of homes lost power as the massive storm, spawned in the South and punctuated with thunder and lightning, swept northeast Friday, practically closing down the federal government on its march. Needle-like flakes driven by winds up to 70 mph along the New Jersey coast created near whiteout conditions.
“The storm dumped nearly 20 inches of snow on Cape Cod off the Massachusetts coast and reached into Maine before it headed out to sea this morning. In Connecticut, the snowfall topped the 16.9 inches recorded during the blizzard of 1978 and hospitals appealed for four-wheel drive vehicles to bring doctors and nurses to work. Philadelphia’s 21.3 inches of snow surpassed the all-time record of 21 inches set in 1909….Suburban commuters fled early from the cities of Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York, but many found themselves bedded down in police stations, airport terminals, train stations or all-night diners as the snow kept falling before tapering off early today. At least seven people died in the storm, including an Altoona, Pa., man who was struck by a car while cross-country skiing on a highway at 3 a.m.
“’What we got is generally a mess,” said Al Coates, spokesman for Virginia’s highways and transportation department. Interstate 95 though Philadelphia, littered with stalled cars was closed while vehicles were removed. “It’s like a parking lot out there,” said police officer Jake Foley…” (AP. “Morning After: 7 States Dig Out…,” Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria, OH, 2/12/1983, p. 1.)
Feb 12: “….At least one death was blamed on the storms. An Ohio woman was killed in a crash on Pennsylvania’s snow-covered Interstate 80 when a tractor-trailer spun out of control and ran over her car.” (Tyrone Daily Herald, PA. “Record Setting Snow Buries Eastern Cities,” 2-12-1983, p. 1.)
Feb 13: “By The Associated Press. A record-breaking blizzard dumping up to 3 feet of snow paralyzed the Northeast before moving out to sea Saturday, as police arrested looters and crews struggled to reopen airports and highways to free thousands of stranded travelers. The storm was blamed for 48 deaths, including 25 killed when a ship sank in rough seas off Virginia.[36] ‘It’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen,’ said Officer Frank Miller in Philadelphia, where 21.3 inches of snow broke the record of 21 set in 1969. Other Pennsylvania cities setting records were Allentown and Harrisburg, both with 24 inches. Boston got 13 inches on top of about 8 on the ground, and Mayor Kevin White called the storm ‘the worst to hit the city in five years.’ ‘Relax and enjoy it, make like a kid again,’ was the advice from Mayor Ed Koch of New-York City, where 17.6 inches fell, the most since 1978. Many heeded his call, but police said 14 people were arrested Saturday for looting at a hardware warehouse in the Astoria section of Queens. Up to 100 people apparently broke into the outlet and stole flashlights, batteries and other items, police said.
“In Baltimore, where 20 inches of snow fell police beefed up patrols to prevent looting after 131 burglaries were reported overnight, mostly on impassable side streets. Police Commissioner Frank Battaglia said 105 arrests were made.
“In Washington, where 23 inches of snow made for the third-worst storm in a century police reported scattered ‘smash and grab’ burglaries Friday night.
“The storm marched up from Dixie on Friday burying Richmond, Va., Washington and Baltimore and piling up to 3 feet in rural areas the most snow to hit the mid-Atlantic states in more than 40 years. It blanketed every major city in the Northeast, then headed out to sea Saturday after dumping 2 feet in Rhode Island 20 inches on Cape Cod and brushing New Hampshire and Maine with up to a foot. ‘One of the greatest snowstorms in New York City history,’ proclaimed Vito Turso, spokesman for the city Sanitation Department, which dispatched 700 snowplows to clear main streets….
“The storm was accompanied by flashing lightning and thunder in some areas — common enough in the Plains states but a rarity on the Eastern seaboard. The electrical storm, said Bob Gager of the Weather Service, ‘was like a witch coming in on her broom on Christmas Eve. Nobody was expecting it.’ Up and down the coast dozens of major sports events were canceled Saturday, including the U.S. Olympic Invitational track and field meet in New Jersey.
“LaGuardia and Kennedy airports in New York and Logan in Boston were not expected to reopen until Sunday. Washington’s Dulles International reopened Saturday morning and National
reopened in the afternoon. Richmond reopened its airport at noon Saturday, and Philadelphia hoped to by Sunday. Newark allowed four overdue departures to leave Saturday but did not schedule new flights in or out. On Saturday afternoon, an estimated 12,000 people were still stranded at Kennedy and 1400 at the Newark airport.
“Hundreds of cars were abandoned on streets in New York, Philadelphia and other cities. Interstate 95, the East’s main north-south artery, was littered with thousands of stalled cars and trucks through Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and into Connecticut. The highway for miles in and around New York City was jammed with vehicles that had been stopped for more than 12 hours and had accumulated snowdrifts.
“New Jersey state police and National Guard units brought 348 people stranded on the Garden State Parkway to an armory in East Orange where they spent Friday night. ‘There were a lot of children and they were crying,’ said John Hargadon, 60, of Fair Lawn….
