On this date in 1857…The Great Cold Storm had much of the eastern U.S. in its grip. Eight inches of snow fell in Athens, Georgia. Two feet fell in Washington, D.C. New York City was cut off from rail traffic through Bergen Cut where a twelve foot snowdrift. In the South, temperatures plunged to 16F at Jacksonville, Florida.
On this date in 1930…Oregon and Oklahoma recorded their coldest readings ever with -34F at Seneca and -27F at Watts, respectively.
On this date in 1948…Twenty inches of snow at Jay Peak, Vermont brought their snowcover to a record 91 inches. Wilkes-Baare/Scranton, Pennsylvania was in the middle of their snowiest January ever.
On this date in 1943…Idaho recorded its coldest reading ever with -60F at Island Park dam.
On this date in 1950…Oregon was in the grip of its worst winter weather month ever. A severe sleet storm dumped up to five inches of the icy pellets on the Columbia River Gorge, effectively bringing transportation to a standstill.
On this date in 1973…A tornado at Corey, Louisiana lifted a baby from a crib and blew it 400 yards, but it miraculously suffered only minor injuries.
On this date in 1977…South Carolina’s coldest reading ever…-20F at Long Creek.
On this date in 1978…The roof of the Hartford Coliseum in Connecticut collapsed during the early morning hours under four and one half inches of ice and snow from a winter storm. The arena was fortunately empty after having hosted a basketball game a few hours before.
