1947 — Dec 26-27, Winter Snow Storm, New England/20, PA/2, NJ/31, NY/17 –70-77

— ~77 Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). 1982, p. 269.
— 77 Forces of Nature. “Snowstorms: Case Studies.”
— 77 Turkel, Stephen. “The Blizzard of 1888,” p. 65 in Kartman, Ben, Disaster! 2007.
— >70 AP. “Eastern Seaboard Storm…Death Toll…70.” Biddeford Daily Journal, 12-29-1947, 1.
— 70 AP. “N.Y. City…Battle of Snow,” Berkshire Evening Eagle, MA. 12-29-1947, p. 1.
–69-70 Blanchard tally based upon State breakouts below.
— 58 AP. “Hundreds of Thousands Called…” Portland Sunday Telegram, ME. 12-28-1947, 1.
— >54 Cumberland Times, MD. “55 Deaths Reported…Snow Storm…East,” 12-28-1947, p. 1.
— 35 Berkshire Evening Eagle. “Worst N.Y. Storm Brings Food, Fuel Crisis,” 12-27-1947, p1.
— 27 NWS FO, Philadelphia/Mount Holly. “Historical Weather Facts…,” Oct 17, 2005

Summary of State Breakouts Below

Connecticut (5 – 6)
Maine ( 1)
Massachusetts ( 9)
New Hampshire ( 2)
New Jersey ( 31)
New York ( 17)
Pennsylvania ( 2)
Rhode Island ( 2)
Total 69-70

Breakout of Winter Storm-Related Fatalities by State and Locality (where noted)

Connecticut (5-6)
–6 State. AP. “N.Y. City…Battle of Snow,” Berkshire Evening Eagle, MA. 12-29-1947, p. 1.
–5 AP. “25.8-Inch Fall Exceeds Great Blizzard of 1888.” Portland Press Herald, ME. 12-27-1947, 1.
–5 Blanchard tally of locality breakouts below.
Breakout of storm-related fatalities by locality (where noted).
–1 New Britain. Overexertion, walking home through snow; Joseph Mahaley.
–1 Thomaston. Apparent heart attack; snow-shoveling; Clarence J. Wightman, 62.
–1 Tolland. Collapse after shoveling snow; Father William F. Dunn.
–1 West Hartford. Apparent heart attack after digging car out of snow; Ernest J. Comeau.
–1 Locale not noted. Overexertion; NY lawyer Augustine Snowhart, 68.

Maine ( 1)
–1 State. AP. “N.Y. City…Battle of Snow,” Berkshire Evening Eagle, MA. 12-29-1947, p. 1.

Massachusetts ( 9)
–9 State. AP. “N.Y. City…Battle of Snow,” Berkshire Evening Eagle, MA. 12-29-1947, p. 1.

New Hampshire ( 2)
–2 State. AP. “N.Y. City…Battle of Snow,” Berkshire Evening Eagle, MA. 12-29-1947, p. 1.

New Jersey ( 31)
–31 AP. “N.Y. City…Battle of Snow,” Berkshire Evening Eagle, MA. 12-29-1947, p. 1.
–4 Bergen County.
–1 Glen Rock. Apparent heart attack pushing car in snow; male, 62.
–31 Ensslin. “Remembering the blizzard of 1947, the epic snowstorm…” NorthJersey.com, 1-4-2018.
–24 Cumberland Times, MD. “55 Deaths Reported…Storm…East,” 28Dec1947.
–23 NWS FO, Philadelphia/Mount Holly. “Historical Weather Facts…,” 10-17-2005.

New York (17)
–17 State. AP. “N.Y. City…Battle of Snow,” Berkshire Evening Eagle, MA. 12-29-1947, p. 1.

Pennsylvania ( 2)
–2 State. AP. “N.Y. City…Battle of Snow,” Berkshire Evening Eagle, MA. 12-29-1947, p. 1.

Rhode Island ( 2)
–2 State. AP. “N.Y. City…Battle of Snow,” Berkshire Evening Eagle, MA. 12-29-1947, p. 1.

Narrative Information

NWS: “1947… Dec 26-27) NY-NJ-New England. Heavy snowfall, 6 to nearly 30″ in NJ; 29.7″ at Long Branch for greatest 24-hour fall of record in State. 27 dead, 23 in NJ. (LS6211 ).”
(NWS FO, Philadelphia/Mount Holly. “Historical Weather Facts…,” Oct 17, 2005.)