“More than 600 stranded motorists took shelter Friday at Red Cross headquarters in Frederick County, Md., where 35 inches of snow fell.” (AP. “Blizzard Leaves 48 Dead, Paralyzes Northeast.” Galveston News, Feb 13, 1983, p. 2-A.)
Feb 13, AP on NYC: “New York (AP) – Thousands of stranded travelers fought to het home Saturday [Feb 12] and street cleaners set their sights on Monday morning’s rush hour after one of the century’s worst blizzards paralyzed the city and killed at least eight people…the National Weather Service…recorded accumulations of between 1 and 2 feet of snow in the metropolitan area, including 22 inches at both Kennedy and LaGuardia airports….It dumped 17.6 inches of snow on Central Park, site of the official measurement — the fourth biggest snowstorm of the century in New York….
“Fourteen people were arrested for looting at a Queens hardware outlet which was invaded by up to 100 people, police said….
“Hours after the storm ended, large parts of the metropolitan area — from midtown Manhattan to the eastern tip of Long Island — were paralyzed by deep snow. About 150 abandoned vehicles were stuck on the West Side Highway and the FDR Drive, the two highways that rig Manhattan, and the Traffic Department reported ‘a tremendous number’ of abandonments elsewhere. ‘There are so many we don’t have an exact count,’ said Thomas Scotti, a department spokesman….City police said about 1,200 vehicles had been abandoned. Most key highways, including the Long Island Expressway, were closed during the night, Scotti said….The Lincoln Tunnel, where some stranded motorists spent the night, had one lane open in each of three, two-lane tubes between Manhattan and New Jersey….In Rockland County, the Palisades Interstate Parkway from Exit 5 north to U.S. Route 6 was closed in both directions. Some travelers spent the night in their cars and were rescued after dawn. Westchester Transit reported no county buses were running…” (Associated Press. “At least eight die in N.Y. storm.” Sunday Sun, Lowell, MA. 2-13-1983, A2.)
Sources
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Baltimore Sun/Ed Brandt. “The famed Blizzard of ’83 buried the Baltimore area in almost 2 feet of snow.” 2-8-1993. Accessed 3-1-2017 at: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-02-08/news/1993039140_1_winter-storm-storm-center-jet-stream
Daily News, Huntingdon, PA. “New Storm Heads Up East Coast.” 2-14-1983, p. 1. Accessed 3-1-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/us/pennsylvania/huntingdon/huntingdon-daily-news/1983/02-14?tag
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National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Philadelphia/Mount Holly. “Historical Weather Facts for the Philadelphia/Mt. Holly, NJ Forecast Area.” Mount Holly, NJ: NWS FO, Oct 17, 2005 update. Accessed at: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/phi/hist_phi.html#0311
Sunday Sun, Lowell, MA. “In Massachusetts. At least five die in surprise storm.” 2-13-1983, A3. Accessed 3-1-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/us/massachusetts/lowell/lowell-sun/1983/02-13/page-3?tag
United Press International/Shelagh Donoghue. “New storm threatens more woes for Northeast.” Brownsville Herald, TX, 2-14-1983, p. 8A. Accessed 3-1-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/us/texas/brownsville/brownsville-herald/1983/02-14/page-8?tag=
United Press International. “Snow blamed for woman’s death.” Leader-Times, Kittanning, PA. 2-12-1983, p. 2. Accessed 2-28-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/us/pennsylvania/kittanning/kittanning-leader-times/1983/02-12/page-2?tag
United Press International. “Storm leaves 70 dead.” Kenosha News, WI. 2-14-1983, p. 5. Accessed 3-1-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/us/wisconsin/kenosha/kenosha-news/1983/02-14/page-5?tag
[1] No doubt includes 33 crew members of the Marine Electric, which is a separate entry.
[2] “At least 69 deaths were blamed on the blizzard.”
[3] We have subtracted out the “24 dead and 9 missing and presumed dead in the sinking of a coal ship…” [Marine Electric] After subtracting 33 we derive 56.
[4] “The storm was…blamed for 43…deaths [other than Marine Electric] in 10 states and the District of Columbia.”
[5] Without including the Marine Electric fatality, we see reports of 31 deaths noted for an individual or within a locality. When we look at reports of deaths per State (without identifying details) we see 49-54 deaths. In that we cannot substantiate these deaths we employ a range of 31-54. We ignore the AP note of 56 deaths, not including the Marine Electric, in that there are no breakouts.
[6] At page 4 in summary, NCDC notes 13 deaths, but when goes to stat-by-state breakouts, 16 deaths are counted.
[7] Derived from NWS FO Philly/Mt. Holly statement that “The storm resulted in 46 deaths, 33 of which occurred when a freighter capsized and sank off the MD/VA coast.” We subtracted the freighter fatalities (Collier Marine Electric Sank in Gale off Chincoteague, VA, on Feb 12) which we list in the Maritime section. (Blanchard)
[8] NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 16.
