The word blizzard didn’t mean a snowstorm until 1870, when a newspaper editor in Estherville, Iowa, needed a word to describe a fierce spring storm.
The word blizzard had been hanging around with no particular origin for about fifty years and was used to describe a vicious physical attack, either with fists or guns.
After its use by the editor, what better word to describe a violent snowstorm than blizzard?
In the U.S., a blizzard is defined by the National Weather Service as sustained winds or frequent gusts reaching 35 mph or above which causes blowing snow and visibilities of ¼ mile or less, lasting for at least 3 hours.