Turkel: “The blizzard of 1947 swept in from the Atlantic, where no weather observations are made, and before it had ended New York lay smothered under 99,000,000 tons of snow. More than 30,000 men at a cost to the city of $6,000,000, worked in shifts to load the snow into trucks, shovel it into sewers, clear main streets to facilitate transportation of fuel oil, food, coal and medicine. Thousands of commuters were marooned overnight in cold, stalled trains between Manhattan and their homes. Standard suburbanites filled midtown hotels to overflowing. Trains were as much as twelve hours late on normal runs of less than an hour….City hospitals were plagued by the greatest number of calls for aid in their history. At least seventy-seven deaths were attributed to the storm in eight North Atlantic states.” (Turkel, Stephen. “The Blizzard of 1888,” p. 65 in Kartman, Ben, Disaster! 2007.)

Newspapers

Dec 24: “Boston, Dec. 24 – Bell-ringing carolers ushered in Boston’s Christmas in traditional fashion tonight as New England continued digging out of the ten-inch snowstorm that mantled the area in white for the holiday….

“Meanwhile, highway crews were busily engaged in clearing thoroughfares out of the city and throughout New England. The Worcester Turnpike, one of the main arteries from here to New York, was being plowed after six miles of it, in Wellesley, Mass., had been blocked during the storm. An estimated 400 motor-cars were abandoned there. Motor and rail traffic was subject to some delay all day. The Logan airport was reopened for flights at 10 A.M. and reasonably-on-time service was resumed.

“A check of the results of the storm that caught the area by surprise showed that six persons had died as they battled the elements or shoveled snow. Three babies were born before medical aid could respond to calls during the night.

“Weather bureau forecasters admitted they had been wrong in predicting a ‘few snowflakes likely,’ declaring the storm built up suddenly over the water south of Long Island Sound and merged with a weak storm from the west.” (New York Times. “New Englanders Dig Out Of Snow.” 12-25-1947, p. 9.)

Dec 27: “New York (AP)….The storm, sweeping in with surprise fury early yesterday, surpassed lot 20.9-inch downfall left by the famous Blizzard of 1888. It pelted the area with an average 1 hourly fall of 1.8 inches and ended officially after 15 hours and 45 minutes. At least 35 persons lost their lives in the storm belt which embraced parts of New England, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and southeastern New York and extended south to include Washington, D.C. New Jersey, where 30 inches of snow was officially reported in Long Branch, counted 12 dead, and New York 9. Connecticut reported five deaths, Pennsylvania, two; Massachusetts, three; Rhode Island, two; and New Hampshire, two.” (Berkshire Evening Eagle. “Worst…,” Dec 27, 1947)

Related article notes several deaths from over-exertion associated with shoveling deep snow. (Berkshire Evening Eagle. “NE Faces New Storms After One of Its Worst,” 12-27-1947, 1.)

Dec 27: “NEW YORK, Dec. 27—(AP)—One hundred thousand city employees were ordered tonight to report for work to aid thousands of weary workers struggling to free the world’s greatest city from yesterday’s record 25.8-inch snowfall. The storm, which extended from New England to Washington, D. C., took at least 54 lives. Hard hit New Jersey, where 30 inches of snow fell at Long Branch, counted 24 dead.” (Cumberland Times (MD). “55 Deaths Reported…Snow Storm…East,” Dec 28, 1947, 1.)

Dec 27, NYC: “A temporary spurt in the number of heatless homes in and around the city was predicted yesterday. Fuel companies said the record snowfall might seriously aggravate an already bad situation. Deliveries of coal and oil on had here were cut to a fraction of normal because of blocked streets – and it was said that new supplies might be held back by continued bad weather.

“By 4 P.M., the Department of Health had received 605 complaints from tenants who said there was no heat in their apartments. This was a record for the year and a high number for any year. Borough offices will be open today and tomorrow from 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. to receive calls and investigate them. The department reported it also had heard from eighty-five landlords who said they had been unable to buy fuel oil. The latter callers were referred to the Mayor’s Emergency Fuel Committee at Police Headquarters, where three men from the Health Department’s bureau of sanitary engineering had been stationed.

“At headquarters, it was said that every effort was being made to arrange for deliveries of fuel oil to hardship cases. However, oil companies throughout the metropolitan area reported overwhelming difficulties in their attempts to deliver available stocks. One large dealer in Brooklyn said he had fourteen trucks stuck in drifts by the middle of the afternoon.

“Several fuel dealers were critical of the city officials in charge of snow removal operations. They said that even where streets were passable, it was virtually impossible for a truck to park near enough to a sidewalk to make a delivery. An official of a small oil company in the Bronx said: ‘We have three trucks. They’re all stuck. The city stinks.’….” (New York Times. “More Heatless Homes Predicted As Snow Impedes Fuel Deliveries.” 12-27-1947, pp. 1 and 5.)

Jan 1: “Thirty-five hundred vehicles of all sorts were still marooned in snow-clogged side streets in the five boroughs, a police report showed yesterday. The condition, officials said, still hampered snow-clearing forces as they began concentrating on side streets and isolated sections.

