FACT 37: The Perfect Storm

One of the worst storms in the history of Philadelphia was the blizzard of 96. 30.7 inches fell in Philadelphia, the worst of any major city in the storm's path. Most of the 30 inches fell in just 24 hours, which was a new record for the city for the most snow in 24 hours. The mayor issued a state of emergency. The only people allowed to drive on the streets were policemen and other emergency workers. The snow was so extensive that plowing would cause massive snow piles. The city had to resort to dumping the snow in the river. This resulted in massive flooding. On January 19, a jet stream disturbance from the Gulf of Mexico caused a rapid melt followed by thunderstorms. This brought three inches of rain and caused the snow to melt 20 inches in one day! Philadelphia saw its worst flooding in 20 years. Later that evening, a cold front came in and froze the already flooded Delaware Valley. Damages were estimated to reach $1 billion!