Larry the Monster My Favorite Winter Storm:

I didn't sleep much between February 6 and 7, 1978. I didn't sleep when a big snowstorm was on the way. Still don't. In 1978 an area of low pressure formed off of the North Carolina coast. I was in economics class in Hartford, Connecticut. At 10:15 AM it was cloudy and cold with a temperature of twenty seven degrees. At 10:30 AM it was snowing sideways and obscuring some of the buildings on campus that were in plain view just ten minutes earlier. I knew exactly where the storm was located and knew we had a great storm ahead of us. Needless to say I have no idea what the rest of the lecture covered. My hat’s off the National Weather Service. With the limited computer guidance available back then their forecast was for one to two feet of snow before any snow began falling. Governor Ella Grasso, the first woman elected governor, closed Connecticut down by 1:30 PM. It continued to snow heavily until about midnight. The snow tapered off to light snow and flurries until about the 2:00 PM the next day. Late in the afternoon the storm actually moved back toward land. Heavy snow bands moved from east to west. Another four to six inches fell bringing the total in Hartford to 16" - 22". In Boston, it too was a storm of epic proportions. The Blizzard of ’78 was named Larry. Forecasters named Nor’easters in the winter. Larry was the third in a succession of Nor’easters. Boston had between 6” – 12” on the ground from the two previous storms. Boston recorded 27.1" with Woonsocket, RI recording and unbelievable 38”. This storm had an ‘eye’ and produced 80 mph winds along the coast of Massachusetts. National only received 2.2" but Baltimore received 9.1"  ¶ 5:14 PM