St. Patrick's Day Snowstorm facts for kids

The St. Patrick's Day Snowstorm was a huge winter storm that hit the southeastern part of the United States in March 1892. The most snow fell in Nashville, Tennessee, and the surrounding Mid-State area. This kind of heavy snow was very unusual for this warm, humid region. Some places in Middle Tennessee got a record-breaking 26 inches (66 cm) of snow!

Nashville's Usual March Weather

Nashville usually has mild weather in March. The average high temperature is around 61 °F (16 °C). Snowfall is very rare, especially in the second half of the month. On St. Patrick's Day, the average temperature in Nashville is usually about 61.3 °F (16.3 °C). There is almost no snow at all on that day.

Winter of 1891–92: A Mild Start

The winter of 1891–92 had very little snow in Tennessee. Nashville had only 0.3 inches (0.76 cm) of snow by March 14. Temperatures in March often reached the 60s, and even the 70s on March 4.

Sudden Cold Snap

But then, a very strong cold front moved into Middle Tennessee. It swept through in mid-March. The temperature dropped from 65 °F (18 °C) on March 13 to only 40 °F (4 °C) on March 14. Many parts of the southeastern United States got very cold. Temperatures fell into the teens from Arkansas to Alabama. On March 15, 1892, Nashville got 4.2 inches (11 cm) of snow. Most of this snow melted the next day.

The Big Storm Arrives

On March 16, around 6:00 pm, snow started falling in Nashville again. Not much snow piled up by midnight. But by the afternoon of March 17, which was St. Patrick's Day, the city was covered. Nashville had been buried under 17 inches (43 cm) of snow!

Deep Snow in Middle Tennessee

Northeast of Nashville, a town called Riddleton got even more snow. It was hit with 26 inches (66 cm) over two days. In Nashville, morning trains were delayed because of the snow. Streetcars could not even run. A freight train traveling from Chattanooga to Nashville partly went off its tracks. This happened when it crashed into another train engine near Murfreesboro. Temperatures stayed between 28 °F (−2 °C) and 30 °F (−1 °C) that day.

Snow Across the Southeast

The St. Patrick's Day Snowstorm brought snow to many other places too. Memphis received 18 inches (46 cm) of snow. Mount Carmel, Illinois, got 12 inches (30 cm). Even Atlanta, Georgia, saw 0.3 inches (0.76 cm) of snow. Snow was measured as far south as Mobile, Alabama, and as far west as San Antonio, Texas.

Storm's Journey East

The storm moved along the Gulf Coast and seemed to die out. But then it got strong again! It traveled up the Eastern Seaboard. It dropped 33 inches (84 cm) of snow over the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States.

Snowfall Records Set

The St. Patrick's Day Snowstorm set many new records for snow.

• Highest snowfall total in Nashville for one day: 17 inches (43 cm).
• Highest snowfall total in Nashville for a 24-hour period: 17 inches (43 cm).
• Highest snowfall total in Memphis for one day: 18 inches (46 cm).
• Highest snowfall total in Memphis for a 24-hour period: 18 inches (46 cm).
• Highest snowfall total in Middle Tennessee in one day: 18.7 inches (47 cm).
• Highest snowfall total in Nashville for a single month: 21.5 inches (55 cm).

This storm also ranks as the second-deepest snow in Nashville's history. Only a 22.8-inch (57.9-cm) snow in February 1886 was deeper. Only two other snowfalls in Nashville have ever been more than 10 inches (25 cm). These were a 15-inch (38.1-cm) snow in February 1929 and a 10.2-inch (25.9-cm) snow that ended on New Year's Day of 1964.