Thanksgiving is a time to focus on gratitude. This is often celebrated with the sharing of meals and good tidings, but in Cleveland, the thing we have to feel most thankful for is minimal snow... if we end up that lucky. Everyone knows the age-old joke ("don't like the weather in Cleveland? Just wait five minutes."), but in 1950, nobody was joking as they looked out their windows. The Cleveland Thanksgiving snowstorm of 1950 shocked the region and those that lived it still have not forgotten that cold, cold year.
The week of November 20, 1950 started out just like any other.
La Niña, however, was working behind the scenes. This weather pattern triggered an extratropical cyclone that moved up into the Ohio Valley and into the Appalachians.
However, everything changed on November 24.
The Great Appalachian Storm of 1950 rolled into Ohio and along the east coast, bringing with it hurricane-force winds into nearly half of the nation. A total of 353 people perished nationally, many left without power in the midst of a deep freeze.
Blizzard-like conditions rolled into Ohio and battered the state for days.
On Saturday, November 25, this incredible snowstorm had created snowdrifts that were 25 feet deep in some places.
Surprisingly, the scheduled University of Michigan and Ohio State University game went on as scheduled.
Every year, Ohioans remind each other, "It's just snow, we see it every year." Apparently, this was also true in 1950. This game became known as the "Snow Bowl," as it persisted despite local events throughout the state being canceled.
The "Thanksgiving Snow Storm," as it became known, dropped over 10 inches in most Ohio communities... and even more in places like Geneva and Steubenville.
Scientists and locals alike measured 33 inches in Steubenville, and they found that Geneva had 30 inches. Across state lines, the snow was just as deep. 30.5 inches of snow accumulated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and about 4 inches more was recorded in Parkersburg, West Virginia.
Snow piled up in Ohio and beyond, and its weight was so extreme in some places that roofs collapsed.
As snow led to the collapse of buildings, injuries were inevitable. Of course, it could have been worse than the weather which plagued Ohio. Over on the east coast, the gales damaged and roofs at the University of Connecticut as winds soared to over 100 MPH. The damage was said to be worse than that left in the wake of the hurricane of 1938.
For the sake of ambulances, bulldozers cleared roads, and Jeeps driven by members of the Ohio National Guard assisted in transporting patients and distributing food.
After all, hurricane-force winds had swept through the region. Trees were blown down, leaving many with only their fireplaces for heat and light. Fortunately, the unforgiving weather began to break as Monday rolled around.
This icy event has gone down in history... and it will always linger in the memories of those that lived it.
If one storm left an impact on the area, it was the Thanksgiving snowstorm of 1950 in Cleveland. This startling storm hit a world without modern snow plows and snow tires, leaving 22 states affected in its wake. Do you remember this startling Thanksgiving snowstorm?
These images are truly a walk down memory lane. Craving more? These 9 unforgettable winters in Cleveland will linger in local memory for years to come.
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