OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - On this day in 1997, the beginning of a brutal snowstorm walloped trees across Omaha and knocked out power to some 150,000 people.

Part of the problem was that many trees still had their leaves on that late October day.

One to three inches of rain fell hours before the storm began. Then heavy, wet snow started falling — around 12 inches total.

All that weight proved too much for those trees. Conditions became perilous, and the city was declared a disaster area.

Hal Daub was Omaha’s mayor at the time. He said the city revised its emergency preparedness plan just days before the storm hit.

OPPD says it took 11 days to restore power to everyone impacted. The utility company implemented new plans and technology to deal with major emergencies following the historic sto

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