Blizzard of 1996: 50 Fabulous Photographs of New York City Covered in the Ice _ US Memories

Ask anyone who lived in the Northeast or mid-Atlantic in the mid-90s to name a memorable weather event, and odds are they’ll come up with the “Blizzard of 1996.” The storm began on January 6, and spent three days dumping snow across several Eastern states.

Only the police, fire department, and hospital staff reported to work; residents were advised to stay home and await the passing of the storm. The storm intensified, and traffic came to a halt, leaving many people stranded mid-way to their destinations. There was high anxiety and frustration at airports, bus terminals, and rest stops along highways. The grocery stores looked as foreboding and empty as they did in post-apocalyptic films by evening. Con Edison reported a power outage in Gravesend, Brooklyn, affecting 1500 customers, though services would be restored the following night. From Washington to Boston, damages were estimated at a billion dollars, while casualties reached a hundred from Kentucky to Connecticut. People living on the streets of New York were the most affected. Even though the city made every effort to relocate the homeless safely, only 7200 beds in 39 shelters were occupied.