1967 (Day 1) : Record Snow Storm in Lansing

When:
January 26, 2022 all-day
2022-01-26T00:00:00-05:00
2022-01-27T00:00:00-05:00

On January 26, 1967 (Day 1) a record snow storm started on a Thursday and continued into the weekend, turning Lansing into a frozen, snow-covered ghost town. In all 15.4 inches of snow fell in a single day.

Source : Lansing’s Record Blizzard of 1967 Photo Gallery from the Lansing State Journal.

Addendum : Top Six MSU Closures Due to Snow, Cold, or a Combination

Number 1.  The first time the campus  was closed was on January 27, 1967, when 26 inches of snow fell on campus.

Number 2.  A freak snowstorm on April 3, 1975 dumped 15 inches of wet snow, making roads and sidewalks impassable. Many people weren’t prepared for that kind of weather so late in the spring. It later led to one of the biggest floods in mid-Michigan history about 2 weeks later.

Number 3. The blizzard of ’78 also forced the university to suspend classes, after 24 inches of snow closed MSU for 2 days on January 26 & 27.

Number 4.  Cold weather was the reason why MSU suspended classes on January 19, 1994. Temperatures were 18 degrees below zero, with a wind chill of 51 degrees below zero, the second coldest temperature recorded this century. While classes were suspended, the university stayed open.

Number 5.  On February 2, 2011, classes were suspended for blizzard conditions that brought nearly a foot of snow, high winds and frigid temperatures. University critical functions were maintained, while electronic services and business operations were done remotely. The National Weather Service called this a “top 10 storm” for Michigan.

Number 6.  January 6-7, 2014.  After nearly two days of suspended operations, classes at MSU are expected to resume at 5pm Tuesday, marking the sixth time in university history it had to close to due to weather.

Sources:

Recent MSU Closure Marks 6th Time in University History“, WILX News, Channel 10, January 7, 2014.

Eve Adoulos and Hillary Gatlin, “A History of Snow Days at MSU”, Tales from the Archives: Volume One, Campus and Traditions, 1917.