[9] NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 16.
[10] NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 19.
[11] NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 19.
[12] Another AP article wrote “A man believed to be in his 60s was pronounced dead on arrival Friday night [Feb 11] at North Arundel Hospital south of Baltimore after suffering a heart attack while shoveling snow…” [Anne Arundel is a county east and northwest of Washington, DC.] (Associated Press/Dean Fosdick. “East paralyzed by blizzard.” Indiana Gazette, Indiana, PA. 2-12-1983, p. 1.)
[13] Sunday Sun, Lowell, MA. “In Massachusetts. At least five die in surprise storm.” 2-13-1983, A3
[14] Sunday Sun, Lowell, MA. “In Massachusetts. At least five die in surprise storm.” 2-13-1983, A3. Victim identified as Henry W. Koegler.
[15] Sunday Sun, Lowell, MA. “In Massachusetts. At least five die in surprise storm.” 2-13-1983, A3.
[16] Sunday Sun, Lowell, MA. “In Massachusetts. At least five die in surprise storm.” 2-13-1983, A3. Victim identified as John Kouyoumjian.
[17] Sunday Sun, Lowell, MA. “In Massachusetts. At least five die in surprise storm.” 2-13-1983, A3
[18] AP/Daniszewski. “Cold, Ice Slow Cleanup Effort.” Greenville Record, PA. 2-14-1983, p. 1.
[19] UPI. “New storm threatens more woes for Northeast.” Brownsville Herald, TX, 2-14-1983, p. 8A. Cites police as stating the boy was shoveling snow from under the rear wheels when the plow ‘broke free’ and rolled over him.”
[20] “Elliot Gross, the chief medical examiner for New York, said his office recorded seven weather-related deaths. Not included was an eighth death reported by police…a 10-year-old boy struck by a truck in Manhattan on Friday.”
[21] United Press International. “Storm leaves 70 dead.” Kenosha News, WI. 2-14-1983, p. 5. The number 3 is our guesstimate. Article notes there were “At least 18 storm-reported deaths…reported in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area, many due to over exertion from shoveling the heavy snow.” Then, cites a spokesman for the New York Medical Examiners Office to the effect that “Most of those who died were in their 60s or 70s and had a history of heart disease.” We suspect that there were more than three snow-removal related deaths.
[22] Highlighted in yellow to indicate not used in tally. Shown in that it can be viewed as somewhat of a validation of the eighteen deaths we have noted for New Jersey and New York above.
[23] NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 21. In order to be able to tabulate, we make assumption that “some” deaths translates into “at least two.”
[24] AP. “Morning After…,” Chronicle, Elyria, OH, 2-12-1983, p. 1; Daily News, Huntingdon, PA. “Quaker City’s Crews Digging,” 2-14-1983, p. 3. Daily News identifies the victim as Thomas Morrone, 31, of Altoona.
[25] NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 21. “…accident occurred near Bellefonte (Centre), where a ‘tractor trailer spun on the snow covered highway and ran over’ another car, killing the only occupant.” UPI article identified victim as Dorothea Jones, 41, of Canton, OH, who died on I-80 about seven miles east of Bellefonte according to state police. (UPI. “Snow blamed for woman’s death.” Leader-Times, Kittanning, PA. 2-12-1983, p. 2.)
[26] NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 21. The storm was “blamed for two fatal accidents. The first was a three vehicle collision near Brooksville (Jefferson), where one died and three were injured as a ‘car slipped across a snow covered road’ into the opposite lane.” Victim identified as Newell B. Oaks, 61 of Brookville by The Indiana Gazette, Indiana, PA (“Brookville fatal crash, snow linked.” 2-12-1983, p. 1.) Article notes the accident occurred about 5 p.m. about four miles west of Brookville on Route 322.
[27] I-81 enters PA from MD in south-central PA and goes northeast through state into New York near Binghamton.
[28] Daily News, Huntingdon, PA. “Quaker City’s Crews Digging,” 2-14-1983, p. 3. Identified as Alvin Gobany.
[29] NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 22.
[30] AP/D. L. Langford. “Ferocious Dixie storm cripples Eastern cities.” Post-Star, Glens Falls, NY, 2-12-1983, p. 20.
[31] “At least three storm-related traffic deaths were reported in Pennsylvania and Virginia.”
[32] NCDC/NOAA. “Storm Data. 25/2, Feb 1983, p. 23. AP wrote that victims were “a man and a teen-age boy” who died of CO poisoning “after their four-wheel-drive vehicle got stuck in deep snow.”
[33] Citing the NY Med Examiner Office gives impression of more than three snow-removal deaths when it is noted that “Most of those who died were in their 60s or 70s and had a history of heart disease.”
[34] The collier was the Marine Electric and 31 of 34 crewmembers died, not 33.
[35] There was a winter storm with snow, sleet and freezing rain February 5-6.
[36] Thirty-one of crew of 34 died Feb 12 after the Marine Electric capsized.