~ The Storm of February 2023 was not a Secret Storm ~

BY DANNY McCARTHY

Just sometimes there are moments when we don't actually know what's happening outside. With modern technology, even, there could be possible no-tells with conditions and WHAM -{!}- we get bombarded with a storm. ~ Like the Hurricane of 1938 - {!}-

Well recently, on February 28, 2023, the Northeastern United States had some-sort-of-a-blizzard that began in California { -(&)- California NEVER had snow before }.

Now as I'm writing this at 11:30 am in Southold it is raining -{!}-

Here's a Reminder{s}... Whether or not we knew about the weather:

The Blizzard of 1888

By Danny McCarthy

Here is some information I came across regarding the Blizzard of 1888 and its effects on the North Fork.

We Can Make an Issue of This

We focus on the March 23, 1888 The Long Island Traveler where on Page {2} of this issue there was a sure listed column titled Masterly Inactivity. It went like this: “We have been without mails for ten days. In past years, when the railroad has been blocked by snow for any length of time, the mails have been forwarded as soon as practicable by means of sleighs. But this failure on the part of that grasping and most selfish of all monopolies, the Long Island Railroad company, to do all in its power to the usual mail facilities to eastern Long Island, is but one more crime added to the list of deliberate slights and insults to its patrons. It is but the carrying out of evident short-sighted policy of sacrificing the interested of our people to the supposed welfare of that railroad company which created Long Island and the railroads which therein dwell. High passenger rates, prohibitory freight tariff, poor accommodations, were not sufficient exhibitions of its arrogance … The residents of Orient, Greenport, Southold, Shelter Island, Peconic, Cutchogue and Mattituck have been as isolated as though they had cease to exist. We trust that every man and woman and child who has suffered pecuniary damage by reason of the masterly inactivity of the Long Island Railroad Co. in failing to provide for the speedy forwarding of the mails, will institute a suit against this overgrown monster of arrogance and stupidity. People of the towns of Southold and Riverhead cannot do without the mails for ten days in succession to save expense to a rich corporation if their population does chance to be less than that of New York or Boston. No wonder many of the Southold men refused to aid the company in its work of cleaning the tracks, no wonder they had to pay mere boys twenty cents an hour, thus precipitating a strike among the Greenport workmen who were receiving but twelve cents an hour, no wonder the citizens of Mattituck and Peconic refused to work almost in a body, for this grasping, unaccommodating, shortsighted selfish monopoly. Post-office department itself which allows so palpable an imposition upon the patience and good nature of our people? The mails might easily been forwarded by means of the steamer Shelter Island as early as the 16th, or by way of Sag Harbor and the steamer Manhanset on the 18th, or by was of the Norwich line and the Manhanset as early as the 15th. The Boston mail was forwarded by steamer, and what was good enough for Boston would have been good enough for Long Island. There is a good deal of red tape somewhere, and all the people of our vicinity desire to see it fully and publicly unraveled.”

Being Sure to Double-Check!

The Long Island Traveler March 23, 1888 edition on Page {2} also carried a “News Notes” column that shares such information as: “Montreal escaped the blizzard.” AND “Farmers were unable to reach market with their produce.”

Coverage was Stormy about the East End!

The March 23, 1988 The Long Island Traveler included an lengthy item on Page {7} about The Blizzard in New York, and information relating to the North Fork only included this: “The Long Island trains were reported abandoned throughout the Island, highways impassable, and the passengers seeking refuge in farm houses.”

Time March-es On!

The March 30, 1888 The Long Island Traveler on Page {2} shared: “The men doing work at the life saving stations suffered terribly during the blizzard.

The Orient column in the March 30, 1988 The Long Island Traveler on page {7} managed to be sure to include: “Last week floods of rain followed the great snow and wind blizzard of the week before, cellar bottoms were submerged and Rubber boots were at a premium. Farmers who want missing hills in their potato field, in order to raise a crop of beans also, have only to let their seed potatoes soak for a few days and they will no lack of room for beans.”

“Record-breaking blizzard strikes causing 10-day traffic suspension.” This was within a running list carrying the date of 1888 within the column titled Chronology of the First 25 Years, From the Files of the L. I. Traveler that was in the The Traveler Mattituck-Watchman dated September 19, 1946.

The Blizzard February 6-7, 1978

BY DANNY McCARTHY

I checked the Suffolk Historic Newspapers website for possible-related information on the effects of The Blizzard of February 1978 on the North Fork of Long Island …

???The Suffolk County news {stet} dated {Thursday,} February 9, 1978 shared -?Long Island “was hit by the worst storm since 1947 as two feet of snow inundated local communities.” “the storm of 1947 was wetter and swifter than the blizzard of February 1978.” The blizzard “lasted almost 24 hours before stopping. Town, State and County highway departments {were} coping with clean-ups and {did} not estimate that roads {would} be plowed before Friday.”

????RICHARD G. HENDRICKSON in a the weather column in The Southampton press {stet} dated February 9, 1978 gave some clarifications:

????“… A blizzard winds up the week. Sixty-five m.p.h. gusts with blowing snow made for impossible driving. The wise stayed home.

????The term blizzard is now designated by the weather bureau as: 35 m.p.h, winds, plus below 20 degrees, at least 6 inches os {stet} fnow {stet}, all occurring at once.

????Spring will be late this year.”????

????Newsday dated February 11, 2019 by Patricia Kitchen with the headline – The Long Island Blizzard of 1978: 40 Years of Memories included:

????“… Long Island, was, indeed, paralyzed. ‘by the worst storm in 30 years and the second in 18 years,’ Newsday reported, with roadways buried, motorists trapped, and some ‘3,000 cars abandoned in the wilderness or on unplowed highways …’”

????I came across an on-line entry of a website titled North Shore Wx {“Wx is short for weather} carrying an archives column {that was undated} - Here we go – “whether-or-not” {so-to-speak} -

????“The blizzard of 1978 was one of the greatest winter storms to strike Long Island in terms of total snowfall, wind, and coastal flooding.

????Monday, February 6 {1978}, “… The snow started falling lightly on Long Island before dawn.” There was a forecast of one to two feet. “Most schools cancelled classes and some businesses closed that day based on the forecast. …

??… By the time the storm eased on the 7th, over 20 inches of snow covered most of Long Island with many areas receiving over two feet of new snow, There was significant damage to homes on the barrier beaches from coastal flooding. Significant coastal flooding also occurred along parts of the north shore and the Peconic Bay region.

????Winds gusting well over 60 miles per hour also created massive drifting, which compounded some removal efforts over the next several days. Most schools remained closed for the entire week with travel conditions not restored to normal until the following week. …”

NOW... OF COURSE FOLKS... I realize that March is ahead-of-us and time marches on -{!}- We'll "sea" what's in-store for us -{!}-