Historic Thanksgiving Storms: From 1898 to Snowvember
Many people dream of a white Christmas but sometimes snow comes early. Check out these historic Thanksgiving storms that created havoc on this late November holiday.
Quick Reference
- 1898 Portland Gale: SS Portland sunk; 500+ dead, 150 ships lost off New England.
- 1950 Great Appalachian Storm: 2+ feet of snow Cleveland to WV; Florida fell to 24°F.
- 1975 Chicago White Thanksgiving: 8 inches by Thanksgiving morning.
- 1983 Denver Turkey Day Blizzard: 20 inches in 24 hours.
- 1989 NYC Thanksgiving snow: First in 51 years; Macy’s floats grounded.
- 2014 Snowvember: 7+ feet across western New York.
Most of us dream of a White Christmas, not a snowy Thanksgiving. History disagrees. The week of Thanksgiving has produced some of the most violent late-fall weather in U.S. and Canadian records, from a 19th-century shipwreck that killed 500 to the Snowvember lake-effect storm that buried western New York under seven feet. Here are the most memorable Thanksgiving storms in American weather history.
The Portland Gale of 1898
One of the most devastating maritime disasters in New England history happened on the night of November 26, 1898. Roughly 200 passengers boarded the steamship SS Portland for an overnight journey from Boston, Massachusetts to Portland, Maine to celebrate Thanksgiving with family. As the ship prepared to depart, a powerful storm moving up from the south merged with a second system over the Great Lakes. The result was a hundred-year storm with hurricane-force winds and a foot of snow.
By sunrise the Portland and an estimated 150 other ships had sunk, with over 500 confirmed dead. The disaster ended the steamship era for unregulated coastal passenger traffic and led directly to federal weather-warning protocols that became part of the modern National Weather Service.
The Great Appalachian Storm of 1950
The 1950 storm began just before Thanksgiving and was at first dismissed as a routine fall system. It then took a deadly turn. East of the Appalachians, strong winds and heavy rains battered the Mid-Atlantic. On the western slopes, blizzard conditions buried Ohio and West Virginia under more than two feet of snow in three days. Florida fell to 24°F; Georgia to 3°F. The storm killed 353 people and is still considered one of the most damaging non-tropical storms in U.S. history.
The Blizzard Bowl of 1950
Inside the same 1950 storm came one of the strangest games in college football history. Almost the entire state of Ohio took at least 10 inches of snow; some areas saw 30 inches. Winds gusted to 40 mph. The Ohio State vs Michigan game in Columbus went on anyway. Roughly 50,000 fans showed up to a stadium with five-degree air and 35 mph winds. The teams combined for one first down. Michigan won 9 to 3. Ohio State’s offense accounted for 27 yards. The game has been called the Blizzard Bowl ever since.
Chicago’s White Thanksgiving of 1975
Chicago is no stranger to winter, but the Thanksgiving storm of 1975 stands apart. Snow began falling on Wednesday afternoon. By Thursday morning, more than 8 inches had piled up at Midway Airport. Holiday travel was crippled, and the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation never quite caught up before Friday. Chicago saw another Thanksgiving snow in 2004, with about 4.3 inches that shut down O’Hare for hours.
Denver’s Turkey Day Blizzard 1983
This one is still among the biggest Thanksgiving storms ever to hit a major U.S. city. Twenty inches of snow fell on Denver over the Thanksgiving holiday. Even in a city used to winter, the speed of accumulation and the timing caught families mid-travel. Stapleton Airport was effectively shut for two days. More on the 1983 blizzard.
New York City’s White Thanksgiving 1989
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade marched on November 23, 1989, but several of the largest balloons could not handle the nearly four inches of snow that fell over Manhattan. The storm broke records as the first measurable Thanksgiving Day snow in New York since 1938. Snow fell from Virginia north into New England, canceling holiday football games and complicating travel for millions.
Lake Effect Snowvember Storm 2014
The week before Thanksgiving 2014, western New York took one of the most extreme lake-effect snowstorms in U.S. history. Five feet of snow fell on Tuesday, November 18. Another two feet on Thursday, November 20, hit the eastern Lake Erie and Lake Ontario shores. South Buffalo neighborhoods recorded over seven feet of snow in a 72-hour stretch. The storm collapsed roofs, killed at least 13, and was given the name Snowvember.
