Will Winter Storm Nemo Be As Bad As The 1978 Blizzard That Ravaged Boston?

As Winter Storm Nemo prepares to hit much of the Northeastern United States, some forecasters are saying it could be worse than the 1978 blizzard that ravaged the Boston area.

According to Travelers Today, Winter Storm Nemo could bring even more snow and devastation to the Northeast than the blizzard that paralyzed the area between New York and Boston in 1978.

The blizzard of 1978 struck between Feb. 5 and 7 of that year and brought a then-record 27.1 inches of snow to Boston. The storm killed about 100 people across the Northeast and injured 4,500.

"It was not good memories, you know? Couldn't get to work or anything. You were just at a standstill. Everyone was at a standstill," Boston resident Rae Voira told Travelers Today.

Mercury News has a fantastic gallery of photos showing the huge reach of the Blizzard of 1978.

So how bad is Winter Storm Nemo going to be? Some say bad enough that it could come close to breaking records across the Northeast.

The heaviest snowfall is expected to hit the area around Boston. The blizzard is expected to bring st least 20 inches of snow to the city and surrounding areas between Friday and Saturday.

According to the National Weather Service, there have only been six storms in Boston where the snow piled up higher than 20 inches since 1892. While Nemo probably won’t match the record set in 2003 by a storm that dumped 27.5 inches on Boston, anything above 18.2 inches will secure it a spot in the top-10 list.

A large stetch of the North is looking at a snowy weekend. New York City, Syracuse and Buffalo, N.Y., Grand Rapids, Mich., plus areas of northern New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania, could see six inches or more.

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has closed schools on Friday and issued warnings to residents.

"We are hardy New Englanders, let me tell you, and used to these types of storms. But I also want to remind everyone to use common sense and stay off the streets of our city. Basically, stay home," Menino told Reuters. "Stay put after noontime tomorrow."