Severe Storms/Winter Storms

This page is to be used for the Severe Storms topic of the Meteorology event.

Snow Storms
Snow is less dense than liquid by a factor of a approximately ten when in temperatures just under freezing. This means that 1 inch of rain would be about 10 inches of snow. This can make snow storms very problematic, especially in areas that are not used to getting heavy snow; however more than 6 inches of snow will be a problem anywhere. Some of the key dangers of snow storms include hypothermia, frostbite, car wrecks, or even avalanches if near or on a mountain.

In order for a snow storm to be classified as a "blizzard" it must have the following characteristics:
 * Visibility reduced to less than 1/4 mile
 * Winds greater than 35 miles per hour
 * Last for a long period of time such as three hours.

Freezing Rain
Freezing rain can be extremely dangerous. It occurs when there is a layer of warm air aloft and freezing cold air near the ground. Rain will fall, become supercooled in the cold air layer, and freeze when it strikes the ground or an object on the ground. The result is a layer of ice instead of snow. Even for places that are accustomed to snow storms, as little as 1 cm can completely paralyze a city. Dangers including driving, telephone and electrical wire damage, and entire crops can be destroyed.