i looked up “blizzard” on wikipedia and found that yep, it is (was) a blizzard, PLUS, and MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY, the blizzard ALREADY HAS A NAME!!!
blizzard is a severe storm condition characterized by strong winds and reduced visibility. By definition, the difference between blizzard and a snowstorm is the strength of the wind. To be a blizzard, a snow storm must have winds in excess of 56 km/h (35 mph) with blowing or drifting snow which reduces visibility to 400 meters or ¼ mile or less and must last for a prolonged period of time — typically three hours or more.[1] Ground blizzards require high winds to stir up already fallen snow.
Blizzards can bring near-whiteout conditions, and can paralyze regions for days at a time, particularly where snowfall is unusual or rare. The 1972 Iran blizzard, which caused approximately 4000 deaths, was the deadliest in recorded history.
I didn’t mention in that last post that they closed a huge stretch of the highway I-55, which of course is a huge deal.
but hmm, should it really be called the groundhog day blizzard, since technically, didn’t most of it happen yesterday, the day BEFORE groundhog day? but then again, “The Day Before Groundhog Day Blizzard of 2011” doesn’t roll so nicely off the tongue, does it? plus probably a lot of the east coast is still getting hammered (in a snow-and-wind-blizzard hammering kind of way, not in a getting drunk kind of way).
now i’m really being a slacker not helping with all the snow, so here i gooooooo….
ok then,
mrs. GROUNDHOG DAY BLIZZARD OF 2011 hughes.