in some areas. One death from exhaustion occurred in the Concord area. Wind added to the
devastation of trees and in Hampton Beach windows were blown out. Considerable damage to
shoreline and coastal installations from high wind and surf, with flooding of some coastal roads.
Much milk had to be dumped by dairymen in state due to lack of electricity or transportation.
The storm precipitation totaled mostly 35 in. but some heavier in the White Mountains area.
12/2627/69
RHODE ISLAND
Statewide [RI01,02]
Snow, freezing rain, rain
Severe coastal storm began on evening of 25th with snow accumulations of 611 in. on mainland
by morning of 26th. Precipitation then changed to freezing rain and rain with storm totals reach-
ing 34 in. before ending as freezing rain and snow on the 26th. Massive traffic jams occurred on
the 26th and many skidding accidents occurred especially from Providence to Kingstown and to
Newport. A late afternoon fog on the 26th made driving especially hazardous in S. Kingstown
and Narragansett. Extensive flooding occurred in Providence, Cranston, W. Warwick, Newport,
Rumford, and N. Kingstown. Some communications were lost as water seeped into power lines.
Storm halted all activity on land and in the air on the 26th and hampered business and transport
on the 27th.
12/2628/69
VERMONT
State [VT01>05]
Snow, glaze, wind
A devastating "northeaster." Snowfall totaled mostly 1.53 ft but up to a new Vermont storm
record 45 in. at Waitsfield. This closely followed a major snowstorm earlier the same week. The
state was officially declared a disaster area by the governor. Drifts commonly mounted up to 6 ft
and in some local areas up to 30 ft, closing roads and halting virtually all transportation except
by snowmobile. Storm changed to freezing rain and sleet along the CT River and in the North-
east Kingdom area. Ice built up to over 2 in. in many areas with some local reports of 36 in. on
wires and twigs. Devastation of forests and utility lines was described as "havoc unbelievable."
Weight of snow and ice collapsed many roofs and buildings, both rural and urban. Cows were
killed in two of the several barns collapsed. A poultry house collapse killed most of 10,000
chickens. A number of commercial and factory roofs collapsed in the Middlebury and Rutland
areas. One death was attributed to the storm in the Saxtons River area. Dairymen were especially
hard hit by loss of power for milking and had to dump thousands of gallons of milk due to lack
of storage or transportation. Utility outages were prolonged in many areas, up to a week or more.
59
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