February 1969 nor'easter
Encyclopedia
The February 1969 nor'easter was a severe winter storm
that affected the Mid-Atlantic
and New England
regions of the United States
between February 8 and February 10. It ranked as Category 2, or "significant", on the Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale
. The nor'easter
developed on February 9, and as it moved towards the northeast, intensifying to become a powerful storm, it dropped paralyzing snowfall, often exceeding 20 in (50.8 cm). New York City
bore the brunt of the storm, suffering extensive disruption. Thousands of travelers became stranded on roads and in airports. Overall, at least 94 people lost their lives to the storm. Following the event, the mayor of New York, John Lindsay
, was criticized for failing to respond to the snowstorm adequately. Some areas of the city remained uncleared a week after the storm, and schools were closed for several days.
moved generally eastward from Oklahoma
and produced heavy rains from Missouri
to Ohio
on February 8. By February 9, it had reached Kentucky
. A new, secondary low pressure system formed over Georgia
along the warm front
associated with the primary low. As the secondary low matured along the U.S. East Coast, the initial center weakened rapidly, and heavy rainfall developed over the Carolinas in association with the new low. Mixed precipitation soon spread across the Mid-Atlantic States
, and heavy snow began to fall from New Jersey
northward by 1200 UTC on February 9.
The primary low dissipated, and the secondary low continued to intensify as it moved northeastward from the North Carolina
coast to Long Island
. Its forward motion slowed substantially, leading to increased precipitation totals over land. By 0000 UTC on February 10, the storm deepened to 970 millibars, having strengthened 32 millibars in an 18-hour period. At 1200 UTC, it was situated off Cape Cod
, still an intense cyclone. On February 11, the storm moved out of the region.
area with Lewiston, Maine
topping 32 in (81.3 cm)—. Lessor accumulations up to 20 in (50.8 cm)—occurred in areas south to western Connecticut
, Massachusetts
, southern Vermont
, northern Rhode Island
, and eastern New Hampshire
. Lighter snowfall extended as far south as central Virginia
, and as far west as Indiana
. The snow was accompanied by high winds, in some areas reaching 45 mph (72.4 km/h). Heavy snow and gale warnings were declared across the region. Tides along the coast ran 2 to 3 ft (0.6096 to 0.9144 m) above normal during the storm.
New York City was struck particularly hard by the storm. It is estimated that 42 people perished, largely in Queens
, and several hundred more people were injured. The storm disrupted the city for days, forcing schools to close. Streets throughout Queens became impassable; mail service, buses, taxis, delivery vehicles, and trash collection were significantly disrupted. Thousands of motorists became trapped on the New York State Thruway
. A snow emergency
was issued in the city, and the Long Island Rail Road
suspended all service temporarily. The snowstorm left approximately 6,000 travelers stranded in Kennedy Airport. They slept on couches, chairs and floors. Over 1,000 vehicles were stalled or abandoned on the Tappan Zee Bridge
; most of these were removed within a day.
Overall, at least 94 deaths were attributed to the storm. Throughout the region, the lack of delivery trucks also led to a shortage of food staples such as milk and bread.
was criticized for not dealing with the snow adequately. Portions of the city remained unplowed a week after the nor'easter, leading the mayor into "political misfortune". Lindsay's visit to Queens was poorly received, and his limousine had trouble driving through the streets of Rego Park. The mayor was booed by residents of Kew Gardens Hills. The storm became known as the "Lindsay Snowstorm", and created a political crisis; as a result, Lindsay lost the Republican primary for the next mayoral election. Lindsay was able to win the mayoral election by standing for a third party, but he was politically weakened by the crisis.
The storm also had an economic impact. The New York Stock Exchange
(NYSE) and American Stock Exchange
(AMEX) closed as a result of the storm. It was the first time in history that the NYSE closed for a full day due to the weather, and the first time since 1918 that AMEX had done so. All commodity exchanges in New York City and the National Association of Securities Dealers also closed.
Winter storm
A winter storm is an event in which the dominant varieties of precipitation are formed that only occur at low temperatures, such as snow or sleet, or a rainstorm where ground temperatures are low enough to allow ice to form...
that affected the Mid-Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
and New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
regions of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
between February 8 and February 10. It ranked as Category 2, or "significant", on the Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale
Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale
The Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale was created to measure snowstorms in the U.S. Northeast in much the same way the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale records hurricane intensity and the Enhanced Fujita Scale with tornadoes.-The Scale:...
. The nor'easter
Nor'easter
A nor'easter is a type of macro-scale storm along the East Coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada, so named because the storm travels to the northeast from the south and the winds come from the northeast, especially in the coastal areas of the Northeastern United States and Atlantic Canada...
developed on February 9, and as it moved towards the northeast, intensifying to become a powerful storm, it dropped paralyzing snowfall, often exceeding 20 in (50.8 cm). New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
bore the brunt of the storm, suffering extensive disruption. Thousands of travelers became stranded on roads and in airports. Overall, at least 94 people lost their lives to the storm. Following the event, the mayor of New York, John Lindsay
John Lindsay
John Vliet Lindsay was an American politician, lawyer and broadcaster who was a U.S. Congressman, Mayor of New York City, candidate for U.S...
