A blizzard is an intensified snowstorm that greatly affects the lives of humans.History has witnessed some unexpectedly big blizzards that snatched the life of hundreds. It also affects the transportation and food supply of affected places, giving rise to several other after-effects.The United States is the land of such big blizzards. Most of the blizzard tragedies of the world took place there. Some of the biggest blizzards of the states are Armistice Day Blizzard of South Dakota, New York City Blizzard of Long Island, New York, and the Super Bowl Blizzard originating in the Rocky mountains. Iran Blizzard of 1972 was a blizzard that took place outside the USA but is recognized as the biggest blizzard in the world with over 4000 deaths.The 1993 Storm of the Century affected a minimum of 26 states in the US with 40% of people experiencing the effects of the storm. Its path covered the Gulf of Mexico, eastern United States, and much of eastern Canada. After the Great Blizzard of 1888, neither railway nor road communication was available in the east coast cities for days. It took the rescue workers eight days to clear the snow with a snow shovel. The creation of the subway in New York City is often attributed to the massive transportation gridlock that occurred at the time. The ‘black blizzard’ of 1935, also known as Black Sunday, had terrible effects on the US’s agriculture and economic damages. It also killed many people and caused hundreds of thousands to relocate.If you are looking for more interesting content, then keep on reading the articles on biggest blizzard in the world and biggest bone in body fun facts, too.The Great White Hurricane Of 1888The Great White Hurricane of 1888 was one of the biggest snowstorms recorded, not only in the United States but also in the history of the world. This raging blizzard is also known by two other alternate names called Great Blizzard of ‘88 and Great Blizzard of 1888. The storm arrived on the east coast of the United States on 11 March and dominated the entire stretch from the Chesapeake Bay to Maine for three continuous days. 10-58 in (25-147 cm) snow fell in parts of New York City, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Wind gusts were reported to be more than 45 mph (72 kph) which damaged the communication lines of various areas.A few days before 11 March, the weather seemed to be quite mild and enjoyable. Soon heavy rains started to pour that transformed to snow and the temperatures dropped rapidly. The storm hit with its full power after midnight on 12 March and raged for a day and a half with earnestly strong winds and heavy snowfall. The snow storm deposited several inches of snow which blanketed the east coast of the USA. The National Weather Service concluded that around 50 in (127 cm) snow fell over the landmass of Massachusetts and Connecticut during the Great Blizzard of 1888. The average snow drifts ranged between 30-40 ft (9-12 m) and went over the houses in New York and New England causing floods in these regions when the snow melted.On 11 March, cold air from Canada collided with the warmer weather of the southern gulf resulting in very low temperatures. This created classic blizzard conditions and the result was a major snowstorm on the Atlantic coast of the United States.The Storm Of The Century In 1993The Storm of the Century of 1993 was one of the worst storms that formed in the Gulf of Mexico and later turned into the deadliest blizzard. The Storm of the Century was a brutal storm that stretched from Canada to Honduras. It was notable particularly for its massive intensity and wide-reaching effects. The 1993 Storm was not only one of the most remarkable winter storms but it also marked a milestone in the history of weather forecasting in the United States. The blizzard warning was issued two days before the storm arrived by the National Weather Service and a state of emergency was declared in several northeastern states. Consequently, many people could be saved from this winter storm because of the prior warning.In 1993, the March temperatures began to fall exceptionally over much of the eastern United States. An area of low pressure was formed in the east over Mexico. It pushed back up the eastern seaboard which moved rapidly through the eastern Gulf of Mexico. It converted into a cyclonic storm and the eye of the cyclone moved over northwest Florida creating a significant storm surge and drowning several people of the peninsula. It got converted into a blizzard that was cyclonic in nature.The storm finally dissipated in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 March. The blizzard caused the worst snowstorms at Mount Le Conte in Tennessee and Mount Mitchell in North Carolina. Over 50 in (127 cm) snow was recorded in these places. Record-breaking cold weather was experienced in the southern and eastern states of the United States because of this blizzard. The storm killed 318 people but caused damages worth $2 billion. The prior warnings of the weather service department and declaring the emergency played an important role behind the comparatively low death toll after the blizzard.The Great Lakes Storm Of 1913The 1913 Great Lakes Storm was a furious blizzard with strong wind speeds that devastated the Great Lakes Basin, Midwestern United States, and Southwestern Ontario in Canada. The storm lasted from 7-10 November acquiring the highest intensity on November ninth. The Great Lakes Storm of 1913 is still the deadliest natural disaster to hit the Great Lakes region of the United States ever. The cold winter weather accompanied by hurricane-force winds created one of the worst blizzards in the history of the world.The Great Lakes Storm started as an extratropical cyclone when two storm fronts formed by the warm waters of the lake collided. This produced wind speed exceeding hurricane forces over the lakes forming large waves. Soon it converted into a zero-visibility blizzard killing more than 250 people in the lake area. It had a significant impact in many cities including Minnesota, Ohio, Cleveland, Illinois, and Chicago. The city of Cleveland received 22 in (56 cm) of wet snow and remained in the paralyzed state for days. The weather bureau failed to anticipate the extent and the intensity of the storm which increased the rate of destruction caused by it. More than 19 ships were destroyed and cargo worth $1 billion was lost.The Cleveland Superbomb Of 1978One of the worst blizzards of the Midwest states took place on 27 January, 1978. This blizzard was named the Cleveland Superbomb and it moved north from the Gulf of Mexico. The Cleveland Superbomb is also known as the Anniversary Blizzard since another winter storm called the Chicago Blizzard took place on the same day in 1967. The Superbomb stretched from south-eastern Wisconsin to Pennsylvania reaching as far south as Kentucky. The state of Michigan dealt with the hardest hit of the blizzard. It prompted the Michigan government to declare a state of emergency in the state and request additional aids from the federal government.The Cleveland Superbomb took place on the same day as the Chicago Blizzard, 11 years later. It was a remarkably strong blizzard storm and was the most severe one in Michigan history. Most parts of the Midwest shut down completely following the heavy precipitation that turned into snow, and the service roads were blocked. Massive amount of snow accumulated throughout the state between 25-27 January. Many vehicles remain stranded on the road during the storm and the power lines got disconnected in thousands of households during the storm. The continuous snowfall accompanied by fierce winds even forced the press to stop their publication for a day for the first time in 121 years. The deadly storm killed around 50 people in Ohio and about 20 people in Michigan before it dissipated.The Great Blizzard Of 1899In 1899, a cold wave from the Arctic region hit the whole nation of the United States plummeting the winter temperatures below freezing point. The bitter cold condition lasted for the first two weeks of February 1899. The western front of the country was the first zone to experience the frosty weather. Temperatures dropped as low as 33 F (0.6 C) in Los Angeles, California, 9 F (-13 C) in Portland Oregon, and -9 F (-23 C) in Idaho on fourth February. By 6 February, low temperatures made their way up to North Carolina in the south.The effects of the Great Blizzard lasted for two completed weeks, the mercury started going down rapidly from 4 February but the chilling nature of the storm was felt the most on 10 February. The eastern two-thirds of the United States recorded all-time low temperatures on that day. The very low temperatures did not only bring lots of snow and ice but also brought misery to the citizens. By the time the blizzard stopped in the Mid-Atlantic and northeast, New Jersey and Cape May recorded over 30 in (76 cm) of snow which is still a record for the place. Ice was flowing through the Mississippi River throughout the next week. More than 100 people lost their lives in the Great Blizzard of 1899 and crops were damaged in many places.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! 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A blizzard is an intensified snowstorm that greatly affects the lives of humans.
