and gasoline tricks overturned or jackknifed on highways. Eastern Plateau areas as far west as
Bromme and Chenango Counties blanketed with 8- to 12 in. of snow with up to 16 in. in higher
elevations of Catskills. Winds were light to moderate and problems of drifting and blowing snow
were minor. One dairy barn collapsed from weight of snow in Sullivan County. Freezing rain
occurred in the lower Hudson Valley from Orange to Putnam and southern Dutchess Counties,
where scattered, but locally moderate, damage resulted to trees, limbs, and utility wires. Power
failures lasted up to 48 hours after storm. Rain totaling 11.5 in. fell in New York City and coastal
counties. Storm brought 48 in. of snow to northeastern NY and eastern Finger Lakes and light
amounts to areas near Great Lakes.
12/22/69
RHODE ISLAND
Statewide [RI01,02]
Rain, glaze
Torrential rains of 12.5 in. and wind were responsible for power failures in Providence, South
Providence, and Warwick and for extensive flooding in Pawtucket, Warwick, Cranston, East
Greenwich, and Middletown. Glaze, the result of a rapid temperature drop, caused extremely
hazardous driving conditions. At Tiverton, a gust of wind flipped a compact vehicle onto its back
and a passenger was injured.
12/2528/69
MASSACHUSETTS
State [MA01>09]
Snow, rain, glaze, wind
A devastating "northeaster." Snow began late on Christmas Day, accumulation mostly 12 ft
over state. Some higher totals in Berkshires, locally to 3 ft, where storm continued mostly as
snow. Elsewhere storm changed to freezing rain, sleet, and rain during the day of the 26th. On
Cape Cod and the immediate coast, snowfall ranged mostly from only a trace to 6 in. before
changing to rain. Weight of snow and rain collapsed roofs. New record 24-hour precipitation to-
tals for Dec. were received as over 4 in. fell in parts of eastern Mass. Total storm precipitation
ranged from about 2 in. in much of the western portion to 35 in. in the east, with some locally
flooded as did cellars. Some homes had to be evacuated with water 4 ft or higher in yards. In
Boston the Christian Science Monitor publishing plant was flooded. A dam was partially washed
away in West Bridgewater. The rain-soaked snow was especially hard to plow or shovel, and all
forms of transportation were slowed or halted. Heavy snow and glaze on trees broke limbs
or caused whole trees to topple in the wind, causing utility outages. Winds were strongest in the
Cape Cod area, where gusts of nearly 100 mph were reported. Two deaths in the greater Boston
area were attributed to exhaustion by the storm.
12/2627/69
CONNECTICUT
Statewide [CT01>06]
Snow, glaze, rain, wind, thunderstorms
57
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