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Blizzards (1)

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Blizzards (1)

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vothiquynhchiki4k34
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Level 2

Blizzards
Date: 2014
From: Weather and Natural Disasters
Publisher: Gale
Series: Gale Elementary Online Collection
Document Type: Topic overview
Length: 701 words
Lexile Measure: 650L

Full Text:

Snow-Covered Street During Blizzard

Large amounts of snow falls during


a blizzard. © Zuzana Dolezalova/Alamy.

A blizzard is a severe winter storm. Blizzards have a lot of snow and strong winds. These are no ordinary snowstorms.

Blizzard Facts
A storm is called a blizzard when three things happen. First the wind must be blowing more than 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour.
Then snow must be falling or blowing so hard that a person can only see as far as 0.25 miles (0.4 kilometers). Finally, these
conditions must last for at least three hours.

Several feet of snow fall during a blizzard. The wind blows the snow into tall drifts, or piles. Snowdrifts can cover cars, fences, and
other objects. The blizzard can last for many hours. Some big blizzards last for days.

Blizzards usually happen in the northern parts of the United States and Canada. They also happen in the mountains. Russia, Norway,
Sweden, and other northern countries also have blizzards. So does Antarctica. Most blizzards happen between November and April.

What Causes a Blizzard?


A blizzard starts with snow. Snow forms when water vapor freezes in the air, creating ice crystals. When a few ice crystals stick
together, they form a snowflake. Snowflakes are too heavy to stay up in the sky. Instead, they fall to the ground.

Cold temperatures are also needed to make a blizzard. Most of the time it must be below 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 degrees
Celsius). In severe blizzards, temperatures are 10 degrees Fahrenheit (-17 degrees Celsius) or below.

The air must be very cold for snowflakes to form. But it must also be very cold on the ground. If it is too warm on the ground, the
snowflakes will melt, changing to rain.

Snow does not always need to fall to create a blizzard. But there must always be strong winds. Sometimes strong winds pick up snow
that has already fallen, forming a blizzard.

Dangerous Conditions
Blizzards can be very dangerous. The strong winds in a blizzard make a person lose body heat quickly. People who are out in a
blizzard can get frostbite (freezing of body tissue) or hypothermia (dangerous lowering of body temperature). Many people have
frozen to death in blizzards.

During a blizzard, the snow falls thickly and blows around very hard. This makes it hard to see. This condition is called a whiteout.
People can get lost during a whiteout. They might be near their house or another shelter but not be able to see it.

People cannot see well enough to drive during a whiteout either. They can be hurt or killed in traffic accidents during a blizzard. Some
blizzards are powerful enough to sink ships. Often the winds stir up large waves.

During a blizzard, a lot of snow can pile up on the roofs of buildings. These piles of snow are very heavy. Sometimes the snow is so
heavy that roofs collapse, or fall in.

After a blizzard, conditions may remain dangerous. Many people suffer heart attacks shoveling the heavy snow. Other people are
hurt when they slip and fall on ice and snow.

Famous Blizzards
The worst blizzard in American history was the Great Blizzard of 1888. In two days in March, 40–50 inches (100–127 centimeters) of
snow fell in the Northeast. Snowdrifts buried houses and even trains. More than 400 people died, and winds sank 200 ships under
huge waves.

In February 2010, two blizzards dumped record amounts of snow in the mid-Atlantic area. Washington DC got 32.4 inches (82.3
centimeters) of snow. Called “Snowmadgeddon,” the storm covered more than 68 percent of the country with snow.

Staying Safe
In the past, people did not know when a blizzard was coming. They were surprised when the storm struck. Many people died. Today
weather forecasters can tell when a blizzard is coming. They can tell when the storm will strike and how long it will last. They can
even predict how much snow will fall.

If people know a blizzard is coming, they can make plans to stay safe. People should stay inside. They should have plenty of food
and water. They also need flashlights and battery-powered radios in case the electricity goes out. It’s a good idea to wear layers of
warm clothes.

Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2014 Gale, Cengage Learning


Source Citation (MLA 9th Edition)
"Blizzards." Weather and Natural Disasters, Gale, 2014. Gale Elementary Online Collection. Gale In Context: Elementary,
link.gale.com/apps/doc/HOONHA829994506/ITKE?u=vnips&sid=bookmark-ITKE&xid=4d3bb65b. Accessed 11 Mar. 2024.
Gale Document Number: GALE|HOONHA829994506

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