Winter Storm Nemo brings back memories of the Buffalo Blizzard of 1977

Motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles as the storm began to make roads impassable. In some cases, plows scooped up snow-covered cars as they lay buried and invisible to the plow drivers.Snow fighting equipment being unloaded from a U.S. Air Force C-5A at the Buffalo Airport, now the Niagara Falls International Airport. Plows and equipment had to be flown in from Colorado, New York City and Toronto, and the National Guard and NY Department of the Transportation worked together to clear the streets.Photo of a house in North Tonawanda, NY almost completely buried in snow in the aftermath of the blizzard. All that is visible is the inclined roof and chimney.View the list »
Few storms will compare to the severity of the Blizzard of 77.

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A monster storm that pounded the northeast this weekend dumped close to three feet of snow and has knocked out power to millions of homes. At least nine have died in snow-related accidents.

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Dubbed Winter Storm Nemo, states like New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey were in a lockdown mode – airports and schools are closed, motorists are told to keep off the roads, and supermarket shelves are stripped bear of essentials.

Severe though the storm is, few blizzards will ever compare to the one that hit the New York area in the winter of 1977. During Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, close to six feet of snow fell each day. By the time the storm was over, some areas had an incomprehensible 30 feet of snow.

Take a walk back in time through the slideshow below.

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  • Photo of a house in North Tonawanda, NY almost completely buried in snow in the aftermath of the blizzard. All that is visible is the inclined roof and chimney.
  • Snow fighting equipment being unloaded from a U.S. Air Force C-5A at the Buffalo Airport, now the Niagara Falls International Airport. Plows and equipment had to be flown in from Colorado, New York City and Toronto, and the National Guard and NY Department of the Transportation worked together to clear the streets.
  • Motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles as the storm began to make roads impassable. In some cases, plows scooped up snow-covered cars as they lay buried and invisible to the plow drivers.
  • An aerial view of the city of Buffalo. The Skyway going into the city, the I-190 and Memorial Auditorium, the old home of the Buffalo Sabres.
  • In many cases, the snow turned roads into one-lane corridors. Plows slowly made their rounds, but it was weeks before secondary roads were cleared.
  • Blowing snow and ice turn this building in Buffalo into a cave-like labyrinth of icicles. The amount of snow that fell, coupled with the wind, turned much of the city into surreal landscapes.
  • The entire city and surrounding suburbs were completely snowed in for over weeks. A federal state of emergency was in effect which included a complete driving ban for over one week in Buffalo. Seen here, people climb a mountain of cars.
  • The storm pulled the community together. Individuals helped out their neighbors with any tools they could find to clear the snow. People could only "guess" where their cars were buried.
  • In an iconic image of the storm, kids in the city of Buffalo reach up and touch the streetlights, some 35 feet in the air. In other places, power lines lay dangerously within reach.
  • In Watertown NY, north of Buffalo, men stare in amazement at the wall of snow. Plows struggled to throw the snow up and over the massive drifts.
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, Buffalo Top News Examiner

With a strong freelance background, Jay is pleased to have the opportunity to bring you articles relating to breaking news and trending, niche online topics. Jay also contributes articles on personal finance and taxes. He is a published freelance writer, and he ghostwrites for other online sites,...

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