A Halloween snowstorm to remember as 'Snowtober' buried the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic 15 years ago

THE TAKEAWAY

Fifteen years ago, a rare and historic October nor’easter unleashed heavy snow, soaking rain and strong winds across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, burying streets under snow just in time for Halloween and ushering in an early winter look in an event famously dubbed "Snowtober."

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The deadly "Snowtober" nor’easter buried a massive swath of the East in heavy snow, paralyzing roads, knocking out power and disrupting Halloween celebrations across the region.

According to the NOAA, an area of low pressure strengthened off the Carolina coast and tracked northeastward along the East Coast on Oct. 29, 2011, covering much of the region under a layer of snow days before Halloween.

The storm's precipitation began as rain before daybreak across New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland.

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By the early afternoon, temperatures fell into the middle and lower 30s, allowing much of eastern Pennsylvania and northern and central New Jersey to change over to snow or a rain-snow mix.

The October snowstorm delivered a major early-season jolt across eastern Pennsylvania and northern and central New Jersey, snarling transportation and leaving hundreds of thousands without power.

At its peak, NOAA had winter weather alerts in effect for 24 counties and areas across four states, including Winter Storm Warnings for 13 counties in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Heavy, wet snow clung to trees and power lines as gusty winds battered the region, causing branches and utility lines to bend and snap under the weight.

The damage forced numerous local and secondary road closures across the Poconos, Lehigh Valley and northern New Jersey.

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Snowtober buried a huge swath of the Northeast with more than 2 feet reported in select areas in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, including a storm-topping 31.4 inches in Jaffrey, New Hampshire, while 21.6 inches fell in New York and 18.6 inches blanketed Connecticut.

Slippery roads contributed to several fatal traffic accidents across the region, while a falling tree also killed a person after crashing onto a home in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

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The October snowstorm brought an unprecedented jolt of winter to schools, roads and Halloween celebrations across impacted areas, but its legacy would soon be overshadowed.

Just one year later, Superstorm Sandy delivered an even more devastating blow to the region during the spooky season.