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Blizzards can cause treacherous conditions that result in accidents, deaths, and can cause entire cities to shut down.
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Some blizzards can result in many feet of snow accumulating on the ground - causing major issues for traffic and snow-clearing crews.
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The snowiest city in the United States is Rochester, NY. It averages 94 inches of snow each year.
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When blizzards occur on the East Coast of the United States they are often referred to as 'Nor'easters'.
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In 1888 a blizzard struck the Plains in the United States. Many children were stranded in their one room schoolhouses. Approximately 235 people, many school-children who had headed home in the blizzard, died. This blizzard is referred to as The Schoolhouse Blizzard because of the number of children that died.
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Another blizzard in 1888 resulted in the deaths of about 400 people in New York. This blizzard is referred to as the Great Blizzard of 1888.
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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.
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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.
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Frostbite and hypothermia are dangerous conditions that can occur if a person is caught in a blizzard with no protection. Temperatures are already cold, but the wind makes the wind chill much colder and skin can freeze much faster.
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When stuck in a blizzard without protection eating snow is not a good choice because it lowers the temperature of the body. 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.
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In 1993 one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history hit the eastern U.S., resulting in 318 deaths.
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The Great Appalachian Storm of 1950 killed more than 350 people in the United States and Canada's southeast region.
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A blizzard in 1922 killed 98 people in Washington, D.C. when a theater collapsed.
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A blizzard referred to as the Armistice Day Blizzard that occurred in 1940 in the Midwest killed 145 people.
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A blizzard now known as 'Snowmageddon' occurred in February, 2010.
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