Wow. Hard to believe the blizzard that basically set WNY’s reputation as a mini-arctic – was 41 years ago!
The blizzard of 1977 hit Western New York from January 28 to February 1. It was the snow and wind combination that wreaked havoc. Wind gusts were as fierce as 69 miles per hour. And snowfall as high as 100 inches in some areas! That combination blew drifts into piles as high as 40 feet!!!
Cars and homes were buried in snow. Snowmobiles became the only method of transportation in the area. The entire area was paralyzed for days.
The unbelievable weather event left death and destruction behind – but, it did something else, too. It showed the resilience of this area, of the people. It proved that Western New Yorkers could handle anything.
The blizzard of ’77 showed what Western New Yorkers were made of. And perhaps prepared us for what was to come over the next few decades – things like population decline and sports heartbreak. We are a tough bunch… and we’ve surely proven it over the decades.
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