Local weather watchers and broadcast meteorologists were attempting to assess the collective damage of the “Christmas Week Blizzard” Thursday, Friday and Saturday and making comparisons with the infamous Blizzard of 1978. Some broadcasters reported the total snowfall was greater than the storm from 45 years ago. A local resident posted on Facebook this photo showing a whopping 20 inches of the white stuff, but the picture also included a snowdrift, which could have skewed the data somewhat. Nonetheless, it was indeed the storm of a generation, at least the worst in this area since 2011, closing schools, restaurants, businesses, churches and even the Gun Lake Casino. West Michigan area residents were digging out Christmas Day Sunday and there were strong rumors that a warmup would arrive by the end of the week.
Mr Young:
Since the latter 1950s, when I can remember snowfall, this current blizzard seems like normal snowfall in the ’50s ’60s, and with a real blizzard in ’78.
I graduated high school in 1964 and we never had a snow day. When the bus hit a snowdrift, a farmer with chain and tractor got us going again. Did everyone make it to school? No. But going to a rural school there were times when helping for a day or two on the farm “trumped” attending class.
Times were different then, so comparing the blizzard of approximately 44 years ago, is almost impossible.
I call no blizzard, but with today’s standards closing almost everything may have been the best.
As a ‘blizzard’ is defined as a weather incident characterized as lasting three or more hours, having wind speeds above 35 MPH, and falling snow, this most recent incident certainly qualifies as a legitimate ‘blizzard’. Did it compare to the Blizzard of ’78? Hardly. But it was STILL a bone-chilling event to go out into it. (NO weather event in my lifetime has been as unforgettable as the Blizzard of ’78!)
Harry, I can’t remember the school I went to ever being closed. I grew up in Kentwood area and I think 1978 was the only time. It’s funny when we get three inches they have to take a snow day. Also when we get six inches, some of the 20-year-olds think we got hammered. I always tell them that was almost a daily accumulation in the sixties and seventies during the winter time.
Blizzard? Where?
The blizzard of 1978 was a once in a life storm or at least I hope so. 131 was closed for close to a week and payloaders were used to open it up. The problem they had was abandoned buried vehicles in the way. Local snowmobilers were recruited for anything from rescuing stranded motorists to delivering food, meds and fuel to rural residents in need. Taking care of livestock was a true challenge as you could imagine.
Back in the day there were not many 4×4 vehicles as there is today but what we did have was the commonsense to stay home when the weather gets bad. Walmart isn’t going broke if you don’t show up everyday.
I was impressed that the casino and several other businesses closed down for the worst of the storm. They could have very well saved lives. Maybe a little common sense does still exist.
Just saying.