 A surface weather analysis of the intensifying nor'easter on December 12: click to enlarge | |
| Type | nor'easter |
|---|---|
| Formed | December 10, 1960 |
| Dissipated | After December 14, 1960 |
| Lowest pressure | 966 millibars |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | 21.4 inches (54 cm)[1] |
| Fatalities | ~286 |
| Areas affected | Midwestern United States, Mid-Atlantic states, New England |
The December 1960 nor'easter was a significant early-season winter storm that impacted the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions of the United States. Moderate to heavy snowfall fell from West Virginia to eastern Maine, amounting to 10 in (25 cm) or more in parts of 13 states and peaking at 21.4 in (54 cm) at Newark, New Jersey. The storm was accompanied by strong winds, gusting to over 90 mph (140 km/h) in coastal New England, and left in its wake a dangerously cold air mass. The storm originated in a weak low pressure area which formed over the western Gulf of Mexico on December 10. A secondary low developed over South Carolina on the next day, supported by the merger of two troughs aloft. Sliding southeast of New England, the new storm explosively deepened to become a full-fledged nor'easter, with a minimum central air pressure of 966 mbar. It began to weaken over the Canadian Maritimes.
Widespread blizzard conditions wrought havoc on transportation; streets and highways throughout the hardest-hit areas were clogged with stalled and abandoned vehicles, and multiple major airports were forced to close. Many schools and businesses were closed, some for days after the storm departed. The New York Stock Exchange opened an hour late on December 12, marking its first delayed opening in over 25 years. Extensive drifting of snow left communities isolated and unable to receive deliveries of food and heating fuel. Overall, the storm and subsequent cold snap were blamed for at least 286 deaths across a wide area, but primarily in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and the New England states. The fatalities resulted from a multitude of tragedies, including automobile and maritime accidents, storm-related fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, over-exertion, and exposure to cold.
- ^ Ludlum, p. 132