The Blizzard of ’78: Snow, Stories, and Shoveling Memories

When I think of snow, I think of sledding, snowmen, and shoveling—lots and lots of shoveling. But for many Clevelanders, snow also brings back memories of one winter storm that stands above all others.

Today marks the 48th anniversary of the Great Blizzard of 1978—aptly nicknamed the White Hurricane. This was a remember-it-for-50-years kind of storm; the kind Clevelanders still talk about with their kids and grandkids (and anyone else within earshot whenever it snows). If you lived through it, you know exactly where you were when it hit. Transportation shut down, schools closed (a shocking rarity), businesses went dark for days, and daily life simply stopped. President Jimmy Carter eventually declared a federal emergency.

The storm began early on the morning of January 26, 1978, when two low-pressure systems merged and moved across the Midwest into Ohio. What followed were near-hurricane-force winds, brutally cold temperatures, and heavy snowfall—between one and three feet across the state over two days.

Temperatures were already hovering near zero, and winds averaged between 50 and 70 miles per hour. Combined with fresh snowfall and already-deep snow from earlier in the month, conditions became extreme. Snowdrifts reached heights of up to 25 feet in some areas, burying cars and homes, blocking highways and railways, and closing airports statewide for two days. The storm also produced some of the lowest barometric pressure readings ever recorded on the U.S. mainland outside of hurricanes.

The Blizzard of ’78 remains the benchmark by which many Ohio snowstorms are judged—and quietly compared.

And yet, when many of us think back on that time, we also remember something else: the incredible sense of community. Neighbors helping neighbors, sharing food, checking in, and creating warmth in the middle of a deep freeze.

With the effects of Winter Storm Fern being felt now, it’s a reminder that while the snow may come and go, the Rocky River (and Cleveland) spirit endures. Stay warm, stay safe, and if you’re able, check on a neighbor.

Your friends at the Rocky River Historical Society