The 2019 Bomb Cyclone
On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving 2019, a West Coast storm system brought heavy rain and wind to southern Oregon and northern California. By Wednesday evening (Thanksgiving Eve), it had intensified into a full-fledged bomb cyclone. Seattle saw hurricane-force gusts. Southern California flooded. The mountains across both states took several feet of snow that closed interstates for the holiday weekend.
Thanksgiving Weather by Region
| Region | Typical Thanksgiving weather |
|---|---|
| New England | 30s with occasional first snow or coastal storm |
| Mid-Atlantic | 40s with rain risk; occasional pre-Thanksgiving cold snap |
| Great Lakes | 30s with lake-effect snow possible |
| Midwest | 30s to low 40s; major snowstorms about once a decade |
| South | 50s to 60s; occasional cold-front fronts |
| Mountain West | 20s to 30s with snow likely above 6,000 ft |
| Pacific Coast | 40s to 50s with rain; atmospheric river risk |
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the worst Thanksgiving storm in U.S. history?
The 1950 Great Appalachian Storm by death toll and breadth (353 dead, snow Cleveland to West Virginia, record cold in Florida and Georgia). The 1898 Portland Gale by single-event maritime loss (500+ dead, 150+ ships sunk in one night).
How often does Thanksgiving snow happen in New York City?
Measurable Thanksgiving Day snow is rare in NYC. The 1989 storm was the first since 1938, a gap of 51 years. Most Thanksgivings in New York see 40s and rain at most.
What was the Snowvember storm?
A series of intense lake-effect snowbands that buried South Buffalo and other parts of western New York with up to 7 feet of snow between November 17 and 20, 2014. The storm collapsed roofs and killed at least 13.
What is the Blizzard Bowl?
The Ohio State vs Michigan college football game played November 25, 1950 in 5°F temperatures with 35 mph winds during the Great Appalachian Storm. Michigan won 9 to 3. Ohio State produced 27 total yards and no first downs.
Will it snow this Thanksgiving?
Depends on the year and the region. See the Farmers’ Almanac Thanksgiving weather forecast for the current year’s outlook by region.
How do I plan travel around a Thanksgiving storm?
Watch the long-range forecast starting two weeks out. Build a 24-hour buffer into return travel. Carry a winter emergency kit in the car if you are driving through the Great Lakes, the Appalachians, or the Mountain West.
This article was published by the Staff at FarmersAlmanac.com. Any questions? Contact us at questions@farmersalmananac.com.
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
Thanksgiving storms
I remember the blizzard of 93 real well,that’s the first time I ever remember the Pennsylvania turnpike being closed.Almost did not make it home in my tractor trailer
There was a terrible ice and snow storm here in SD just before Thanksgiving but I can’t remember the exact year – it was either 1992, 1993 or 1994. Could you help me remember by looking up the record? We had traveled from the western part of the state to the middle part of the State for a funeral, that’s how I remember that it was so bad. I-90 was pretty icy the closer we got to our destination and we were caravaning with some other folks and their little Luv pickup went into the ditch at least 4 times and we had to pull them out. It was a funeral we couldn’t miss, however, so we just kept going. Coming back home 4 days later it was just as bad. Wind, snow, blowing snow across the roads thus creating terrible icy spots. It was a white-knuckle drive up and back (about 250 miles one way) and we still talk about it with dread.
looks like harp created another storm again look back every thanksgiving open your eyes why do they do it … because it makes money they do it every year when they know people are travling
i we’ll remember the storm of 1950. School was closed, stores closed and people were stranded. I lived in McKeesport, pa. At the time. We got 36″ of snow.
My parents were married on November 25,1950, in Cincinnati, Ohio
Their a Honeymoon was cancelled…etc
My Dad had always told my Mom it would be “A Cold Day in Hell” when he got married !!
He nailed that !!
The 1978 Blizzard that his SW Ohio was worse than the 1950 storm….when I was 25 years old…
I had not even been though of in 1950 !
I was born on 11/24/50
This is a Thanksgiving story. That’s probably why they didn’t mention Canada’s weather.
I remember the Denver Blizzard of 1983. We had moved 5 months before from Texas (no snow) and we were excited for the first snow. When it came it wouldn’t stop. It was the biggest we’ve had since. I just don’t want to have any like Boston.
I survived the Buffalo NY Blizzard of 1977,1985,2001,the October storm, and Now Snowvember 2014! Probably missing some dates along the way. This was just one more to laugh about. I had 88″ of snow on Friday and by Tuesday it will be puddles of water. Got to love The Buffalo areas.