The Blizzard of 2006 seems to be finally winding down, with the latest snowfall total in Central Park reported at 26.9 inches, making it the largest snowfall for the city since they started keeping records in 1869. I’ve been here to witness 3 of the top 5. By the way, the normal seasonal snowfall for New York City is 22.4 inches.

1. February 11-12, 2006 — 26.9 inches
2. December 26-27, 1947 — 26.4 inches
3. March 12-14, 1888 — 21.0 inches
4. January 6-7, 1996 — 20.2 inches
5. February 17, 2003 –19.6 inches

I’m curious to see where this storm lands on the Snowfall Impact Scale. I certainly remember driving from VA to CT just hours on the heels of the March ’93 storm.

Courtesy of the NYC Office of Emergency Management

Winter Weather: NYC Storm History

President’s Day Storm 2003

Nearly two feet of snow blanketed the New York City area following the President’s Day storm of Feb. 17, 2003, which claimed 42 lives nationwide, stranded thousands of travelers, and cost the City $20 million.

Two deaths in the metropolitan area were attributed to the storm, including a man who died of carbon monoxide poisoning while he was warming up his car, and a man killed when a roof collapsed under the weight of the snow.

Major airports along the eastern seaboard — including LaGuardia Airport — shut down, while Kennedy and Newark Airports issued extensive flight cancelations. Bus service was halted in and out of Port Authority Bus Terminal, while Metro-North, Long Island Rail Road, New Jersey Transit and Amtrak trains ran with scattered delays.

Blizzard of 1996

Dumping more than 20 inches of snow in Central Park, the blizzard of Jan. 7-8, 1996, marked the second biggest snowstorm in New York City history. With winds gusting to more than 50 miles an hour, the powerful nor’easter caused widespread power outages, scores of fatalities and $1 billion in damages from Washington, D.C. to Boston.

Thousands of travelers were stranded at City airports, bus terminals and highway rest stops as transportation ground to a halt. On Jan. 8, New York City public and parochial schools were ordered closed, several Broadway shows canceled performances, and the New York Stock Exchange had a short day.

Dozens of deaths were attributed to the storm, including a Connecticut man and two New Jersey men who suffered heart attacks while shoveling snow.

As 26,528 tons of salt was spread on City roads, snow was hauled to designated vacant lots and parking areas or dumped into the East and Hudson Rivers. By the end of the 1995-1996 winter season, New York City had experienced 16 snowstorms and recorded more than 89 inches of snow.

Blizzard of 1947

Dropping 26.4 inches of snow in Central Park, the blizzard of 1947 still holds rank as the biggest snowstorm in New York City history. As moisture in the Gulf Stream fed the storm’s energy, the City was paralyzed when the blizzard barreled its way through, stranding cars and buses in the streets, halting subway service, and claiming 77 lives.

Blizzard of 1888

With 21 inches of snow falling over a two-day period — the third largest accumulation on record — the blizzard of 1888 hit New York City by surprise at the end of a warm March day. As two storms, one approaching from the south and one from the north, met over the City, heavy precipitation and winds gusting up to almost 75 mph resulted in snowdrifts up to 30 feet high. Roads and highways were blocked, steam train service was suspended, horse-drawn streetcars and taxis halted operations, and ships docked in New York’s harbor.

A New York Central locomotive derailed while attempting to push past snow drifts in the 4th Avenue tunnel, and many commuters were stranded on elevated tracks in unheated cars. It took 14 days for the City to completely recover. The mayor responded in early 1889 by ordering all overhead wires placed underground.