It started out with a three day storm on Sunday, January 2, 1949 but was followed by two more months of pounding blizzard after pounding blizzard with high winds and bone chilling cold. While skiers and snowboarders in modern times relish meteorological events like this, rural Wyomingites in the middle of last century suffered greatly in the inclement conditions. All told, the official death toll was 76 people and one million livestock. Thanks to Wyoming PBS for making this historic blizzard documentary available for free.
p.s. passing along PBS Wyoming’s birthday well wishes to the incomparable Smokey Mountain Songbird and reigning Queen of Nashville, Miss Dolly Parton. True American Icon.
