30 years ago, forecasters were all preparing for a powerful storm system that would later be known as the 1993 superstorm or the storm of the century. This storm dropped significant snow along the Appalachian Mountains and east coast, while Florida suffered from a slew of severe weather ranging from multiple tornadoes to hurricane-like wind gusts.
This storm started in the Gulf of Mexico and began to move into the northeast as arctic air was also sinking into the eastern seaboard. This was a perfect setup for the large and strong system to bring crippling amounts of snow to much of the eastern side of the country. Snow ranged from as far south as Alabama and Georgia all the way up to New England. Peaks in the Appalachian Mountains saw the highest amounts but places like Maryland still got a healthy dose.
BWI airport saw nearly a foot of snow as this system swept through the east coast. The state of Maryland was left in a thick blanket of snow causing many businesses to close and for the area to come to a screeching halt.
But while the northern half of the east coast was dealing with a frigid airmass creating heavy snowfall, the state of Florida was dealing with a major severe weather outbreak.
Multiple tornadoes dropped down as a large squall line swept through the state, with the highest-rated one being an F2 outside of Orlando. This was not the only issue the Sunshine State dealt with, as wind gusts associated with this line of storms reached over 100 mph. Sadly, this part of the storm claimed over 40 lives in the state.
Now, as we approach the date of March 12th, we are tracking some wintry weather ourselves yet again. Luckily, this system is not looking to be as significant or disruptive. Be sure to stick with us as we continue to close out the cold season and enter spring!
