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With temperatures dropping below zero in many Calhoun locations yesterday, it was a reminder about an earlier winter
storm.
Older people will talk about the big snow of 1950, but 25 years ago the worst snowstorm to hit the area in recorded history
dumped up to 24" of snow. It was the big one - 1978.
A mass of cold wet air moved across West Virginia from the southwest, with the National Weather Service taking little note,
but in 48 hours there was snow, deep snow.
Electric service was off in many areas, people were stranded and it would take days for people to "get out."
"We had some advance warning, but it really did take a lot of people by surprise," said Brig. Gen. Robert Childers, who was
adjutant general of the state's National Guard. "It was really just that whole winter. Things had been bad, but that really just
knocked us over."
It was so cold National Guard troops would have to work in shifts in their unheated earth movers.
In Calhoun County it was well over a week before things began to return to normal.
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