All About Blizzards!
Nothing spells “frightful weather” other than blizzards! Here we’ll discuss all about the snowy and windy phenomenon and what you can do to stay safe.
Blizzards are a type of winter storm that often results in blowing snow or large mounds of snow. Typically, to be considered a blizzard, wind speeds in excess of 35 mph and decreased visibility to less than a quarter mile for three or more hours are necessary. Due to the blowing snow nature, this can make travel treacherous or even deadly due to the whiteout conditions.
To make matters more dire, another potentially deadly effect of blizzards are snow drifts. Snow drifts occur when the rapid winds blow snow into a large pile which can lead to blocking roadways or highways. This can lead to accidents and even injuries or death if not careful.
Blizzards can virtually take place anywhere in the U.S. other than the Deep South, including the Gulf Coast states and southern West Coast. However, the areas that are more likely to see blizzard-like conditions include the Upper Midwest and Great Plains.
Mountains are also very important for blizzard-like conditions to be created. As air gets pushed up the windward side of a mountain, clouds are generated, and it often results in the formation of rain or snow. This is because the relatively warmer air near the surface that is being lifted will cool down at a rapid rate since the environment is often cooler the higher you rise in the atmosphere.
Another ingredient blizzards need to survive is below-freezing temperatures. The colder the temperature, the easier it will be for snow to fall and create “blowing snow” or “whiteout” conditions. Temperatures too warm near the surface will result in the snow becoming slushy or wet and will not create the necessary environment to be classified as a blizzard.
Lastly, a blizzard will require lots of moisture from the atmosphere to produce massive amounts of snow. One of the ways this can be accomplished is by cold air travelling across relatively warm bodies of water such as the Great Lakes. The reason being, as the cold air sweeps across the water, it forces the moisture or water vapor produced by the lake upwards into the atmosphere. This leads to cloud production and ultimately precipitation such as lake-effect snowfall.
Make sure you’re prepared for a blizzard before one begins to whip up over your area. Have an emergency kit with supplies that last for multiple days or even weeks should you lose power. Non-perishable foods, water, blankets, batteries, phone chargers, battery or solar-powered radio and any prescription medications are just a few items that would go a long way if you’re ever snowed in during a blizzard.
Source(s): NWS, UCAR
(Image provided by user 12019 via Pixabay.com)
