1990 — Feb 23 (evening)-24, Snowstorm, cold front, wind, MI, IN, OH (blizzard) –22-23

–22-23  Blanchard tally based on State breakouts below.

 

Indiana           (9-10)

–9-10  Blanchard tally based on locality breakouts below.

—     8  Rushville Republican, IN. “Eight deaths blamed on snow storm.” 2-26-1990, p1. (All on 24th)[1]

Breakout of fatalities by locality and cause:

—   1  Avon, Hendricks County. Exposure; found outside sub-freezing temp., 24th; died 25th.[2]

—   2  Chalmers area, White Co. Rd 700W, Feb 24. Electrocution; car slides on icy road into utility pole.[3]

—   1  Martin County. Vehicular accident “caused by slick and icy roads.”[4]

—   3  Parke County, Feb 24. Vehicular accident “caused by slick and icy roads.”[5]

–1-2  Wabash County, Feb 24. (Blanchard tally from differing sources.)

–2  Feb 24. Vehicular accidents “directly attributable to the lowered visibility.” NCDC.[6]

–1  Feb 24. Vehicular accident “caused by slick and icy roads.”[7]

—   1  Warsaw, Kosciusko County. Vehicular; man lost control of truck on “slick street.”[8]

 

Michigan        (   1)

–1  Grand Rapids, Feb 23. Woman; stopped to help motorists, hit by car “during the blinding snow.”[9]

 

Ohio               ( 12)

–1  Ashtabula Co., Rt. 20, 10;45 pm, Aug 23. Two-car accident; icy road; Stephen Arundel, 21.[10]

–9  Tipp City north area, I-75, Feb 24. Pileup shortly after “blizzard slammed into Ohio…”[11]

–2  Wood Co., Feb 24. Storm-related accident; afterwards on-coming semi hit car killing 2 women.[12]

 

Narrative Information

 

NCDC on Indiana: “All of Northern and Central Indiana…[Feb] 24 0600 EST-1700 EST…2 [killed]…Wind and Blowing Snow…Strong winds in excess of 40 mph combined with brief periods of heavy snow caused extensive blowing and drifting snow across central and northern Indiana. Frequent periods of reduced visibility to zero caused numerous motor vehicle accidents on interstaters, state, and county roads. In northeastern Indiana winds were clocked to near 50 mph during the afternoon. This resulted in numerous accidents with 105 people being treated for injuries at local hospitals. One accident on Interstate 69 in Huntington County resulted in 65 injuries alone. Conditions were so hazardous that the Indiana State Police recommended against any travel in northeast Indiana. Two motorists were killed in automobile accidents in Wabash County directly attributable to the lowered visibility. In northwest Indiana snow accumulated 6 to 8 inches with wind gusts to 47 mph at South Bend which caused whiteout conditions, numerous accidents, and forced the closure of many highways. The Indiana Toll road was closed for several hours during the afternoon because of drifting snow and accidents. Numerous roads were also closed in other sections of north-central Indiana and north of the Indianapolis area. State Road 31 was closed near Grissom AFB with wind gusts in excess of 60 mph also reported at Grissom AFB. Considerable damage to signs was also reported throughout the area.” (National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, Vol. 32, No. 2, Feb 1990, p. 55.)

 

NCDC on Michigan: “All Michigan…[Feb’ 23 1800 EST…Heavy Snow High Wind…A fast moving storm over southern Wisconsin on the evening of the 23rd was located over northwest Ohio by 0700 EST on the 24th. An Arctic from accompanying this storm caused near blizzard conditions for several hours as the storm moved through Michigan. Numerous reports of wind gusts between 40 and 50 mph were received. The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor reported wind gusts to 74 mph. Near zero visibilities across lower Michigan from midmorning into midafternoon contributed to a record number of accidents. According to Michigan AAA’s five year daily record of accidents reported for one day, this day (over 5,000 accidents) exceeded the near-record set about a week earlier. Many trees were badly damaged. Many minor injuries were reported due to auto accidents and one Grand Rapids woman died when she stopped to help other motorists involved in a multiple vehicle collision. She was struck by a passing car during the blinding snow. No other deaths were reported with this storm. The state police reported about 500 auto accidents during this storm. Several were chain-reaction collisions where as many as 100 cars collided, as happened near Pontiac. The strong winds downed many power lines so almost 4,000 homes were without power. Snowfalls were difficult to measure due to high winds and temperatures that plunged into the low teens in the south during the afternoon. However, 9.5 inches was reported in Allegan County, in the southwest Lower Michigan. Most areas of the state had 4 to 8 inches. In the Saginaw area 5 foot drifts were reported.” (National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, Vol. 32, No. 2, Feb 1990, p. 63.)

