6 Fast Facts About Blizzards

Here are six interesting facts about blizzards:

1. A blizzard is a storm that lasts at least three hours and produces a large amount of snow.

2. In the U.S., blizzards are most common in the upper Midwest and the Great Plains.

3. Most blizzards occur between December and February.

4. The Great Blizzard of 1888 is one of the most severe recorded blizzards in American history. It struck the East Coast March 11-14, producing snowdrifts of more than 50 feet.

5. The word “blizzard” was first used to describe a cannon shot. That changed in the 1870s when an Iowa newspaper used it to describe a snowstorm.

6. A blizzard is considered very strong when winds are more than 35 miles per hour. Severe blizzards can produce wind speeds comparable to a Category 1 or 2 hurricane.