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If you were in Columbia fifty years ago, you were snowed in

In 1973, up to two feet of snow fell across the Midlands.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Fifty years ago locals say it was a Winter wonderland in Sumter. 

The ground was covered in snow, streets were too slick to drive and school was out for days. 

Now dubbed the  'the Great Southeast snowstorm' cost $30 million in damages to homes, roads and businesses.

We asked viewers on Facebook if they remembered the historic event.

Credit: WLTX

Lolly Branham was 8 years old and said “it was a sledding paradise for the teenagers.” 

Lynn Elliott Vining provided some great pictures of the rolling hills of snow.

And Jeff Mattox said he had never fallen down so many times in his life because of the ice.

Related

Has this winter been any colder than typical?

The explanation behind this historic event is this--a cold front moved through the Southeast on February 8, 1973, bringing frigid air to the region. 

The front stalled and a low pressure system developed in the Gulf of Mexico. The low pressure system moved along the stationary boundary. This brought snow to parts of South Carolina. 

By February 10th, most places in the Midlands had gotten over a foot of snow.

Credit: NWS

Although seeing this amount of snow this year is unlikely, it doesn’t stop some people from still hoping for another great snow storm.

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