30 Years Later: Reflecting on the Blizzard of ’96 and the Impact on Delmarva

This winter marks 30 years since one of the most powerful and memorable winter storms in Mid-Atlantic history — the Blizzard of 1996. From January 6 through January 8, a classic nor’easter buried much of the Eastern United States under a historic blanket of snow, bringing life to a standstill from Virginia all the way […]

This winter marks 30 years since one of the most powerful and memorable winter storms in Mid-Atlantic history — the Blizzard of 1996. From January 6 through January 8, a classic nor’easter buried much of the Eastern United States under a historic blanket of snow, bringing life to a standstill from Virginia all the way to southern New England. Thirty years later, the effects of that storm remain part of the weather lore of communities across the Delmarva Peninsula.

A Storm that Shut Down the Region

The Blizzard of ’96 was not simply a big snowstorm, it was a paralyzing meteorological event. Fueled by abundant Gulf moisture lifting into frigid Arctic air, the storm produced heavy snowfall, fierce winds, and drifts as high as 5 to 8 feet in places, and it cut off normal travel and commerce for days. More than 20 inches of snow was common from the Smoky Mountains to the Northeast, with Baltimore alone recording more than 22 inches.

Across the broader Mid-Atlantic, most major airports closed, highways like Interstate 95 became impassable, government and business operations shut down, and utility outages were widespread as heavy snow and strong winds downed trees and power lines.

Delmarva’s Experience: Snow, School Closures, and Water Issues

Although Delmarva lies on the more southern and coastal edge of the storm’s heaviest snow, many parts of the Eastern Shore still saw significant impacts. In Delaware and Maryland’s eastern counties, reports from regional accounts show that snowfall totals often reached into the teens across Delmarva, with southern and interior areas picking up even more as the storm slowly moved northward.

Across the peninsula, schools and local governments closed for days, giving many children extended breaks and making the blizzard one of the most memorable weather events of a generation for families on the Eastern Shore. Many locals from surrounding Mid-Atlantic communities still reminisce about “the week the snow didn’t stop” and the long task of digging out afterward.

After the Snow: Rapid Melt and Flooding

What made the Blizzard of 1996 especially notable wasn’t just the snowfall — it was what happened after the snow stopped. Warm and humid air rapidly moved in shortly after the storm, bringing heavy rain and quick snowmelt across the Mid-Atlantic. This combination caused major flooding in rivers and streams throughout the region, including Chesapeake Bay tributaries that affect Delmarva’s watersheds.

Tributaries that feed into the Bay saw record flows as hundreds of millions of gallons of water — along with nutrients and sediment from the melting snowpack — rushed downstream, raising water levels and flooding low-lying farmland around Delmarva rivers and streams.

Long-Term Memories and Local Culture

In the decades since, the Blizzard of ’96 has remained a touchpoint in local weather memory. Many families on Delmarva still tell stories of being snowed in for days, navigating icy roads, building massive drifts and snow forts, and enduring extended school closures that are still talked about at community gatherings.

For long-time residents of the Mid-Atlantic and Delmarva, the storm also stands as a reminder of how quickly winter weather can transition from snow to serious flooding, the importance of emergency preparation for both snow and water events, and how a single storm system can reshape community life for weeks.