“During the day, 200 Department of Sanitation trucks, equipped with towing apparatus, removed 534 vehicles, including 369 passenger cars, ninety-one trucks, three trailers and one bus. In many instances, gangs of men working on intersections indirectly heaped additional snow upon cars already buried or partially covered.

“A breakdown of figures covering the five boroughs showed that there were 1,188 marooned vehicles in Manhattan, including 1,130 passenger cars, fifty-three trucks, four trailers and one bus. The Bronx had 1,817, including 1,748 passenger cars, sixty-eight trucks and one trailer; Brooklyn, 386, including 348 passenger cars and thirty-eight trucks; Queens 330, including 324 passenger cars and six trucks; Richmond, thirty-five passenger cars….” (New York Times. “3,500 Autos Here Still Marooned.” 1-1-1948, p. 9.)

Jan 4, NYC: “New York yesterday had virtually won its fight to shake loose from the paralyzing effects of the Dec. 26 record-breaking snow-storm and the New Year’s Day aftermath of sleet. Mayor O’Dwyer announced in the morning that every street in the city was passable and every fire hydrant accessible.

“Friday’s snowstorm swept out to sea without further crippling of utilities, and smiling skies and warm sun were completing the rout of the snow giant that had fettered the city. Today’s prediction of ‘sunny and somewhat warmer’ will further aid the suburban areas in clearing roadways that remained icy and bumpy yesterday, though the city itself was clear.

“The prohibition against use of private automobiles was ended at noon yesterday, but in making the announcement over Municipal Station WNYC and other radio stations Police Commissioner Arthur W. Wallander warned that conditions of the streets in some sections required the use of chains. He urged precautions in driving and the American Automobile Association supplemented this admonition with a warning that main routes outside the city were icy and dangerous for driving….” (NYT. “City Wins Battle Against Snow, Ice; Ban on Cars Ends.” 1-4-1948, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “25.8-Inch Fall Exceeds Great Blizzard of 1888.” Portland Press Herald, ME. 12-27-1947, 1. Accessed 5-12-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/portland-press-herald-dec-27-1947-p-1/

Associated Press. “Eastern Seaboard Storm Belt Death Toll Rises To 70.” Biddeford Daily Journal, 12-29-1947, 1. Accessed 5-12-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/biddeford-daily-journal-dec-29-1947-p-1/

Associated Press. “Hundreds of Thousands Called for Storm Job…” Portland Sunday Telegram, ME. 12-28-1947, 1. Accessed 5-12-2020: https://newspaperarchive.com/portland-press-herald-dec-28-1947-p-1/

Associated Press. “N.Y. City Transport Wins Battle of Snow,” Berkshire Evening Eagle, Pittsfield MA. 12-29-1947, 1. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=6541599

Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1982.

Cumberland Times, MD. “55 Deaths Reported As Result Of Snow Storm Blanketing East,” 12-28-1947, p. 1. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=96901938

Ensslin, John C. “Remembering the blizzard of 1947, the epic snowstorm that took New Jersey by surprise.” NorthJersey.com, 1-4-2018. Accessed 5-12-2020 at: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/new-jersey/2018/01/04/remembering-blizzard-1947-epic-snowstorm-took-new-jersey-surprise/748415001/

Forces of Nature. “Snowstorms: Case Studies.” Accessed 10/9/2009 at: http://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/snowstorms/casestudies.shtml#4

Kartman, Ben. Disaster! Read Books, 2007. Partially digitized by Google. Accessed at: http://books.google.com/books?id=lynBIKvEDBQC&source=gbs_navlinks_s

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 1-4-2018 at: https://www.weather.gov/phi/hist_phi

New York Times. “3,500 Autos Here Still Marooned.” 1-1-1948, p. 9. Accessed 5-12-2020 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1948/01/01/94641705.html?pageNumber=9

New York Times. “City Wins Battle Against Snow, Ice; Ban on Cars Ends.” 1-4-1948, p. 1. Accessed 5-12-2020 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1948/01/04/86892227.html?pageNumber=1

New York Times. “More Heatless Homes Predicted As Snow Impedes Fuel Deliveries.” 12-27-1947, pp. 1 and 5. Accessed 5-12-2020 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1947/12/27/104398043.html?pageNumber=1

New York Times. “New Englanders Dig Out Of Snow.” 12-25-1947, p. 9. Accessed 5-12-2020 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1947/12/25/87567116.html?pageNumber=9

Turkel, Stephen. “The Blizzard of 1888,” p. 65 in Kartman, Ben, Disaster! 2007. Google preview: http://books.google.com/books?id=lynBIKvEDBQC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false

United Press. “200 Cars Stalled Bumper To Bumper Along Merritt Parkway; 5 Dead In State.” Naugatuck Daily News, CT. 12-27-1947, p. 1. Accessed 5-12-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/naugatuck-daily-news-dec-27-1947-p-1/