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60 Moments: The Rockefeller Blizzard of 1977
It’s been more than 30 years since the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers froze bank to bank.
Reporter: Tony Cavalier Email Address: tony.cavalier@wsaz.com  VIDEO: 60 Moments in WSAZ History |
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It’s been more than 30 years since the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers froze bank to bank.
In the winter of 1957, ice floes closed the Ohio to traffic in Wheeling.
Now, fast forward to the winter of 76-77 when the cold was so harsh, the rivers froze in time for Jay Rockefeller's inauguration as governor. Looking more like the Klondike than the thriving capital city of West Virginia, Charleston and the entire Mountain State braced for the knockout punch -- word of the arrival of blizzard conditions.
"It is important for people living in the following counties to understand that throughout this night, they will be on a blizzard alert tonight," said Rockefeller in 1977.
The massive winter storm never did materialize, though the wind did blow, the air turned bitter and an inch of snow fell on the deserted streets of Charleston during what has become known as the “Rockefeller Blizzard.”
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