Winter Storms
Winter Storms
Storms tend to develop over southeast Colorado. These storms move east or northeast and use both the southward plunge of cold air from Canada and the northward flow of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico to produce heavy snow and sometimes blizzard conditions. Other storms affecting the Midwest and Plains move southeast. Arctic air is drawn from the north and moves south across the Plains. Wind and cold sometimes combines to cause wind chill temperatures as low as 70°F below zero!
A blizzard is a severe weather condition characterized by low temperatures, winds 35 MPH or greater, and sufficient falling and/or blowing snow in the air to frequently reduce visibility to 1/4 mile or less for a duration of at least 3 hours. A severe blizzard is characterized by temperatures of near or below 10° Fahrenheit, winds exceeding 45 MPH, and visibility reduced by snow to near zero.-----The Weather Channel