1948 — Nov 18-20, Winter storm, near-blizzard/blizzard conditions, Pacific to Plains–      15

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard Sep 19, 2023 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

—>9  UP. “9 Die in Storm, Scores Missing. Near-Blizzard Batters State.” Racine Journal-Times. 11-20-1948, 1.

            –2  Montrose, CO area, car crash on slick highway.

–1  Springfield, CO area, man found frozen.

–1  Louisiana farmer electrocuted by touching wire blown down by strong winds.

–2  Willmar, MN. Head-on collision on icy road; two men.

–3  WA. Men who died in a snowstorm in the mountains.

Kansas            (  1)

–1  Hutchingson. Girl, 15, with diabetes, dies “when drifts blocked efforts to get her to a hospital.”[1]

Nebraska        (5-6)

–6  Dalstrom. “…The Winter of 1948-1949 in [NE].” Nebraska History, Vol. 82, 2002, p.113.

–5  Beatrice Daily Sun, NE. “Pickrell Farm Shelters 40; Blizzard Claims 5…” 11-21-1948, p.1.

–1  Elsie area farm, Nov 19. Chris Knoche; stove exploded during refueling.

–1  Lebanon area, Red Willow County, Nov 20. Exposure; farmer (Virgil Thomas).

–1  Seward, Seward Co. Heart attack shoveling snow; John F. Steinberg, 74.

–2  Stromsburg, Polk Co. Myron and Emerald Johnson (brothers) found frozen to death.[2]

 Narrative Information

Nov 19, AP: “Kansas City. AP – An early season blizzard paralyzed western Kansas today, isolating several communities and stranding hundreds of motorists. Power lines were down at Goodland, Quinter, Gorham, and Colby in the northwestern corner of the state, and Gov. Frank Carlson said he presumed other cities were in a similar plight, but crippled communications blocked reports. Garden City, population 7,000, was isolated after a 75 mile an hour windstorm piled up heavy drifts cutting rail and highway communication and severed all telephone and telegraph connections except one line. Capt. Tom Glasscock of the Dodge City highway patrol office said he had received 500 telephone calls from motorists who have been taken into farm homes. The Dodge City Globe said the Santa Fe railroad had picked up 150 motorists between Kinsley and Lakin, and estimated 800 more were stranded in that area. Many families were caught by surprise and were reported virtually foodless….

“The storm was sweeping to the east, due to cross the lower Great Lakes region tonight an tomorrow. Already schools were closed in parts of South Dakota and Minnesota as snow piled up to as much as 15 inches. To date, however, western Kansas appeared to be bearing the brunt of the storm….” (Associated Press. “Blizzard Paralyzes Western Kansas.” Centralia Evening Sentinel, IL. 11-19-1948, p. 1.)

Nov 21: “….Nebraska was not the only state hit by the storm. The late fall blizzard paralyzed a large strip of the great plains area from eastern Colorado to Minnesota. But Nebraska and western Kansas were hardest hit….” (Beatrice Daily Sun, NE. “Pickrell Farm Shelters 40; Blizzard Claims 5…” 11-21-1948, p. 2.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Blizzard Paralyzes Western Kansas.” Centralia Evening Sentinel, IL. 11-19-1948, p1. Accessed 9-19-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/centralia-evening-sentinel-nov-19-1948-p-1/

Associated Press. “Rescuing Still Goes on After Snowstorm.” Fairbury Daily News, NE. 11-20-1948, p. 1. Accessed 9-19-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/the-fairbury-daily-news-nov-20-1948-p-1/

Beatrice Daily Sun, NE. “Pickrell Farm Shelters 40; Blizzard Claims 5 Lives.” 11-21-1948, p. 1. Accessed 7-15-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/beatrice-daily-sun-nov-21-1948-p-1/?tag

Dalstrom, Harl A. “I’m Never Going to Be Snowbound Again: The Winter of 1948-1949 in Nebraska.” Nebraska History, Vol. 82, 2002, pp. 110-166. Accessed 7-15-2017 at: http://www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/publicat/history/full-text/2002-Snowbound.pdf

United Press. “9 Die in Storm, Scores Missing. Near-Blizzard Batters State.” Racine Journal-Times. 11-20-1948, p.1. Accessed 9-19-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/racine-journal-times-nov-20-1948-p-1/

[1] Associated Press. “Rescuing Still Goes on After Snowstorm.” Fairbury Daily News, NE. 11-20-1948, p. 1.

[2] Notes that Myron Johnson, 48, and brother Emerald, 43, “died in an apparent effort to reach a farmhouse after their car ran out of gas. The frozen bodies ere found about 50 feet apart, some three-quarters of a mile from their car.”

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