1985 — Jan 8-13, Winter Cold Wave and Snow Storms, esp. PA/6; MA/5 and TX/5 — 36

—  36  Blanchard tally from State breakouts below.

—  12  Jan 8-12. AP. “Bitter winter claims victims.” Daily Herald, Chicago. 1-12-1985, sec. 2, p6.

—  10  Jan 8-11. AP. “Winter storm blamed for deaths.” Indiana Gazette, PA. 1-11-1985, p. 5.

 

Summary of Breakout of Fatalities by State

 

Colorado        (1)

Illinois             (1) 

Indiana           (2)

Iowa                (1) 

Kansas            (4)

Kentucky       (3)

Massachusetts(5) 

Michigan        (2)

New Jersey     (1) 

New Mexico   (1) 

New York       (2)

Ohio                (1)

Pennsylvania  (6)

Texas              (5)

Virginia          (1)

 

Breakout of Fatalities by State

 

Colorado        (1)

— 1  Traffic accident. AP. “Bitter winter claims victims.” Daily Herald, Chicago. 1-12-1985, sec. 2, p.6.

 

Illinois             (1)  Chicago, Jan 13. Exposure; homeless person.[1]

 

Indiana           (2)

— 2  Car accidents. Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, IN. “Cold, Snow for Great…” 1-15-1985, p. 8.

 

Iowa                (1)  Car crash “blamed on a [snow] storm.”[2]

 

Kansas            (4)

–4  Traffic accidents. AP. “Bitter winter claims victims.” Daily Herald, Chicago. 1-12-1985, sec. 2, p6.

 

Kentucky       (3)

–3  Traffic accidents “blamed on a [snow] storm.”[3]

 

Massachusetts(5)  Brockton, Jan 10; home fire from portable heater used for heat; all children.[4]

 

Michigan        (2)

—  2  Traffic accidents. AP. “Bitter winter claims victims.” Daily Herald, Chicago. 1-12-1985, sec. 2, 6.

 

New Jersey     (1)  Exposure; homeless man, Jan 9.[5]

 

New Mexico   (1)  Southeast NM, Jan 11. Traffic accident.[6]

 

New York       (2)

— 1  Exposure; female; Jan 11.[7]

— 1  Unadilla, Otsego County, Jan 8. Heart attack while shoveling snow.[8]

 

Ohio                (1)

— 1  Traffic accident. AP. “Bitter winter claims victims.” Daily Herald, Chicago. 1-12-1985, sec. 2, p.6.

 

Pennsylvania  (6)

—>5  Traffic accidents; “…cars skidded off Pennsylvania roads glazed with ice.”[9] [Jan 12 rpt.]

–1  Waterman, Indiana County, Jan 10. Pamela A. Weaver, 40.[10]

—  1  Jefferson County, Punxsutawney, Jan 11. Heart attack while shoveling snow; male, 67.[11]

 

Texas              (5)

— 5  State. Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, IN. “Cold, Snow for Great Lakes.” 1-15-1985, p. 8.

— 1  San Antonio, Jan 13. Heart attack after clearing snow from driveway; Paul R. Richter Jr.[12]

 

Virginia          (1)

— 1  Traffic accident. AP. “Bitter winter claims victims.” Daily Herald, Chicago. 1-12-1985, sec. 2, p.6.

 

Narrative Information

 

Central Plains

 

NCDC: “Snowstorm in the Central Plains on January 8-9, 1985. Starting in the afternoon of January 8th and continuing through the following day, heavy snow accumulated in an east-west band across northern Kansas as a storm system slowly  moved eastward from the Rocky Mountains into the Central Plains. Up to 20 inches of snow fell at Wakeeney, about 30 miles west-northwest of Hays. The snow closed Interstate 70 from Junction City (60 miles west of Topeka) to the Colorado border.” (National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data. Vol. 27, No. 1, Jan 1985, p. 5.)

Colorado

 

NCDC: “Colorado…Mountains, Southeast, Jan 8-9… 10 to 14 inches of snow fell at many spots throughout the mountains, from Wolf Creek Pass northward through Vail to Steamboat Springs. Heavy snow also fell in extreme southeastern Colorado; 14 inches buried Towner in Baca County, and 7 inches fell at Rocky Ford, in Otero County.” (National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data. Vol. 27, No. 1, Jan 1985, p. 12.)

 

Indiana

 

NCDC: Southwest Indiana, Jan 10 freezing rain. “Ice covered road surfaces caused numerous traffic accidents.” (National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data. Vol. 27, No. 1, Jan 1985, p. 13.)

 

Kansas

 

NCDC: Northern Kansas, Jan 8-9. “Heavy snow fell upon the north half of Kansas. The snow closed nearly all schools and brought travel to a standstill. Interstate 70 was closed from Junction City to the Colorado border until the afternoon of the 10th. More than 6 inches fell north of a line from Syracuse to Dodge City, Great Bend, Yates Center and Paola. More than a foot accumulated north of a line from Oberlin to Scott City, Salina, Wamego and Lovewell Dam. More than 15 inches covered the ground in an area about 20 miles wide from Scott City to Wakeeney, Beloit and Salina. Wakeeney measured a total of 20 inches.” (National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data. Vol. 27, No. 1, Jan 1985, p. 14.)

