Blizzards
Wikipedia defines a blizzard "as a severe weather condition characterized by low temperatures and strong winds (greater than 35 mph) bearing a great amount of snow, either falling or blowing."
According to the U.S. National Weather Service, if winds of 35 miles per hour or more and visibility of 1/4 of a mile or less last more than three hours, the storm is classified as a blizzard.
A blizzard is a severe storm with strong winds, low temperatures, and a heavy snowfall. These storms happen more in the northwestern part of the United States, but can occur in other parts of the country.
This is a picture of a snow drift. These are caused when the swift winds pick up snow and carry it to a new spot.
The Blizzard of 1888
Photograph courtesy of InfoPlease
The great blizzard of March 1888, which covered the eastern U.S., was the most paralyzing of any storm on record. The temperatures before the blizzard were in the 40's and 50's along the East Coast. On March 12th, rains changed to snow as the temperatures dropped and a strong wind began to blow the snow. The storm lasted 36 hours with winds as strong as 48 miles per hour. It is recorded that there was 50 inches of snow in Connecticut and Massachusetts and 40 inches in New York and New Jersey. Some records show that there were 50 foot snowdrifts. Helen Upson wrote an article about this blizzard in the 1960 Redding Times.
The Blizzard of 1947
A strong winter storm in January 1947 covered from Milwaukee to New York City, which was buried in about 26 inches of snow. High winds formed drifts that stopped a lot of transportation. It took several days for plows to open streets and stores and offices to shovel sidewalks so they could reopen for business.
Downtown Milwaukee in the Blizzard of
1947
Photo courtesy of
Milwaukee County Historical
Society
Picture courtesy of
Storm Chaser Stock
Photography
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