Winter Storm — Miami, Ohio

1996-01-06 to 1996-01-08 · Miami, Ohio

Wider weather episode

The Blizzard of '96 developed near the Gulf Coast and moved up the East Coast. This massive system produced the greatest total and 24 hour snowfall at Greater Cincinnati\Northern Kentucky airport. This one storm brought 14.3 inches of snowfall to the airport which normally receives 23 inches for an entire season. The heaviest snow fell near the Ohio river in the extreme south. The worst blizzard conditions occurred over West Central areas as dry and powdery snow was blown around by high winds causing whiteouts. Some areas had more than 30 continuous hours of snowfall, and many people in Southern Ohio felt this was the worst winter storm since the Blizzard of '78. In Fayette county, the airport reported a wind gust to 56 mph during the height of the storm. By the end of the storm many homes and businesses had their roof collapse or partially collapse from the weight of the new snow, and snow from a storm earlier in the week. By late in the day on the 7th arctic air was pouring into the region. A 47 year old man died of exposure under an overpass in Miami county. A 76 year old man died of exposure on his front porch in Montgomery county.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5569356. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.