44 years since Ohio's blizzard of '78

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- 44 years ago today, Ohio had one of its worst blizzards in living memory. From Jan. 25 to 27 of 1978, the state saw unfathomable severe winter weather from snow to cold to ice.

Gov. James A. Rhodes called the blizzard the “greatest disaster in Ohio history.” The state had snowfall ranging from 6 to 12 inches, coupled with wind gusts reaching speeds of 70 mph in Columbus and over 100 near Cleveland.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol wrote in a tweet remembering the day that snowdrifts from the very high winds were as deep as 25 feet.

(Photos: Ohio History Connection, NWS Wilmington)

Low temperatures also caused ice to form, making roads next to impossible to travel on. Rhodes declared a state of emergency and urged Ohio residents to stay home during this storm of the century.

Nearly 6,000 people were stranded on Ohio roads. The combination of extreme cold and snow blowing in the wind caused the deaths of 51 Ohioans, and nearly half of the victims died while stranded in vehicles.

An estimated 175,000 residents lost electricity for several days, and most schools and businesses were shuttered for a week or more.

The Ohio Army National Guard rescued more than 10,000 Ohioans by truck, Ohio Air National Guard helicopter flights flew 2,700 missions to assist stranded motorists and deliver medical supplies.

NBC4 Meteorologist Ben Gelber gives a detailed account on the factors that contributed to making the '78 blizzard maybe the worst winter storm the state has ever had.