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.
Reading came in a close second with 30 inches of snowfall during the Blizzard of '96.
Allentown saw 25.9 inches of snow while Pittsburgh (pictured below) only had a helping of 9.5 inches.
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...
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.
Approximately 52 people were injured in Pittsburgh when two PAT buses collided during the snowstorm.
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.
Click below to watch coverage of the Blizzard of '96 from Philadelphia.
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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