CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – If you’re old enough to remember it, then you know just how crippling the Blizzard of 1978 was.
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It’s sometimes referred to as “the week the state stood still,” and it was caused by a historic blizzard that slammed into New England 46 years ago. From February 5th through the 7th, the Blizzard of ’78 paralyzed parts of New England, especially Massachusetts.
While the storm was crippling here in western Massachusetts, it was southeastern New England that bared the brunt of the storm. Between 18 and 24 inches of snow fell across most of western Massachusetts but the highest snowfall amounts were in the eastern part of the state where some areas saw between 24 and 36 inches of snow.
Strong winds along with heavy snow caused white-out conditions and travel became nearly impossible. Route 128 became a virtual parking lot with over 3,000 vehicles stuck on the highway. The combination of strong northeast winds and the slow moving storm caused serious beach erosion and coastal flooding.