 

Nebraska

 

NCDC: “Panhandle, Central and Southeast Nebraska. 08 Daytime-09 to Evening…Heavy Snow. Snowfall of 4 inches or more was reported south of a line from Agate to Ainsworth to Auburn. Heaviest snow fell in south central areas, with 8 inches reported at Kearney, Hastings and Alma.” (National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data. Vol. 27, No. 1, Jan 1985, p. 16.)

 

Texas

 

NCDC: “Snowstorm in West and South-Central Texas on January 12-13, 1985. A record-breaking snowstorm struck West and South-Central Texas on January 12th and into the 13th, with up to 14 inches of snow having fallen at many locations between San Antonio and the Rio Grande. The snow fell as Pacific moisture overran frigid arctic air near the surface. Although the snow melted as it accumulated, its depth was up to 10 inches in San Antonio where an all-time snow fall record of 13.5 inches was set. Traffic became snarled and numerous accidents resulted, as numerous motorists were unfamiliar with driving on snow-covered roads.” (National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data. Vol. 27, No. 1, Jan 1985, p. 10.)

 

Sources

 

Associated Press. “Bitter winter claims victims.” Daily Herald, Chicago. 1-12-1985, sec. 2, p. 6. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=23296429&sterm=cold+winter+death

 

Associated Press. “San Antonio snow damage to be costly.” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, TX. 1-15-1985, p. 5. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=115441514&sterm

 

Associated Press. “Winter storm blamed for deaths.” Indiana Gazette, PA. 1-11-1985, p. 5. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=112072677&sterm=cold+winter+death

 

Indiana Gazette, Indiana, PA. “Bad roads trigger fatal accident.” 1-11-1985, p. 1. Accessed 1-26-2017 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/pennsylvania/indiana/indiana-gazette/1985/01-11?tag

 

Indiana Gazette, Indiana, PA. “Bitter cold blames in area man’s death.” 1-21-1985, p. 4. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=110338278&sterm=winter+cold+death

 

Journal Tribune, Biddeford, ME. “Heater seen as cause of fatal fire.” 1-11-1985, p. 2. Accessed 1-26-2017 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/maine/biddeford/biddeford-journal-tribune/1985/01-11/page-2?tag

 

National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data. Vol. 27, No. 1, Jan 1985. Asheville, NC, NCDC, NOAA, U.S. Dept. of Commerce. Accessed 7-3-2014 at: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-F6181EE2-72CA-4DD0-9AD2-8F979E5A240B.pdf

 

Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, IN. “Cold, Snow for Great Lakes.” 1-15-1985, p. 8. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=109203355&sterm=cold+winter+death

 

United Press International. “Winter’s punch proves deadly.” Valley Independent, Monessen, PA, 1-11-1985, p. 1. Accessed 1-26-2017 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/pennsylvania/monessen/monessen-valley-independent/1985/01-11?tag

 

Valley Independent, Monessen, PA. “Roads are clear after winter blast.” 1-12-1985, pp. 1 & 8. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=23784683&sterm=cold+winter+death

 

 

 

 

[1] Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, IN. “Cold, Snow for Great Lakes.” 1-15-1985, p. 8.

[2] United Press International. “Winter’s punch proves deadly.” Valley Independent, Monessen, PA, 1-11-1985, p. 1.

[3] United Press International. “Winter’s punch proves deadly.” Valley Independent, Monessen, PA, 1-11-1985, p. 1.

[4] Valley Independent, Monessen, PA. “Roads are clear after winter blast.” 1-12-1985, 1 & 8. Article notes portable heater was only heat source. One of the children was dressed in a snowsuit and found lying next to the heater. UPI piece out of Brockton notes: “Five children died in a fire believed started Thursday night by a ‘weird-looking’ makeshift electric heater thought to be the only source of heat against frigid temperatures gripping the area, Brocton fire officials said today….Temperatures in the area have dipped below 20 degrees since Tuesday [8th].” (Journal Tribune, Biddeford, ME. “Heater seen as cause of fatal fire.” 1-11-1985, p. 2.)

[5] AP. “Bitter winter claims victims.” Daily Herald, Chicago. 1-12-1985, sec. 2, p. 6.

[6] Valley Independent, Monessen, PA. “Roads are clear after winter blast.” 1-12-1985, pp. 1 & 8.

[7] Valley Independent, Monessen, PA. “Roads are clear after winter blast.” 1-12-1985, 1 & 8.

[8] NCDC, Storm Data, 27/1, Jan 1985, 16. “The official cause of death was a heart attack caused by cold and stress.”

[9] Valley Independent, Monessen, PA. “Roads are clear after winter blast.” 1-12-1985, 1 & 8.

[10] Indiana Gazette, Indiana, PA. “Bad roads trigger fatal accident.” 1-11-1985, p. 1. Cites State Police to effect that “she lost control of her auto on a bend and crossed the center line sideways…[and] was struck by…a truck…”

[11] Valley Independent, Monessen, PA. “Roads are clear after winter blast.” 1-12-1985, 1 & 8. Victim identified as Milo Fairman and locality noted by: Indiana Gazette, PA. “Bitter cold blames in area man’s death.” 1-21-1985, 4.

[12] Associated Press. “San Antonio snow damage to be costly.” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, TX. 1-15-1985, p. 5.