Snow Storm Safety
Heavy snow can immobilize a region and paralyze a city, stranding commuters, closing airports, stopping
the flow of supplies, and disrupting emergency and medical services. The weight of snow can cause roofs
to collapse and knock down trees and power lines. Homes and farms may be isolated for days and unprotected
livestock may be lost. In the mountains, heavy snow can lead to avalanches. The cost of snow removal,
repairing damages, and the loss of business can have severe economic impacts on cities and towns. See weather.gov for the latest forecast.
- Blizzard: Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with snow and blowing snow frequently reducing visibility to less than a quarter mile for 3 hours or more.
- Blowing Snow: Wind-driven snow that reduces visibility. Blowing snow may be falling snow and/or snow on the ground picked up by the wind.
- Snow Squalls: Brief, intense snow showers accompanied by strong, gusty winds. Accumulation may be significant.
- Snow Showers: Snow falling at varying intensities for brief periods of time. Some accumulation is possible.
- Flurries: Light snow falling for short durations with little or no accumulation.
- Avalanche: A mass of tumbling snow. More than 80 percent of midwinter avalanches are triggered by a rapid accumulation of snow and 90 percent of those avalanches occur within 24 hours of snowfall. An avalanche may reach a mass of a million tons and travel at speeds up to 200 mph.