Pennsylvanians went to sleep on January 6, 1996, not yet aware of the virtual winter wonderland the state would turn into or how their lives would come to an abrupt standstill thanks to a forceful blast of winter in the ensuing 36 hours. Just about every corner of Pennsylvania suffered the wrath of the Blizzard of ’96 to some degree. Do you remember the largest blizzard in Pennsylvania? For some, it was a night that they will never forget.
Snow started falling in Pennsylvania on January 7, 1996, hitting just about every part of the state. But, over the next 36 hours, Philadelphia would get hit the hardest, tallying nearly 31 inches of snow.
Flickr/Matt Blaze
Reading came in a close second with 30 inches of snowfall during the Blizzard of ‘96.
Flickr/Tony Buser
Allentown saw 25.9 inches of snow while Pittsburgh (pictured below) only had a helping of 9.5 inches.
Flickr/Matt Niemi
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge declared a state of emergency, instructing all Pennsylvanians - except police, emergency workers, and pedestrians - to stay off of the roads as the state tried to deal with the problems from the blizzard, including…
Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
Barns collapsing from the weight of the snow. The snow had become so burdensome in the Philadelphia area that Philadelphia snow trucks hauled the snow to the water, dropping it in the Schuylkill River and the Delaware River.
Flickr/mimika9
Approximately 52 people were injured in Pittsburgh when two PAT buses collided during the snowstorm.
Flickr/Christopher Amrich
All told, the Blizzard of ‘96 claimed the lives of 80 Pennsylvanians, more than any other state (or district) - including New Jersey, Virginia, Washington D.C., and New England - that also endured the epic snowstorm.
Flickr/Emily Bell
Click below to watch coverage of the Blizzard of ’96 from Philadelphia.
Flickr/Matt Blaze
Flickr/Tony Buser
Flickr/Matt Niemi
Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
Flickr/mimika9
Flickr/Christopher Amrich
Flickr/Emily Bell
The Blizzard of ’96 in Pennsylvania hit just about the entire state, some parts worse than others. It was, for many, so epic that people still talk about it today. What do you remember about the largest blizzard in Pennsylvania? Share with us in the comments section!
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Largest Blizzard In Pennsylvania November 24, 2019 Marisa Roman When was the biggest blizzard in Pennsylvania? Pennsylvania has had some pretty big and dangerous snowstorms throughout the years. Unfortunately for many Pennsylvania residents, some of the biggest snowstorms in Pennsylvania have happened more recently! In fact, one of the biggest blizzards in the state just happened in December 2017 in Erie when a record-breaking snowstorm was declared a disaster emergency. With nearly 57 inches of snow in just two days, conditions were so hazardous that airports were forced to close. What is the most snow ever recorded in Pennsylvania? While the Pennsylvania blizzard of 1996 brought a ton of snowfall and dangerous conditions, there are still other storms that brought record-breaking snow to the state. In fact, the all-time record for snowfall in the state clocked in at Erie, Pennsylvania yet again, with a record 191.5 inches of snow in 2018. While an average winter in Erie usually has around 100 inches of snow, 2018 brought nearly double that average with a tumultuous winter. What is winter weather in Pennsylvania typically like? You probably wouldn’t guess it from what’s written above, but winter weather in Pennsylvania can depend on where you are in the state. Usually, Pennsylvania experiences colder winters when compared to other states in the country, with average high temperatures in the mid-20s during their coldest month in January. If you want to stay away from winter weather in Pennsylvania, it’ll be hard because even in Philadelphia the average snowfall is around 20 inches annually. Yet, that still is a big difference when compared to the snow belt in Lake Erie which gets over 100 inches annually.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Largest Blizzard In Pennsylvania
November 24, 2019
Marisa Roman
When was the biggest blizzard in Pennsylvania? Pennsylvania has had some pretty big and dangerous snowstorms throughout the years. Unfortunately for many Pennsylvania residents, some of the biggest snowstorms in Pennsylvania have happened more recently! In fact, one of the biggest blizzards in the state just happened in December 2017 in Erie when a record-breaking snowstorm was declared a disaster emergency. With nearly 57 inches of snow in just two days, conditions were so hazardous that airports were forced to close. What is the most snow ever recorded in Pennsylvania? While the Pennsylvania blizzard of 1996 brought a ton of snowfall and dangerous conditions, there are still other storms that brought record-breaking snow to the state. In fact, the all-time record for snowfall in the state clocked in at Erie, Pennsylvania yet again, with a record 191.5 inches of snow in 2018. While an average winter in Erie usually has around 100 inches of snow, 2018 brought nearly double that average with a tumultuous winter. What is winter weather in Pennsylvania typically like? You probably wouldn’t guess it from what’s written above, but winter weather in Pennsylvania can depend on where you are in the state. Usually, Pennsylvania experiences colder winters when compared to other states in the country, with average high temperatures in the mid-20s during their coldest month in January. If you want to stay away from winter weather in Pennsylvania, it’ll be hard because even in Philadelphia the average snowfall is around 20 inches annually. Yet, that still is a big difference when compared to the snow belt in Lake Erie which gets over 100 inches annually.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Pennsylvania has had some pretty big and dangerous snowstorms throughout the years. Unfortunately for many Pennsylvania residents, some of the biggest snowstorms in Pennsylvania have happened more recently! In fact, one of the biggest blizzards in the state just happened in December 2017 in Erie when a record-breaking snowstorm was declared a disaster emergency. With nearly 57 inches of snow in just two days, conditions were so hazardous that airports were forced to close.
What is the most snow ever recorded in Pennsylvania?
While the Pennsylvania blizzard of 1996 brought a ton of snowfall and dangerous conditions, there are still other storms that brought record-breaking snow to the state. In fact, the all-time record for snowfall in the state clocked in at Erie, Pennsylvania yet again, with a record 191.5 inches of snow in 2018. While an average winter in Erie usually has around 100 inches of snow, 2018 brought nearly double that average with a tumultuous winter.
What is winter weather in Pennsylvania typically like?
You probably wouldn’t guess it from what’s written above, but winter weather in Pennsylvania can depend on where you are in the state. Usually, Pennsylvania experiences colder winters when compared to other states in the country, with average high temperatures in the mid-20s during their coldest month in January. If you want to stay away from winter weather in Pennsylvania, it’ll be hard because even in Philadelphia the average snowfall is around 20 inches annually. Yet, that still is a big difference when compared to the snow belt in Lake Erie which gets over 100 inches annually.