 

NCDC on Ohio: “Central Lakeshore, Northeast Lakeshore, Northeast Inland, East Central…[Feb] 24 Afternoon-Evening…Blizzard…A cold front brought a period of heavy snow and very strong winds to northern and eastern Ohio during the afternoon and evening of the 24th. Ahead of the cold front, winds were from the south at 10 to 20 mph. After frontal passage, winds jumped to between 30 to 40 mph with gust to 60 mph. These winds along with the snow and rapidly falling temperatures created blizzard conditions across much of northeast and eastern Ohio. Trees and power lines were blown down in isolated area, which caused some power outages. Snowfall totals ranged from 4 to 8 inches across northeast and east-central Ohio.” (National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, Vol. 32, No. 2, Feb 1990, p. 81.)

 

Sources

 

Associated Press. “Icy roads, blinding snow were culprits in crash.” Xenia Daily Gazette, OH, 2-27-1990, p. 2. Accessed 12-13-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/xenia-daily-gazette-feb-27-1990-p-2/

 

Associated Press. “Woman Dies From Exposure.” Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, IN, 2-26-1990, p. 10. Accessed 12-13-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/logansport-pharos-tribune-feb-26-1990-p-10/

 

National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, Vol. 32, No. 2, Feb 1990. Asheville, NC: NCDC, NOAA. Accessed 12-12-2018 at: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-6F48946C-6DFD-458A-8A18-8A9A6F3AB1F0.pdf

 

Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, IN. “Mother and Son, 3, Electrocuted after Traffic Accident.” 2-26-1990, p. 1. Accessed 12-13-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/logansport-pharos-tribune-feb-26-1990-p-1/

 

Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, IN. “Six Killed In State Accidents.” 2-25-1990, A10. Accessed 12-13-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/logansport-pharos-tribune-feb-25-1990-p-10/

 

Rushville Republican, IN. “Eight deaths blamed on snow storm.” 2-26-1990, p. 1. Accessed 12-13-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/rushville-republican-feb-26-1990-p-1/

 

Sandusky Register, OH. “Authorities still totaling crash counts.” 2-26-1990, p. 1. Accessed 12-13-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/sandusky-register-feb-26-1990-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.

 

Titusville Herald, PA. “Icy Highway Contributes to Fatal Crash.” 2-26-1990, p. 5. Accessed 12-13-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/titusville-herald-feb-26-1990-p-5/

 

 

[1] “At least eight deaths have been attributed to a weekend winter storm that brought strong winds and drifting snow to Indiana. All eight were killed Saturday in automobile accidents caused by slick and icy roads.”

[2] Eva Callahan, 79, went outside to retrieve newspaper, wearing a housecoat, and fell down some steps. A passerby found her two hours later. (AP. “Woman Dies From Exposure.” Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, IN, 2-26-1990, p. 10.)

[3] Carol F. Cornell, 29, of Brook, and her three-year-old son were electrocuted when they got out of their car and stepped on downed wires from a utility pole they car had knocked down. (Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, IN. “Mother and Son, 3, Electrocuted after Traffic Accident.” 2-26-1990, p. 1.)

[4] Rushville Republican, IN. Eight deaths blamed on snow storm.” 2-26-1990, p. 1.

[5] Rushville Republican, IN. Eight deaths blamed on snow storm.” 2-26-1990, p. 1.

[6] National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, Vol. 32, No. 2, Feb 1990, p. 55.

[7] Rushville Republican, IN. Eight deaths blamed on snow storm.” 2-26-1990, p. 1.

[8] Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, IN. “Six Killed In State Accidents.” 2-25-1990, A10. Rick D. Minnix, 31, killed.

[9] National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, Vol. 32, No. 2, Feb 1990, p. 63.

[10] Titusville Herald, PA. “Icy Highway Contributes to Fatal Crash.” 2-26-1990, p. 5.

[11] Sandusky Register, OH. “Authorities still totaling crash counts.” 2-26-1990, p. 1. “The patrol said at least 32 vehicles were involved in the accident, which also injured at least 50 people.” See, also: Schmidlin and Schmidlin. Thunder in the Heartland, 1996, p. 73; and AP. “Icy roads, blinding snow were culprits in crash.” Xenia Daily Gazette, OH, 2-27-1990, p. 2.

[12] Sandusky Register, OH. “Storm.” (continued from A1), 2-26-1990, p. 2.