61 Facts About Blizzards You Won’t Believe [Free Fact Cards]

From icy wonders to snowflake secrets, explore the fantastic world of blizzards educationally and excitingly. Get ready for an avalanche of knowledge and fun with these interesting facts about blizzards!

Kids love learning new things, especially when it comes to anything weather-related. All the questions they ask, like: Why does it snow? How is snow made? Is it cold enough to snow today? Just shows that they truly have curious minds and are eager to learn new facts.

Learning new facts can help build your child’s vocabulary. Kids are natural explorers with curious minds, making them avid lovers of learning new facts. Discovering intriguing information satisfies their inquisitive nature and fuels their imagination, enabling them to see the world in fresh and exciting ways.

Each new fact is like a puzzle that fits into their growing minds, forming connections that spark excitement and a sense of accomplishment. Learning facts engages their young minds, nurtures a love for vocabulary, and empowers them with knowledge they can proudly share with others.

If you love learning new things, be sure to check out 50 Shell-tacular Fascinating Facts about Turtles just for kids! and 55 Fascinating Facts About Frogs. I am sure you will learn something new!

Interesting Facts About Blizzards

1. A blizzard is a severe snowstorm with winds in excess of 35 mph and visibility of less than a 1/4 mile for more than 3 hours.
2. Blizzards can cause roof collapses due to the weight of accumulated snow.
3. A blizzard is a storm that lasts at least three hours and produces much snow.
4. A ground blizzard is what happens after a snowfall when strong winds blow around the loose snow on the ground. This creates white-outs and snowdrifts.
5. The Saskatchewan blizzard of 1945 was the worst recorded in Canadian history.

6.  snowstorm is considered a severe blizzard if the sustained winds are greater than 45 mph 
7. A blizzard in 1922 killed 98 people in Washington, D.C., when a theater collapsed.
8. A hazardous type of blizzard is a whiteout. 
9. In 1888, in the United States, a blizzard went on for two days and it featured up to four feet of snow that was experienced in cities like New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts. This blizzard caused a lot of havoc in that there were 400 deaths. 
10. In a whiteout, downdrafts and snowfall are so thick that people cannot tell the ground and sky apart.

11. Blizzards begin as snow storms but are categorized as blizzards after sustaining winds of 35 miles per hour.
12. Blizzards can also occur after snowfall when high winds cause whiteouts 
13. Central Canada and the Midwest in the United States are considered to be ‘blizzard country’. To deal with the regular blizzards in these regions, homes are often built with steep roofs.
14. In the U.S., blizzards are most common in the upper Midwest and the Great Plains.
15. A white-out is a name given to the surface weather condition that occurs in snow-covered areas.

16. Visibility is significantly reduced during a white-out, with the horizon completely obscured and only dark objects being discernible.
17. Blizzards often cause severe damage to buildings and can bury structures under many feet of drift snow.
18. A ground blizzard occurs after snow has fallen and strong winds blow around loose snow on the ground, creating whiteouts and snowdrifts.
19. Blizzards are most often experienced in the Great Plains and upper Midwest of the United States.
20. Rochester, New York, receives the most significant amount of snow in the United States every year, experiencing some of the biggest blizzards in the country. 

21. These horrible blizzards can be up to 25-30 feet deep. A basketball hoop is 10 feet high, so a blizzard can get snow as deep as the height of two or three hoops.
22. A blizzard watch is issued when blizzard conditions are possible within 12 to 48 hours.
23. When blizzards occur, they can shut down cities and make them inaccessible. 
24. To avoid hypothermia if caught outdoors during a blizzard, stay hydrated and nourished. Keep the blood flowing by moving around. 
25. Most blizzards occur between December and February.

26. Blizzards can start because of lakes! It’s called “lake-effect snow,”. When icy winds blow across a warmer lake, they grab moisture and turn it into snow. If the air stays cold enough, that snow falls on the nearby land, creating a lake-effect blizzard.
27. Extreme cold during blizzards can lead to frozen pipes and other infrastructure issues.
28. The most intense blizzards can have wind speeds as strong as category one or two hurricane.
29. The northwest side of an intense winter storm system is often where blizzard conditions occur.
30. If you must travel by car during a blizzard, having an emergency aid kit is vital in case your car breaks down, you get into an accident or become stuck in the snow.

