Theblizzard of 2026has already broken a state snowfall record set during the infamous and unforgettable Blizzard of 1978, which buried New England under feet of snow, and remains seared into several generations' memories of historic storms.
About 100 deaths were blamed on that devastating storm across the entire East Coast. Over 4,500 people were injured, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Long before cell phones, the internet, or instant communications, the storm struck almost without warning and at a disastrous time of day, especially in the Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, metro areas.
Though both storms are similar — with a major storm system lingering over the region for over a day and whipping the region with merciless hurricane-level winds, driving inch after inch of wet snow — what made the 1978 storm so devastating was the apparent suddenness of its arrival.
Tragically, some deaths were attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning, as people stranded in their cars left the engines running to keep them warm, and snow piled up around them.
Why the Blizzard of '78 was so devastating
The blizzard struck on Feb. 6, 1978, a time when weather forecasts were more rudimentary and far slower than they are today.
Weather forecasts suggested a blizzard that rampaged across the Midwest could meet another storm heading up from the southern coast, covering the area in snow on that Monday morning. But when morning came, and there was no snow, skeptical New Englanders treated the workday like business as usual.
The internet did not exist. There were no weather alerts on your smartphone. In Massachusetts, the state's Department of Transportation received periodic updates from the National Weather Service over a teletype machine. By the time the snow actually began to fall, — and it became clear it wouldn't stop — it was far too late.
Old information and lots of snow
Information was often several hours old by the time it reached the plow crews — not that they could keep up.
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By the time then-Gov. Michael Dukakis — wearing a sweater — declared a state of emergency and people began leaving work in the early afternoon, the storm was peaking. This was also a time without 24-hour cable news and app alerts. Most hadn't heard the latest forecasts, that the heaviest snow was beginning to fall and wouldn't stop for hours.
Thousands of people who ventured onto roads couldn't make it home, buried in the swiftly falling snow. People abandoned their cars on streets and highways, further complicating matters when plows couldn't get through.
The interstate highway system was shut down for a week, along with local driving bans. Recovery efforts took significant resources from the National Guard and cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
Let it snow! Revisit one of the coldest decades in the US.
Record-breaking in Rhode Island
Though its societal impact may never be topped, the Blizzard of '78 must now take a back seat to the blizzard of 2026 in terms of the snowiest storm in Rhode Island history.
This year's blizzard is smashing Rhode Island's record snowfall totals. At 1 p.m., the storm had dumped 32.8 inches on Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, according to the National Weather Service, obliterating the 28.6-inch mark that fell there during 1978.
On Feb. 6-7, 1978, 30 inches of snow was reported in Woonsocket, which the state Department of Environmental Management considered the highest snowfall total, before Feb. 23, of any 24 hours in Rhode Island.
Contributing: The Providence Journal
Doyle Rice is a national correspondent for USA TODAY, with a focus on weather and climate.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Blizzard of 1978 is remembered as snow records fall in New England
