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Winter Weather Awareness Week Day 3: Heavy snow producers and snow terms

WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK DAY 3 This week we show you important weather and safety information to keep you safe and Weather Smart during the upcoming winter...
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WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK DAY 3

This week we show you important weather and safety information to keep you safe and Weather Smart during the upcoming winter season.   Today’s topic is snow storm types.

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Heavy snow can be produced by overrunning situations, blizzards, and Nor’easters. Lesser amounts of snow are often produced by Alberta Clippers.

Overrunning can also produce heavy snow. This occurs when warm air aloft flows over cold air near the surface. Overrunning happens mostly during the winter when the contrast in air masses is greatest. Overrunning occurs most often when a large dome of high pressure is located in southeastern Canada and a warm front is approaching our region from the south or southwest.

A blizzard is a winter storm which has sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more, with considerable falling and or blowing snow frequently reducing the visibility to at or below one quarter mile, and these conditions last for 3 hours or more. Some of the greatest snowfalls on record in Pennsylvania occurred during blizzards. 1 to 2 feet of snow fell over a large part of Pennsylvania during the Blizzard of 1993.

Nor’easters are intense areas of low pressure that typically develop along the eastern seaboard most often during late fall, winter and early spring. They usually bring strong northeast winds to areas near the coast as they move north along it. Some memorable Nor’easters in recent years included the President’s Day snowstorm of 2003, the February 11th and 12th storm of 2006, the Valentine’s Day snowstorm of 2007 and the snowstorm of February 25th and 26th, 2010. Snowfall rates in Nor’easters can reach 2 to 4 inches per hour and these rates can last for several hours.

An Alberta Clipper is an area of low pressure that usually develops over the province of Alberta in Canada, east of the Rocky Mountains. Alberta Clippers usually move very quickly southeast from their point of origin and usually bring only light snow as they cross our region unless they intensify off the east coast. They also allow colder air from Canada to move into our region in their wake.

 

Some snow terms which are commonly used include blizzard, blowing snow, snow squalls, snow showers and snow flurries.

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Blowing snow is wind driven snow that reduces visibility. Blowing snow may be falling snow or snow already on the ground that is picked up by the wind.

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Snow showers have snow falling at varying intensities for brief periods of time with some snow accumulation possible.

Snow flurries are light snow which falls with little or no snow accumulation.

The FOX43 Weather Smart Team will keep you updated during the months ahead! You can also find more winter weather information at the State College NWS website.

Stay prepared and safe this winter season!

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