Snowstorms | The Winds of the Cold
Snowstorms can be really dangerous and scary for people in their path. Learn more about them here…
Snowstorms are weather events that millions across the U.S. get because they are very common in snowy regions. Snowstorms generate very high winds and sometimes inconvenient amounts of snow. This post will be about what causes a snowstorm, some effects, and more. Learn more here…
This post is all about snowstorms.
Shivering Snowstorms
What Causes a Snowstorm?
The first section of this post will be about the causes of the snowstorm. Snowstorms can be relatively local or they can span entire states. A lot of the time, they come in big systems like extra-tropical cyclones when the amount of snow is considerable, like the one pictured above. Large systems like this often have a lot of snow and are called winter storms. They also have names. Atmospheric rivers from the Pacific also can cause large amounts of snow.
Snowstorm Effects
The effects of a snowstorm can be very great. The pronounced impact is snow, which can block doors into and out of houses, cover whole cars and streets, greatly limit transportation, and many other things that make snowstorms very impactful right after they happen. The weight of the snow can collapse the roofs of buildings and cars, causing lots of damage. If the snow happens in mountainous areas, avalanches can happen which are very dangerous. The snow is also often accompanied by wind so that can also cause problems.
Where do Snowstorms Occur in the U.S?
Snowstorms are widespread during the winter months in almost any large region in the U.S. with a relatively northern position and/or a high elevation. Two regions that often have the most notable storms are the Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic. Another region that gets a lot of snowstorms are high elevations in the West when a large Pacific system like an Atmospheric River comes through.
Types of Snowstorms
One type of winter storms that are common in the central and Mid-West portions of the U.S. are Alberta Clippers, Manitoba Maulers, and Saskatchewan Screamers. They are the same type of weather systems, they are just named differently based on where they formed. Nor’Easters cause a lot of snow in the Mid-Atlantic as they come with high winds. As mentioned above, atmospheric rivers are known for their precipitation.
Biggest Snowstorms in History
Many storms have produced notable amounts of snow and high winds. One prime example would be the Blizzard of 1899, The storm dumped over 1 1/2 feet of snow over Washington D.C, and produced snow flurries and sub-zero temperatures in Florida. The Storm of the Century produced record snow in multiple states from the Florida Panhandle up to Canada. The heaviest snow recorded from the storm was in Tennessee with one town recording 56 inches. There are many more notable snowstorms, but I will just say those two for now.
