Great Blizzard of 1888

The Great Blizzard of 1888, also known as the Great White Hurricane, struck the northeastern United States from March 11 to March 14. Sudden and severe winter storms produced snow drifts over 50 feet high and winds up to 80 mph. The blizzard caught many off guard, stranding commuters and shutting down transportation, leading to widespread chaos. Major cities like New York and Boston were severely affected, with over 400 fatalities. The disaster highlighted the need for better weather forecasting and led to significant changes in how weather information was communicated to the public.