Blizzard Attack: Winter Storms

Winter Storms
Why are they so dangerous?

Winter storms are dangerous because they produce a variety of life and property threatening conditions! Winter storms vary in duration and severity.

As the picture on the left shows, the scenes we see after most winter storms are often beautiful. During storms, the variety of conditions that are present often times are quite dangerous.

The Dangers of Winter Storms

1. Snow and heavy snow
Snow is dangerous to travelers since it causes the road to become slippery. One of the more dangerous times during winter storms is when the road initially becomes snow covered. A thin layer of snow offers less traction than an inch or more. When traveling during a falling snow, remember to be especially careful when the road is first covered with snow. Snow often leads to other problems which will be described below.

2. Rain or freezing rain
Freezing rain is extremely dangerous to travelers since it coats roadways with ice. This reduces the friction or "grabbing ability" that tires normally need to keep a car attached to the road. When you drive on ice, you are no longer on the road!

3. Sleet and snow pellets
Sleet and snow pellets often occur during major Winter storms when the atmosphere is near freezing on the eastern edge of the storm. Usually this is a sign of a "large and dangerous" storm which will have strong winds and colder weather following.

4. Wind and blowing snow
One of the major dangers of winter storms is wind. Wind transports moisture into the storm at the surface and aloft which allows the storm to intensify and continue unabated.

Wind can also create life-threatening conditions. Wind driven snow can cause "white-out" conditions which reduce visibility so much that motorists can not see the road or other vehicles traveling on the road. White-out conditions occur most often with major storms that produce a drier, more powdery snow.

If you encounter white-out conditions, you should reduce your speed considerably until conditions improve or find a safe place to pull off of the road and remain there until the storm ends.   A safe place is one that does not obstruct traffic, like a parking lot of a filling station.

Wind driven snow can also result in drifting snow. Snow drifts can close roads when large enough, but there are other hidden dangers in snow drifts. While driving at normal speeds in a vehicle and suddenly plowing through snowdrift, you may lose control of your vehicle. To avoid this, always reduce your speed enough that you can make it through the snow while not losing control. This is not an easy task to master, even for experienced drivers.

5. Dangerously cold temperatures:
It's a fact of winter that the weather is cold. Add to that Arctic cold during or immediately following a snowstorm and you have a recipe for "life-threatening" conditions. Cold weather and wind combine during the Winter months to "rob our bodies of heat and moisture".

It is important to monitor the conditions at hand during a Winter storm, but even more important to know well ahead of time what to expect once the storm has passed. It is then that the extremely cold weather usually sets into a region! If you become stuck in a Winter storm because the weather is adverse, then you need to know that the weather following it may be just as dangerous.

Blizzards: The worst winter storms
A blizzard is a storm which contains heavy snowfall, strong winds, and cold temperatures. The combination of these elements creates blinding snow with near zero visibility, deep drifts, and life-threatening wind chill values.

Persons should never venture out in blizzards, nor should they continue to travel if a storm is upgraded to a blizzard. You should seek shelter, any safe shelter, immediately. A safe shelter is a public place such as a motel or restaurant if you are on the road, or your home, school, or business if you are already there.

In a blizzard, winds are 35 mph or greater and visibility is reduced to less than 1/4 mile by falling snow and blowing snow.

Next: Hit the Road and Have a Safe Trip

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