Superstorm 1993: Where were you during ‘The Storm of the Century’ 30 years ago?

(WKBN) – Thirty years ago this week, the superstorm of 1993 developed near the Gulf of Mexico.

The powerful storm strengthened and pushed across the eastern United States leaving behind damage from severe storms and tornadoes to very heavy snow, blizzard conditions, and record-breaking cold temperatures.

The storm was so big and powerful that it has been called three different names throughout history. To this day, it is known as “The Superstorm,” “The Storm of the Century,” and “Blizzard of 1993.”

How much snow did Youngstown, Ohio get from the Blizzard of 1993?

The storm left a total of 15.7 inches of snow in a short period of time at the Youngstown/Warren Regional Airport. Many locations south and east of the airport received more snow.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania recorded 25.3 inches from March 12th through 14th during the storm in 1993.

The amount of snow that fell on March 13, 1993, was 23.6 inches which still holds the largest one-day snowfall record in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Strong wind created large snowdrifts

Strong wind created large drifts across Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. These drifts covered roads through Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. This was a scene that was produced across a big part of the eastern United States with the storm.

Cold temperatures were pulled in behind this system for Mid-March. Local temperatures dropped from around 32°F to the low single digits. The strong wind created wind chill temperatures well below zero.

The record low temperature still stands at the Airport for both March 13 and March 14 from the storm. The record low is 5°F for March 14 and 3°F for March 15. Both records were set with the storm in 1993.

The superstorm was expensive

The storm caused close to $5.5 billion in damages in 1993. This amount would be close to $11,387,093,425.61 in damages in today’s dollars. The storm is marked in history as it ranks among the deadliest and most costly weather events of the 20^th century, according to NOAA(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

Superstorm of 1993 timeline

Severe weather developed before the low pressure system that would become known as the “Superstorm” developed. These severe storms developed over southeast Texas on the evening of March 11, 1993.

The storm’s low pressure center developed on March 12, 1993, along a boundary near the Texas Gulf Coast. The weather pattern across the country was primed to help contribute to a powerful storm as all the ingredients needed were coming together from a powerful upper level jet streak to a strong temperature gradient near the frontal boundary.

This was a textbook setup for the making of a very strong storm.

The low pressure system quickly grew stronger and moved across the Gulf of Mexico through the day as the atmospheric pressure deepened as a result of the textbook weather pattern and ingredients needed.

The storm made landfall in the Florida Panhandle region into the early morning hours of March 13, 1993.

According to the National Weather Service, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued over 100 people from ships in distress from the storm.

Severe storms swept through Florida during the morning of March 13, 1993. Strong wind and 11 confirmed tornadoes took place in Florida alone. The storm surge in Taylor County Florida was 12 feet high. This caused up to seven fatalities alone.

The storm pushed through the eastern United States leaving very heavy snow and strong wind from Alabama to Maine.

A look through the original weather observations from the Youngstown/Warren Regional Airport

• Below you will see a group of weather observations from the airport before, during, and after the blizzard of 1993. These are the actual weather observations taken at the airport. You will see handwriting and remarks.
• WKBN’s weather department holds these actual records safely at our station.