9781422269527

CHAPTER

WHAT MAKES A BLIZZARD Many people enjoy watching the snow fall; it creates an eerie silence that would be hard to understand if you’ve never experienced soft falling snow. This eerie quiet creates a peaceful surrounding that brings comfort to the human soul. Snowstorms usually surround us in silence, but sometimes have mild winds, ranging from about 20 to 30 mph (32.2 to 48.3 kilometers per hour), and typically only drop a few inches of snow. While snowstorms can be peaceful, blizzards are brutal storms that are far from comforting. A blizzard is a severe snowstorm involving cold winds under 32°F (0°C) (but often substantially lower). These storms have sustained winds over 35 mph (56 kph) for a minimum of three hours and can continue for days. A blizzard can drop anywhere from several inches to many feet of snow, causing a whiteout if the snowfall gets too heavy. In a blizzard, people cannot see within a quarter of a mile in any direction, which makes going outside and driving very

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