The year was 1977

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The city of Buffalo New York sits on the bank of Lake Erie and is known for its deep snowfalls due to “lake effect snow”.

It was so many years ago that I lived through this Blizzard in my hometown.  The things I clearly remember:

My apartment without electricity for many days.  The temperature dropped to zero, and we used our gas stove top and oven to heat 2 rooms.  We hung blankets on doorways to section off the other areas.  We used candles and flashlights in the evening.

We could not push our front door open because of the snow piled up against it and the wind gusts were too strong.

Some windows were ok to look out, and some the snow was piled high over them.

There was no chance of going anywhere because a driving ban was enforced.  Unless your car was parked in a garage you would not find it anyway, they were all buried.

I remember the sun shining on the 2nd or 3rd day.  It was so bright against all the snow it was hard to look outside.

The police at some point came through the neighborhood to give updates on curfews and emergency service. Snowmobiles were about the only way of transportation.

In the photo above that is Interstate 190 an artery of a major east-west corridor of Interstate 90, that runs from coast to coast.

Best of all I remember my Dad finally making it to my place with some milk, bread, cookies that he and my Mom had at home.  All stores closed.

Friends often ask if I would rather be in a blizzard or the hurricanes of the southeast.  I don’t have the answer.

Alice