, was criticized for failing to respond to the snowstorm adequately. Some areas of the city remained uncleared a week after the storm, and schools were closed for several days.
Synoptic history
An area of low pressureLow pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
moved generally eastward from Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and produced heavy rains from Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
to Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
on February 8. By February 9, it had reached Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. A new, secondary low pressure system formed over Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
along the warm front
Warm front
A warm front is a density discontinuity located at the leading edge of a homogeneous warm air mass, and is typically located on the equator-facing edge of an isotherm gradient...
associated with the primary low. As the secondary low matured along the U.S. East Coast, the initial center weakened rapidly, and heavy rainfall developed over the Carolinas in association with the new low. Mixed precipitation soon spread across the Mid-Atlantic States
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
, and heavy snow began to fall from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
northward by 1200 UTC on February 9.
The primary low dissipated, and the secondary low continued to intensify as it moved northeastward from the North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
coast to Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. Its forward motion slowed substantially, leading to increased precipitation totals over land. By 0000 UTC on February 10, the storm deepened to 970 millibars, having strengthened 32 millibars in an 18-hour period. At 1200 UTC, it was situated off Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
, still an intense cyclone. On February 11, the storm moved out of the region.
Impact
The storm produced paralyzing snowfall from New Jersey through most of New England. Forecasts severely underestimated the duration of the storm, often predicting just a chance of snow. The highest totals—often exceeding 42 in (106.7 cm)—were reported in the Bangor, MaineBangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
area with Lewiston, Maine
Lewiston, Maine
Lewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...
topping 32 in (81.3 cm)—. Lessor accumulations up to 20 in (50.8 cm)—occurred in areas south to western Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, southern Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, northern Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, and eastern New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. Lighter snowfall extended as far south as central Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and as far west as Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. The snow was accompanied by high winds, in some areas reaching 45 mph (72.4 km/h). Heavy snow and gale warnings were declared across the region. Tides along the coast ran 2 to 3 ft (0.6096 to 0.9144 m) above normal during the storm.
New York City was struck particularly hard by the storm. It is estimated that 42 people perished, largely in Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, and several hundred more people were injured. The storm disrupted the city for days, forcing schools to close. Streets throughout Queens became impassable; mail service, buses, taxis, delivery vehicles, and trash collection were significantly disrupted. Thousands of motorists became trapped on the New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
. A snow emergency
Snow emergency
A Snow Emergency is the term used to indicate the active response plan when a snow storm severely impacts a city, county or town in the United States or Canada. Schools, universities, government offices, airports and public buildings may close during a Snow Emergency. The precise meaning of "snow...
was issued in the city, and the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
suspended all service temporarily. The snowstorm left approximately 6,000 travelers stranded in Kennedy Airport. They slept on couches, chairs and floors. Over 1,000 vehicles were stalled or abandoned on the Tappan Zee Bridge
Tappan Zee Bridge
The Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge, usually referred to as Tappan Zee Bridge, is a cantilever bridge in New York over the Hudson River at one of its widest points; the Tappan Zee is named for an American Indian tribe from the area called "Tappan"; and zee being the Dutch word for "sea"....
; most of these were removed within a day.
Overall, at least 94 deaths were attributed to the storm. Throughout the region, the lack of delivery trucks also led to a shortage of food staples such as milk and bread.
Aftermath
Following the storm, then-mayor John LindsayJohn Lindsay
John Vliet Lindsay was an American politician, lawyer and broadcaster who was a U.S. Congressman, Mayor of New York City, candidate for U.S...
was criticized for not dealing with the snow adequately. Portions of the city remained unplowed a week after the nor'easter, leading the mayor into "political misfortune". Lindsay's visit to Queens was poorly received, and his limousine had trouble driving through the streets of Rego Park. The mayor was booed by residents of Kew Gardens Hills. The storm became known as the "Lindsay Snowstorm", and created a political crisis; as a result, Lindsay lost the Republican primary for the next mayoral election. Lindsay was able to win the mayoral election by standing for a third party, but he was politically weakened by the crisis.
The storm also had an economic impact. The New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
(NYSE) and American Stock Exchange
American Stock Exchange
NYSE Amex Equities, formerly known as the American Stock Exchange is an American stock exchange situated in New York. AMEX was a mutual organization, owned by its members. Until 1953, it was known as the New York Curb Exchange. On January 17, 2008, NYSE Euronext announced it would acquire the...
(AMEX) closed as a result of the storm. It was the first time in history that the NYSE closed for a full day due to the weather, and the first time since 1918 that AMEX had done so. All commodity exchanges in New York City and the National Association of Securities Dealers also closed.
See also
- List of extreme weather events
- Climate of the United StatesClimate of the United StatesThe United States includes a wide variety of climate types due to its large size, range of geographic features, and non-contiguous arrangement. In the contiguous United States to the east of the 100th meridian, the climate ranges from humid continental in the north to humid subtropical in the...
- List of NESIS storms