With this week’s 70-degree days across North Carolina, it is difficult to imagine what we faced on March 13, 1993. This week, 32 years ago, North Carolina was caught in the icy grip of what would become one of the most memorable and devastating weather events in the state’s history: the Storm of the Century. The blizzard that swept through the state brought with it snow, ice, and wind that would alter the state’s landscape for weeks to come.
What made the storm so remarkable was not just the amount of snow that fell, but the scale of the event itself. Stretching across the entire eastern United States, the 1993 blizzard was a monumental storm that affected millions of people from the Gulf Coast all the way to New England. Yet it was in North Carolina where the storm’s full force was most felt.
The storm began to make its mark to North Carolina on March 12, 1993. What started as a typical spring weather pattern quickly escalated into something far more severe. Within hours, snow began to fall in heavy, almost-continuous sheets, coating the state in white. The snow accumulation was impressive by any standard, with some areas receiving up to 20 inches of snow in just a matter of hours. Mount Mitchell saw 50 inches of snow.
Gale-force winds created huge drifts, making roads impassable and leaving thousands of people stranded in their homes or in snowbound vehicles. Power outages were widespread, even casting Charlotte Coliseum in the dark while North Carolina was battling Virginia in the ACC Tournament. As snow accumulation weighed down power lines and trees, many were left without electricity for days. Schools were closed, businesses shut down, and for a time, the entire state came to a standstill. Electricity was out from Florida to Maine, impacting nearly 10 million people and businesses.
Former National Weather Service (NWS) director Louis Uccellini said the storm had a central pressure that is usually found in Category 3 hurricanes. The storm eventually spawned tornadoes and crippled much of North Carolina under snow and flood waters.
“What was remarkable to us, being inside the forecast, was that people started making decisions on it,” said Uccellini. “The New York Turnpike Authority announced that it was going to close the turnpike on Friday night given the amount of snow that we were forecasting, three to four feet of snow up in upstate New York along the mountains. And then you had states up the chain of the Appalachian Mountains declaring states of emergency even before the snow fell.”
In other words, leadership and preparedness matter.
Leadership does not just come into play when the crisis strikes, but in the years ahead, diligently preparing and designing a response plan for a multitude of scenarios. North Carolina’s Department of Emergency Management does just that, and it now has the lessons of the 1993 storm and 2024’s Hurricane Helene. It also has learned from the failures of the North Carolina Office of Resilience and Recovery in responding to Hurricanes Matthew and Florence.
For meteorologists, the 1993 blizzard became a case study in how to prepare for extreme weather. In the years that followed, North Carolina invested more heavily in weather forecasting technology, disaster response systems, and better preparedness measures to handle such events.
In Gov. Josh Stein’s State of the State speech on Wednesday evening, he made clear that Helene recovery remains a top priority for North Carolina. Any policy changes need to focus on local early warning and ensuring that stable communication systems are in place well before a disaster hits. In the aftermath of Helene, satellite internet systems saved lives when all other communications were down.
Storms of all type in North Carolina have demonstrated how quickly power grids, roads, and emergency services can be overwhelmed, underscoring the importance of investing in infrastructure that can withstand extreme conditions, with backup systems in place for quick recovery.
Clear roles and responsibilities between local, state, and federal agencies are crucial for an effective response, with local resources proving to be incredibly effective at responding quickly and early.
The snowstorm of the century causing approximately $5.5 billion in damages (in 1993 dollars) up and down the east coast. Helene damage is estimated to eventually cost a whopping $60 billion.
Exercising consistent fiscal responsibility with government finances is crucial for building reserves to address future disasters. The state’s substantial “rainy-day fund,” accumulated over the past decade through responsible budgeting by the state legislature, will play a key role in the recovery from Helene. When combined with federal assistance and strategic, accountable public policies, the path to recovery will be clearer once the storm clouds have passed.