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To some, it was an unwelcome April Fool's joke. For others, a pleasant spring surprise.

Today, April 1, is the 10th anniversary of the infamous April Fools' Blizzard - believe it or not.

Just when many figured winter was in the rearview mirror, a whopping 23 inches fell, the Attleboro Water Department recorded for the Blizzard of '97.

The storm paralyzed the region, similar to the impact of the Blizzard of '78, but not to the extent of that monster storm that brought 34 inches, shutting down highways for days and closing schools for a week.

In fact, by the end of the day April 1, the area was pretty much dug out and back in business. Still, school was cancelled for two days, a soccer bubble collapsed in Mansfield, about 50 people were forced to seek emergency shelter, and power was knocked out to about 13,600 customers in the region.

"I do remember plowing in T-shirts," recalled Attleboro Highway Department foreman Steve Fernandes. "It warmed up during the day. It isn't often you can plow snow with a T-shirt and the windows down."

The storm is remembered mostly, of course, for the date it fell.

Adding to the surprise was the fact the winter had been relatively mild temperature and snow-wise, and the thermometer read well into the 60s on Easter Sunday, March 30, leading many to believe the snow season was over.

But the wise ones didn't put their shovels and boots away as unpredictable New England weather brought more snow, which began later Monday, March 31, and continued into the morning hours of Tuesday, April 1.

The 18 inches on March 31 represents the most snow for a day in March and the fourth most over a 24-hour period in the 68 years the water department has been recording weather data. Five inches fell April 1. The 23 inches over 48 hours is the third most for two days.

There was plenty of impact to go around. The first MBTA commuter train of the day arrived at the downtown Attleboro station over three hours late.

The Sun Chronicle, then an afternoon paper, was unable to get a newspaper out for the first time since the Blizzard of '78 as power was knocked out to its downtown building late Monday night. Power wasn't restored until nearly 17 hours later. The newspaper published a two-day edition for the next morning with a special section on the storm.

The city water department considers the snow season to run from November through April, and meteorologists - many of whom define the season as at least to the start of April - said they weren't taken back by the hefty snowstorm so late in the year.

There have been several snowstorms during April, they point out. A record 12.5 inches hit one day in April 1982, water department records show. In fact, there has been snow in May around these parts - 3.75 inches fell in 1977. Despite its depth, the snow of the April Fool's storm ended up disappearing fairly quickly as temperatures hit in the 50s two days later that also featured showers.

The winter of 1996-97 winded up having 47.75 inches of snow, not far from normal. Of course, nearly half that came with the surprise April Fool's storm.

STEPHEN PETERSON can be reached at 508-236-0377 or at speterson@thesunchronicle.com.