Jeff Miller
EF5
On a historical level, what defines a "Great Blizzard"?
For those of us winter weather buffs, "Great Blizzards" typically are reminiscent of the Blizzard of 1978. That phenomenal Blizzard produced winds sustained in the neighborhood of 50-70 MPH and gusts over 100 over the open waters of Lake Erie near Cleveland.
This storm was historical on many levels. This storm shattered records throughout the Plains. Sioux City, Iowa had it's snowiest Christmas ever and event totals are nearing or have topped 20". Oklahoma City had a record breaking 14+" of heavy snow. Tulsa was battered by a thunderstorm event with heavy sleet and snow as predominant precipitation. Travel was paralyzed, and lives were lost in the Plains, sadly.
Just a look at water vapor imagery and visual satellite is staggering. The effect of the massive low pressure system was almost CONUS-encompassing. Massive is a simple understatement.
How many of us would term the Blizzard "Great"? I have seen Micheal O'Keefe use the term and I did as well, at first sarcastically, now believing it.
What then is the historical terminology to define a Blizzard as Great? Does the Christmas Blizzard apply? Your thoughts.
PS: I have amazing photos of buried cars and massive snow drifts I need to get around to getting on here sometime.
For those of us winter weather buffs, "Great Blizzards" typically are reminiscent of the Blizzard of 1978. That phenomenal Blizzard produced winds sustained in the neighborhood of 50-70 MPH and gusts over 100 over the open waters of Lake Erie near Cleveland.
This storm was historical on many levels. This storm shattered records throughout the Plains. Sioux City, Iowa had it's snowiest Christmas ever and event totals are nearing or have topped 20". Oklahoma City had a record breaking 14+" of heavy snow. Tulsa was battered by a thunderstorm event with heavy sleet and snow as predominant precipitation. Travel was paralyzed, and lives were lost in the Plains, sadly.
Just a look at water vapor imagery and visual satellite is staggering. The effect of the massive low pressure system was almost CONUS-encompassing. Massive is a simple understatement.
How many of us would term the Blizzard "Great"? I have seen Micheal O'Keefe use the term and I did as well, at first sarcastically, now believing it.
What then is the historical terminology to define a Blizzard as Great? Does the Christmas Blizzard apply? Your thoughts.
PS: I have amazing photos of buried cars and massive snow drifts I need to get around to getting on here sometime.