What is a blizzard?

What is a blizzard?

Blizzards are typically a North American weather phenomenon. Not every snowstorm is a blizzard, though.

This is the official definition that US weather experts use:

· Wind speeds higher than 35 miles per hour (56.3 km/h)

· Visibility drops as a result of snow to less than a quarter mile (400 meters)

· The storm lasts longer than three hours

In other words, some areas of the northeastern United States will meet all three criteria, meaning they've experienced blizzard conditions.

But others in Juno's path will experience a mere "snowstorm."

As with tornadoes or hurricanes, blizzards are common in the US. They are typically confined to specific regions but do occasionally strike in areas unaccustomed to heavy snowfall, such as northern Florida.

How do blizzards form?

One example: A low-pressure front from Canada hits a fast-moving and relatively humid western Atlantic system. Wind speeds increase in the newly combined system as temperatures drop. The result: snow-laden winds, which pile up in large drifts.

How often do blizzards occur?

Well, the last large blizzard to strike New York was "Nemo" in February 2013. Nemo, like Juno, severely disrupted public life.

Biggest blizzard ever?

Depends on the criteria. The Great Blizzard of 1993 affected 40 percent of the US population, affected areas from Canada to Central America and killed more than 300 people.

In 1972, a blizzard in Iran killed 4,000 people, and there were reports of 26-foot piles of snow.

For New Yorkers, though, the "Juno" storm of 2015 will bring back memories of 2006, when a blizzard dumped more than two feet of snow on the Big Apple.