What Is A Blizzard, And How You Can Prepare For One

As Maine prepares for a hefty winter storm that could dump buckets of snow across the state, the National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook in anticipation of bad conditions. The weather statement could be updated to a winter storm watch or warning, or, under certain circumstances, could be upgraded to a blizzard alert. What is a blizzard? A blizzard is defined as blowing and/or falling snow with winds that reach at least 35 mph, which reduces visibility to a quarter of a mile or less for at least three hours, according to the NWS. If you are caught outside in cold temperatures with high winds, the risk of hypothermia or frostbite increases significantly.