The Northeastern United States blizzard of 1978[1][2] was a catastrophic, historic nor'easter that struck New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the New York metropolitan area.

Since it developed during a new moon, an unusually large high tide occurred, and the storm brought a massive amount of water along coastal communities.

[3] Strong winds and extremely heavy precipitation brought zero visibility for travelers, and numerous power outages ensued.

[3] In many areas in Central and Southern New England, the snow falling at night turned to an icy mix that left a notable layer of solid ice on every external surface.

This icy mixture greatly complicated recovery efforts in subsequent days, as it added considerable weight to power lines and tree limbs.

An atypical vertical development of storm clouds brought unusual thundersnow to southern New England and Long Island.

The region was already reeling after storms in January 1978 that left nearly two feet of snow in some areas of New England,[9] and had caused the collapse of the roof of the Hartford Civic Center.

[10] The government of Massachusetts had a system for notifying major employers to send employees home early in the event of heavy storms.

Fourteen people died on I-95 near Boston because snow piled high enough to prevent poisonous exhaust fumes from escaping from their idling vehicles.

Some 11,666 college-hockey fans in Boston Garden, then the site of the 26th edition of the annual "Beanpot" college ice hockey tournament, held at the time of the blizzard's outbreak, found weather much different from what they had expected.

Some spectators spent the next few days living at the arena, eating hot dogs, and sleeping in the bleachers and locker rooms.

[12] Because of the blizzard, the second round of the Beanpot that year was not held until March 1, 1978, the latest date ever for the tournament's concluding games.

Although Governor J. Joseph Garrahy had ordered an emergency evacuation of all public buildings, shortly before noon on February 6, too many people had lagged.

[13] Most suburban districts in the area close for snow several times each winter, but they rarely do in the city itself because of relatively easy access to subways, whose ability to run is not appreciably affected by moderate snowstorms.

[14] Many people were caught in the storm while driving, and many others were trapped in their homes and workplaces, with snow drifts of up to 15 feet (4.6 m), in some places blocking the exits.

Thousands of homes throughout coastal Massachusetts were damaged or destroyed, as was "Motif Number 1", in Rockport, an often-painted fisherman's shack renowned in art circles.

)[16] The Peter Stuyvesant,[17] a former Hudson River Day Line boat turned into a floating restaurant, was sunk in Boston Harbor.

Ten-year-old Peter Gosselin, of Uxbridge, Massachusetts, disappeared in the deep snow just feet from his home's front door and was not found until three weeks later.