The Frightening 1967 Blizzard That Took Michigan By Surprise

The winter of 1967 started out like any other in Michigan. Children and adults alike brought their snow gear out of storage and prepared to salt the sidewalks. Driving was a bit more treacherous, but Michiganders were used to this inconvenience — after all, it’s not the winter season in Michigan without a few cold-weather annoyances. But nothing could have prepared the people of Michigan for the storm that loomed on the horizon, waiting to take its deadly toll on the Great Lakes State.

It was January of 1967. Michiganders were smack dab in the middle of another cold winter — scarves were tightly wrapped and children were bundled up.

Flickr/Rostislav Orlav

This was a typical winter for most Michiganders, who went about their days with the understanding that snow might simply cause a few delays here and there.

Flickr/davenport

But what happened in Michigan on January 26th and 27th would send shockwaves through the state — and even turn deadly.

Flickr/Steve Baker

In the days leading up to the storm, temperatures were unseasonably warm across the state, even reaching the 50s and 60s in some areas. This made the impending blizzard even more shocking.

Flickr/Barbara Eckstein

The skies turned dark as storm clouds rolled in across Lake Michigan. When the snow started to fall on the 26th of January, it didn’t relent. Heavy piles of precipitation battered the Great Lakes State.

Flickr/Charles Dawley

Kalamazoo saw 30 inches of snowfall in just two days, while cities from Grand Rapids to Flint saw anywhere from 18 to 28 inches: record-breaking numbers.

Flickr/mobil’homme

The blizzard caused havoc across the state. Reports of accidents, mass traffic jams, and stranded Michiganders frightened people throughout the region.

Flickr/vox

Residents were stuck in their homes indefinitely. Businesses shut down. In a matter of hours, the state had transformed into a massive icy ghost town.

Flickr/deadling

The situation became so dire that National Guard officers were even called to help clear the roads and return the state to some semblance of post-blizzard normalcy.

Flickr/Renee McGurk

The most tragic part of this frightening storm was its death toll, which reached 22 in the Great Lakes State. Many of these deaths were attributed to heart attacks suffered while shoveling heavy snow, attempting to move cars, or braving the elements of the storm.

Flickr/Don Harder

As January continued, the snow slowly but surely subsided. Businesses reopened, schools were back in session, and residents ventured out of their homes to purchase groceries for the first time in days.

Flickr/Wystan

But the blizzard of 1967 made a lasting mark on Michigan — leaving behind a cold, deadly legacy that would not soon be forgotten.

Flickr/John Bozeman

Did you live through this massive snowstorm? We would love to hear your stories and memories from 1967. Share your thoughts and photos in the comment section below.