Remembering the Blizzard of ’93

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — It’s been dubbed the Storm of the Century — slamming the entire eastern side of North America in March, 25 years ago.

“I woke up, looked out, and could not believe it,” said Ron Littlefield, a former Chattanooga mayor and public works director.

The blizzard officially unloaded 20 inches of snow in Chattanooga — putting thousands without power for days.

“Most people would remember who were here at the time, that we were having this wonderful spring like weather. I mean it was like 70 degrees and so forth. They were predicting it was coming in like two or three days, and everybody said ‘ah, that’s crazy talk.'” Littlefield said.

But the meteorologists were right.

“This was the most dynamic storm that we’ve seen in probably several decades around here. Coming out of the Gulf of Mexico, it was very similar to a hurricane in winter,” News 12’s Chief Meteorologist Patrick Core said.

Five to six foot snow drifts. Downed power lines. And metal buildings caved in.

The storm wreaked havoc across the Tennessee Valley.

But it made the city stronger.

“We began to be better prepared from that point forward. And so lately, when we’ve had these snow emergencies, they haven’t been the big deal that they were back then,” Littlefield said.

“It was a great time for community building, to where folks helped out folks. It’s truly a once in a lifetime storm the Blizzard of 93,” Core remembered.

Tune in to Prime News at 7 on March 13 as the WDEF News team looks back on the crazy coverage of that week.