31. The snowiest city in the United States is Rochester, NY. It averages 94 inches of snow each year.
32. In February 2010, a blizzard dubbed “Snowmageddon” struck the United States.
33. The Storm of the 20th Century took place in March 1993. It was iconic for its hurricane wind force and massive size. And stretched from Canada to mid-America. The blizzard caused roughly 300 deaths and 10 million power outages.
34. 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.
35. 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.

36. To warn people about a possible blizzard, a ‘blizzard watch’ is issued. This is sent out when it is determined that a blizzard may occur within the next 12 to 48 hours.
37. If caught outdoors, it’s a good idea to build a snow cave to block the wind. It is also important to keep the body moving to keep the blood flowing.
38. Any geographical location that has snowfall can have blizzard or blizzard like conditions.
39. Over 350 people died in the Great Appalachian Storm in 1950 in Canada and the United States. 
40. The Great Appalachian Storm of 1950 killed over 350 people in the United States and Canada’s southeast region.

41. Many blizzards stem from Nor’Easters, which are storms traveling up the east coast of America. Moisture gathers from the Atlantic and dumps large accumulations of snow all the way from Delaware to Maine.
42. Traveling by car or foot is highly discouraged during blizzard conditions. It increases the chance of hypothermia, accident, and death.
43. In 2019, a bomb cyclone blizzard caused a 100-car pile-up in Colorado on I-25..
44. China is up there with the countries in the world that have experienced the most blizzards. The country’s central and southern reasons have a particularly rich history of experiencing blizzards.
45. The blizzard usually occurs in the northwest area during a substantial snowfall.

46. The deadliest blizzard in the world occurred in Iran in 1972. It is believed that as much as 26 feet of snow fell down during the blizzard, leading to around 4,000 fatalities.
47. Some blizzards can result in many feet of snow accumulating on the ground – causing major issues for traffic and snow-clearing crews.
48. During the 1880s, when several severe snowstorms in the United States and England, the term ‘blizzard’ became popular.
49. A blizzard warning is issued when blizzard conditions are occurring or expected to occur within 12 to 18 hours.
50. Blizzards can also occur after snowfall when high winds cause whiteouts (fallen snow blowing around) and snowdrifts (huge mountains of snow), which decrease visibility.

51. In 2018, the “Bomb Cyclone” blizzard brought heavy snow and strong winds to the eastern U.S.
52. As soon as you receive a storm warning, get prepared. You could lose electricity (this includes hot water and heat), so stock up on non-perishable foods, blankets, flashlights, extra batteries, and candles beforehand.
53. Farmers in ‘blizzard country’ often plant wheat in the fall. The snow protects it and the moisture from the melting snow in spring gives it a head start in the growing season.
54. When stuck in a blizzard without protection, eating snow is not a good choice because it lowers the temperature of the body.
55. Snowmageddon was a major blizzard that affected most of the Northeastern United States between February 5th and 6th in 2010. 

56. Blizzards can happen even without snow falling.
57. The Blizzard of 1888 is also known as “The Great White Monster.” This epic storm was like nothing people had seen before and left a mark on the East Coast that lasted for days. 
58. Blizzards only happen on cold fronts. The wind picks snow off the ground or when it falls down.
59. Hurricanes form along the Atlantic Ocean parallel to the East Coast of the United States, causing Blizzards.
60. Blizzards result in trees falling and plants dying. This damages forests, which then releases excess carbon dioxide, causing an imbalance in the local ecosystem, and impacting plants and wildlife.
61. A blizzard with heavy snowfall can contribute to the overall water supply, as the melted snow provides water for rivers, lakes, and groundwater.

Do you have even more interesting facts about blizzards? Share them with us in the comments! Also, don’t forget to grab your free Blizzard fact cards to add to your collection!

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