From the Archives

Blizzard of 1978

Originally posted March 3, 2011

January 29, 2025

The snow is melting and it appears that the worst of winter’s wrath is behind us.  Though this winter season was not too daunting, Dayton is no stranger to severe weather. The most notable is perhaps the Blizzard of 1978. In January and February of 1978, a series of three storms hit the Miami Valley. Well over three feet of snow fell in Ohio and the 50-60 mph wind gusts created snowdrifts as deep as twenty-five feet. Over a foot of snow fell on January 26th alone; a record that still stands as the single greatest snowfall in a 24-hour period. Cars parked along the street were buried to their roofs in the snow and remained stuck for several weeks and many residents lost power. The total snow accumulation was over 40 inches in Dayton, completely shutting down the area. In some parts of the state the snow remained until early May.

Interstate 75 was closed for about four days, Dayton police relied on volunteers to help dig out stranded motorists and transport those without power to local shelters set up at schools, churches and municipal buildings. The situation became so severe that Gov. James Rhodes summoned the National Guard to help deliver supplies and rescue those stuck in the snow. National Guardsman Len Dunaway of Dayton said, “The wind had blown snow so hard that even cars with their windows rolled up were filled with snow. We had guys on the expressway with icicles on their faces. I’ve seen movies about blizzards but nothing like this.”

The men’s basketball team of Miami University was stuck on the interstate while returning to Oxford from a game versus the University of Toledo. The team made it to Vandalia’s city jail where they were housed for a few days. Vandalia Patrolman Marvin Smith commented on the sleeping arrangements for the unexpected guests, stating, “We moved all our prisoners (three) to one side of the cell block and let them (Miami University players) sleep in the cells on the other side…Of course we left the doors open.”  Before leaving, the team spent four hours helping nurses take care of 150 patients at the Franklin Nursing Home.

Television and radio reporters broadcasted live reports around the clock as the blizzard impacted nearly every facet of life in Dayton. Workers in both the public and private sectors were unable to make it to their jobs for weeks. The postal service, for the first time since the 1913 flood, could not deliver mail. The RTA was unable to put buses on the street and all air traffic was halted at Cox International Airport. Dayton officials estimated that the Blizzard caused over $4 million in damages to city streets.

The local travel bureaus reported that their telephones were ringing endlessly with people wanting to book trips to warmer climates. Cathy Carlson of TV Travel Service stated, “People are calling up and saying, ‘Just get me out of here to anywhere it’s warm!’”  The travel agencies saw record bookings for cruise ships and travel destinations like Hawaii and Acapulco.

Though the Blizzard of 1978 was many years ago, it left an impression on the citizens of the Miami Valley.  If you are in town when the snow starts to fall, undoubtedly you will hear someone say, “Well, at least this isn’t as bad as ’78.”

A snow plow with one man behind the wheel and another beside it
A National Guard snow plow prepares to clear the way in Shelby County.
A sign in a barrel on a shoveled sidewalk that reads "I Did Mine Do Yours"
A friendly reminder to shovel the sidewalks. The cleanup and rescue efforts relied heavily on the work of volunteers during the blizzard.
A group of four people talking by a snowmobile pulling a sled
The snow mobile utilizes a toboggan as makeshift stretcher. County officials worried that residents in rural areas would be trapped for days in their cars on impassible roads.
A young boy sledding down a snowy hill smiling
Claude Vera of Dayton enjoys the school cancellation with indulging in some sledding.
A young child with a stuffed animal sleeping on a cot
The 2 1/2 year old son of John and Nancy Tenjeras enjoys a nap at the Greyhound Station. Schools, churches, and municipal buildings were often used as makeshift shelters during the blizzard.
An aerial view of snow-covered fields
An aerial shot of Greenville on the morning of January 30th. The rural areas were hit especially hard with huge snow drifts and numerous power outages.
A young boy shooting a basketball into a hoop on a court covered in snow while an adult clears the snow
Daniel Pawelski, 15, finds time for some recreation at Kettering Field while his father, John, works to clear the area.
Two people standing on a snowdrift burying their car
Where did we park? Residents of Vandalia look down at the roof of their car, which is completed buried in a snow drift. In northern Ohio, the drifts buried whole semis.
A car in a snow bank
Going nowhere fast. This car surrounded by large snow banks was a common sight after heavy snowfall and strong wind gusts.
A man carrying a child in a snowstorm with another person assisting
National Guard helping with a rescue. Gov. Rhodes ordered the National Guard to participate in recovery efforts after record snow fall covered the Miami Valley.
A person driving a car on a snowy road next to a person riding a donkey
Kathy Gatts in Brandt (Miami County) finds an innovative way to get to the store.
Four riders on three horses traveling on a snowy road
When Detroit made horsepower failed, the old fashion thoroughbred did the trick. Here, youngsters trot through Beavercreek. Horses and snowmobiles were often used as alternate modes of transportation as many cars were buried in the snow or would not start due to the bitter cold.
Three people sitting on chairs inside an igloo
(Left to Right) Andy Denniston, Lisa Jones, and James Howard, all of Dayton, enjoy a much deserved break in their homemade igloo.
A car in a snow bank
This car was buried in the snow for over a month in the 3000 block of East Dorothy Lane in Kettering.
A man pouring brownie batter into a pan with kitchen utensils hanging above
National Guardsman Charles Wathen of West Alexandria was put to work making brownies for all the stranded travelers at the armory in Eaton.
A car buried in a snow bank
This snowy Volkswagen in Vandalia has seen better days.
An aerial view of tire tracks in snow
Very artistic: Jeep tracks in an open field in the N. Dixie area.
The front of a car under a fallen tree
This Ford Mustang may be first on race day, but it was disqualified by a fallen tree in Dayton View.
A snowy early morning scene with streetlights and a truck
A delivery truck plows it way down 4th Street in the early morning blizzard.
A mother and teen in snow gear pulling a child in a sled down a street in the snow
Mrs. Vija Wurstner (right) with daughters Signe, 13, pulling Inge, 10, down Peach Orchard Dr. from Dorothy Lane Market. Mrs. Wurstner had just moved to Dayton from northern Sweden.