This week in 1991, Rochester was hit by a massive ice storm. Here's what happened
Despite March ushering in spring (it officially starts this year on the 20th), the month has a history of hosting some of the Rochester's most memorable, crippling weather events.
And who could forget the Ice Storm of 1991.
The Ice Storm began on the afternoon of Sunday March 3, 1991 and paralyzed the area. More than 200,000 homes and businesses lost power, and it took 14 days to get the lights back on for most RG&E customers. Besides people, trees bore the brunt of the weather, The New York Times reported:
"In a phenomenon both beautiful and treacherous, ice-laden tree limbs that glittered like diamonds and cracked like gunshots broke and fell, bringing down live power lines, striking cars and homes, blocking roads and streets and disrupting countless lives in countless ways."
Ice Storm in Rochester NY: What happened?
- The ice storm hit late afternoon on Sunday, March 3, 1991.
- In 1991, more than 200,000 homes and businesses lost power in western New York. It took 14 days to get the lights back on for most RG&E customers.
- RG&E customers collectively lost a total of 25.5 million hours of electrical service in March 1991.
- Then Gov. Mario M. Cuomo declared a state of emergency across 19 counties.
- On March 11, 1991, a 73-year-old woman was found dead of exposure in her unheated Portland Avenue home, nine days after the storm hit.
- Insurance companies paid $75 million in claims related to the 1991 storm.
- The Democrat and Chronicle reported on Mar. 13 that the storm's cost had reached $170 million, or over $300 million at current rates.
- On May 16, the Democrat and Chronicle wrote about a 124-page internal report that RG&E did looking at how it could improve its response.
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