Twenty years ago, the terrible winter of 1996 to '97 was going strong.
From Dec. 20 to 23, two separate storms dropper a total of 8.4 inches of snow, bringing the winter total to 45 inches. All that snow had been packed by repeated storms into an average snow depth of 18 inches. But drifts more than ten feet high were common throughout the region.
In the wake of the recent snowfalls, frigid air settled in for the Christmas holiday.
Starting December 23, the temperature remained below zero continuously for five days. The coldest day in the spell was Christmas Day, with a morning low of 27 degrees below zero followed by an afternoon high of 14 degrees below zero. It was clear and calm, for a change, but a terribly cold Christmas.
