Rochester Remembers: Ice Storm 1991

Sunday, March 3, 1991, on this day, and for many weeks to follow, much of western and northern New York was devastated by an ice storm. Even 28 years later, the effects of that storm were so paralyzing, most can recall the story as if it were yesterday. If you happened to forget, here’s a little reminder.

More than 200,000 homes and businesses lost power in the WNY area, and some residents’ power took up to two weeks to be restored. In fact, the collective amount of electrical service lost amongst RG&E customers was a whopping 25.5 million.

The governor at the time, Mario M. Cuomo, declared a state of emergency across 19 counties in New York State.

According to the Democrat and Chronicle, the storm’s total cost had reached $170 million by March 13, 1991, which translates to over $300 million in today’s rates.

An excerpt from a March 5, 1991 report in the New York Times read,

“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.”