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Winter storms and blizzards

Major winter storms can cause as much damage as hurricanes. Whilst the wind speeds of these winter storms do not reach those of cyclones, the storm fronts can be over 1,000 km long and sweep across half a continent, or cover an area of this size with snow and ice. Losses from winter storms come chiefly from damage to buildings, vehicles and infrastructure, with wind speeds frequently exceeding 160 km/h. They can also bring heavy snowfall or freezing rain, as with blizzards in North America. Business interruption losses are also increasing, for example when storm damage or large amounts of snow and ice cripple infrastructure.

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 How to Prepare for a Blizzard: Surviving the Snowstorm

When the chilly winds howl, and snowflakes swirl through the air, it’s a sign that winter is at its fiercest. Mother Nature unleashes her powerful fury in the form of a blizzard-a force you need to reckon with. These violent snowstorms can put a brake on the development of human settlements.

Articles of Interest

Blizzards and Ice Storms

An ice storm occurs most often when the air temperatures is at or just above freezing (32-38 degrees) Ice storms can be extremely dangerous because the freezing rain makes an icy glaze on roads and other outdoor surface. Since the ice is often hard to see, you need to take extreme precautions while walking during an ice storm. You should avoid driving during an ice storm whenever possible.

Blizzards: The fiercest of winter's fury defined

Even though some blizzards may produce snowfall rates of 2-6 inches per hour, the rate of snowfall is not needed for a storm of this nature. Snow does not have to be accumulating or even falling from the sky for an official blizzard. A blizzard may be produced by a large-scale storm, lake-effect snow, a press of cold air or simply strong winds blowing across a surface made of powdery snow.

Frequency of U.S. blizzards may decline in coming decades

Vehicles in ditches and medians. Nights without power and heat. Injuries suffered. Lives lost. For those in the Heartland, where the frying pan of summer gives way to the snow globe of winter, the scenes of a blizzard are familiar for their frequency. Of the nearly 13,000 U.S. blizzards documented between 1996 and 2020, more than 10,000 struck the northern Plains and Upper Midwest.

How Winter Storms Become Blizzards

For as long as they’ve been recorded, blizzards have impacted the United States. As they’ve continued to make an impact, scientists have learned more about how these dangerous winter storms form.

Is It a Blizzard or a Snowstorm? Here Are the Differences

When a winter storm hits, it's important to know exactly what you're dealing with. While some people use terms like blizzard and snowstorm interchangeably, these storms have technical definitions and present different challenges for anyone in their path.

The Blizzard of 1888: America’s Greatest Snow Disaster

Few storms are as iconic as the “Blizzard of ‘88”. It was the deadliest, snowiest, and most unusual winter storm in American annals. No storm of similar magnitude has occurred anywhere in the contiguous United States since.

The Worst Snowstorms in United States History

A look back at some of the snowiest and most devastating snowstorms ever seen.

What's the difference between a snowstorm and a blizzard?

Interestingly, a blizzard does not technically have to involve active snowfall. If there is a large accumulation of snow on the ground already, sustained winds can blow that snow around and reduce visibility to blizzard-level conditions even when no snow is falling. This is called a “ground blizzard”. A snowstorm, or winter storm, is generally considered less severe due to the lack of high winds and low visibility, but they can still be dangerous, especially when driving or walking on slick surfaces.

Winter Storms and Blizzards

Blizzards can create life-threatening conditions. Traveling by automobile can become difficult or even impossible due to "whiteout" conditions and drifting snow. Whiteout conditions occur most often with major storms that produce a drier, more powdery snow. In this situation, it doesn't even need to be snowing to produce whiteout conditions, as the snow which is already on the ground is blown around, reducing the visibility to near zero at times.

Resources

11 Facts About Blizzards

When a blizzard is in the forecast, you may receive a “Winter Storm Watch," which means there is a possibility of a storm taking effect. You could also receive a “Winter Storm Warning," which means a storm is on the way or already taking place.