A meteorological and social comparison of the New England blizzards of 1978 and 2013

Abstract

The Northeast United States Blizzard of February 1978 was an intense snowstorm that deposited >30 cm of snow on much of the northeastern United States and disrupted life for millions of residents. The disruption was perhaps greatest in and around Boston, where >60 cm of snow fell on a busy Monday, stranding thousands of commuters. Severe coastal flooding also caused major damage. For many area residents, life did not return to normal until the following week. In 2013, a meteorologically similar blizzard once again affected the northeastern United States. Like before Boston received >60 cm of snow—disrupting business and routine. However, the disruption was much shorter in duration. Few people were stranded on roadways, children only missed a few days of school, and the airport closed for less than one day. The authors of this paper examined meteorological data, newspapers, and other accounts and information about the two storms to determine why the societal impacts were so different. Weather forecasting has improved significantly in the 35 yr separating the storms, and this is one very important factor. Similarly, the substantial preparations made by the public sector and individuals in response to the forecasts of the 2013 storm also contributed to the large differences in impact. In conclusion, whereas the blizzards of 1978 and 2013 were somewhat similar storms, preparatory actions made in response to forecasts caused the impacts of the 2013 storm to be much less disruptive and shorter in duration than for the 1978 storm.