Blizzards are severe winter weather events, distinct from typical snowstorms due to a specific combination of conditions. These powerful storms pose significant hazards, often leading to widespread disruptions and dangerous travel. This article explores the areas within the United States most susceptible to blizzards.
Understanding Blizzard Criteria
The National Weather Service (NWS) defines a blizzard based on three primary criteria, not solely on snowfall amount. A storm qualifies if it features sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 miles per hour (56 kilometers per hour) or greater.
Reduced visibility due to falling or blowing snow is another component. Visibility must be less than 1/4 mile (400 meters). These severe wind and visibility conditions must persist for three hours or more. Heavy snowfall itself is not a requirement; strong winds can pick up existing snow from the ground, creating a “ground blizzard” even without new precipitation.
Blizzard Hotspots Across the United States
Blizzards are not evenly distributed across the United States; certain regions experience these severe winter storms more frequently. The northern Great Plains and Upper Midwest are primary blizzard hotspots, including states like North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
Nebraska, for example, averages one to two blizzards per year. Data from 1996 to 2020 indicates over 10,000 of the nearly 13,000 documented U.S. blizzards occurred in the northern Plains and Upper Midwest. The region’s open landscape and exposure to cold air masses contribute to this prevalence.
The Northeastern United States is another significant region for blizzard activity. States in New England, along with New York and Pennsylvania, are often affected by powerful winter storms known as Nor’easters. These storms can bring blizzard conditions, including heavy snow, strong winds, and reduced visibility, to the Atlantic seaboard.
While less frequent, parts of the Intermountain West, such as northern Arizona, can experience blizzard conditions under specific atmospheric setups. The vast majority of blizzards in the contiguous U.S. concentrate in the Plains, Upper Midwest, and Northeast.
Underlying Geographic and Atmospheric Influences
The frequent occurrence of blizzards in the Great Plains and Upper Midwest is shaped by their distinctive geography. The expansive, flat terrain offers minimal resistance to wind, enabling strong gusts to develop and persist. This lack of natural windbreaks, such as mountains or dense forests, allows cold arctic air masses from Canada to sweep southward unimpeded.
These cold air masses often collide with warmer, moist air flowing northward from the Gulf of Mexico. This interaction fuels the development of powerful low-pressure systems, such as “Colorado Lows,” which form in southeastern Colorado or northeastern New Mexico. As these systems track northeastward across the Plains, they draw in moisture and interact with the cold air, creating conditions ripe for blizzards.
Similarly, the Northeastern United States experiences blizzards largely due to the formation of Nor’easters. These extratropical cyclones develop along the East Coast, often within 100 miles of the shore, from North Carolina to Massachusetts. Nor’easters are driven by the stark temperature contrast between cold air masses from Canada and the relatively warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean, particularly influenced by the Gulf Stream.
The jet stream, a high-altitude band of strong winds, plays a role in steering these storm systems and facilitating blizzard conditions. When the jet stream dips southward, it allows cold polar air to clash with warmer, moist air. This dynamic creates the intense pressure gradients necessary for strong winds and directs the path of storms like Colorado Lows and Nor’easters, bringing the combination of cold air, moisture, and wind needed for blizzards to the affected regions.