‘Snowbound’ revisited: A blizzard blanketed Knoxville in 15 inches of snow 30 years ago

Devarrick Turner, Knoxville News Sentinel
·4 min read

Some called it “The Big One.” Others deemed it the “Storm of the Century.” However it’s remembered, 1993 will always be the year a blizzard blanketed Knoxville with more than a foot of snow.

Thirty years ago on March 12, 1993, just a week before the start of spring, a massive eastern storm dumped 15 inches of snow on the Knoxville area within 24 hours.

It snapped trees, downed powerlines, left 40,000 KUB customers without power and caused the deaths of at least four people, according to Knoxville News Sentinel reports from the time.

Some people skied in the streets. The deep snow even forced 16 elephants, four camels, and 15 horses to walk downtown after the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus had to cancel shows.

Mayor Victor Ashe told the Knoxville News Sentinel it was “the worst storm I’ve seen in my 48 years.”

The Blizzard of ’93 was one for the record books. It dropped the most snow Knoxville had seen in a single day since 1960, according to National Weather Service data . And it was the highest single-day snowfall total in March since 1942, the News Sentinel reported.

Though the "bomb cyclone" last year produced the most single-day snowfall in the Knoxville area (6.5 inches) in 29 years, the 1993 blizzard snowfall was so significant, it took about 12 years for snowfall in the Knoxville area to cumulatively surpass the 15-inch mark, according to recorded data from the NWS.

Let’s take a moment to remember when the ”Storm of the Century" turned the city into a (late) winter wonderland 30 years ago.

Knoxville prepares for a blizzard

  • Up to a foot of snow was expected, reported the News Sentinel on March 12, just ahead of the storm’s Friday evening arrival.

  • Schools closed early and some supermarket checkout lines had a 30-minute wait.

  • A winter storm watch was upgraded to a warning by the afternoon of March 12. About 2 inches of snow had accumulated by nightfall.

Knoxville fire fighters return to their fire truck, which has slid off the street, when responding to a call of a chimney fire on Carlton St. on March 13, 1993.
Knoxville fire fighters return to their fire truck, which has slid off the street, when responding to a call of a chimney fire on Carlton St. on March 13, 1993.

The 'Storm of the Century' slams the east

  • A massive storm that formed in the Gulf of Mexico caused blizzard conditions in Georgia and as far north as Eastern Canada. The storm also had hurricane force winds, caused flooding and froze crops.

  • As it approached, meteorologists began referring it as “the worst storm of the century,” according to an Associated Press piece published in the News Sentinel.

  • The superstorm occurred on the anniversary of one of the worst storms on record in the east. The Blizzard of 1888 dumped up to 5 feet of snow in other regions across the eastern U.S. March 12-13 of that year, the AP reported.

A snowbound city

  • The 15 inches of snow that fell between March 12 and March 13 in Knoxville brought down trees and powerlines and caused tens of thousands to be left without power.

  • The city essentially shut down. Major interstates were inaccessible, McGhee Tyson Airport grounded planes for nearly 30 hours, truckloads of Saturday mail went undelivered and the News Sentinel didn’t even print a Sunday edition.

  • Four snow-related deaths were reported, including a 69-year-old man.

  • The commander of the 278th Armored Cavalry called members of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Support Squadrons to report for duty, and Tennessee Gov. Ned McWherter declared a snow emergency in East Tennessee, mobilizing 200 National Guardsmen, according to News Sentinel reports.

  • More than 60 plows were used to clear city, county and state roads, including additional trucks that were provided by Memphis. Some snow plows skidded into ditches or broke down due to cold temperatures.

  • Chicago had offered to send Knoxville additional manpower and equipment ahead of the storm, but city officials declined, feeling prepared.

  • It took a week for KUB to restore power to all customers, according to the News Sentinel.

Wild mountain rescues

  • The blizzard reportedly dumped 2-5 feet of new snow in the mountains, leaving 150 stranded campers and hikers to be rescued by helicopters in Cherokee National Forest and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

  • One man who was rescued had slept in a hollow tree. Other groups huddled together to stay warm by body heat, and some slept in their cars, according to News Sentinel reports.

  • Black Hawk helicopters airlifted seven Detroit teenagers and an adult from Cherokee National Forest to University of Tennessee Medical Center after they spent three nights in freezing temperatures and waist-deep snow.

A blizzard to remember

  • The News Sentinel published a “Blizzard Scrapbook” one week after the snow event. The four-page spread of personal anecdotes and photos recapped how East Tennesseans battled the “worst storm of the century.”

  • It captured several stories of neighbors helping neighbors and strangers helping strangers.

  • It also highlighted the bizarre scenes only a major blizzard can offer, such as people skiing on Western Avenue and the herd of circus elephants and camels casually walking downtown.

Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter for Knox News. He can be reached by email at devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com. Follow Devarrick on Twitter @dturner1208. Enjoy exclusive content and premium perks while supporting strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Revisiting the Blizzard of 1993 that dumped 15 inches of snow in Knoxville