Remembering the April Fools' Snowstorm

April Fools' is a day of practical jokes and pranks. But back in 1997, Mother Nature had the last laugh.

As night turned into day, New Englanders fell victim to one of nature's biggest pranks - a major spring storm.

It started out dry, but then a light rain started to fall. The storm started to intensify and exploded into a nor'easter, dumping heavy, wet snow.

By the next morning, 26 inches of snow blanketed Boston. Worcester saw a whopping 33 inches.

There were plenty of predictions, but because of the date, seasoned New Englanders scoffed at the idea of a snowstorm, especially since March had been so mild.

Plows were parked for the season, hardware stores were selling patio furniture. Many wondered - is this some kind of joke?

But it was no joke at all. Trees and limbs were down, thousands were without power and a state of emergency was declared by Gov. William Weld. Kids stayed home from school, roads were impassable, travelers became stranded and thousands slept in their cars overnight.

Even Logan International Airport was shut down, with some travelers stranded for two days at the airport.

Nothing compares to the snow siege we saw this year. But the April Fools' Day storm did break records, for Boston's greatest 24 hour snowfall. It's still Worcester's largest snowstorm since records have been kept.

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