What do you consider a BIG snowstorm???

My daughter was born during that storm!! Got one truck stuck in the driveway, luckily I had another..

 

I was born in a big snow storm too. According to mom at least.

 

Blizzard to me means 3"+ of snow and some cold cold strong winds, usually winds so strong that you have no way of telling if it's still snowing or just blowing the snow that was already on the ground so fast and heavy you can't see far enough into the sky to tell where it's coming from. Snow storm means 8"+ and some wind to start drifting. At least around here the last few years, biggest storm we had was 12"+. Anything over that and most just call it getting dumped on . Mid western WI for reference.

This blizzard we have now dropped only 3-4" but 1.5 hours east dad said they got 8". Winds are blowing cold air in to, went from 20-35 degree days to now the next week or so it'll be a high of 3 degrees and low of -17. Without wind chill.

 

Your a weather rock guy aren't you? That's what I rely on for weather updates, if it's wet is raining if it's white it's snowing if you can't see it is night time etc.

 

I like to keep it simple

 

I go by the definitions: Blizzard is a condition, not how much total snow falls: "a storm has to meet the following three criteria: 1. Sustained wind or frequent gusts of 35mph or greater. 2. Considerable falling and/or blowing snow reducing visibility to under a quarter mile"

A Nor'Easter is a storm that does not necessarily even involve snow, it can be rain (in fact, we had a Nor'Easter last fall/late summer that was an all rain event). It is all about location, track, pressure (low pressure against high pressure areas) and causes high surf, violent tides and coastal flooding.

Both terms CAN also bring the expectation of a decent to large snowfall, but it is not necessarily true. It all depends on available moisture and temperatures.

My definition of a "large" event depends on if it is heavy, wet snow, or light and fluffy. It is more related to the amount of effort I expend on moving the white stuff. Heavy, wet snow is a bear to move and I consider anything over 8" to be a big storm. If it is light and fluffy snow, then a foot is just a storm and it has to be 16-18" before I consider it to be big.

Of course that personal definition may change as places to put the snow become problematic to0 .

 

In the mid 90's when I was taking night classes and working 3rd shift, we had three or 4 storms over 2 week period that each dumped over 2' of snow. We didn't own a snowblower (ex's truck had a plow and my job was to shovel the deck and all the paths). At the time, the Ex was working out of state for a couple of months so I shoveled, and shoveled and shoveled, got about 2 hours of sleep before leaving for class, would come home and shovel until it was time to leave for work. I was in great shape when I was in my 30's

 

After the Blizzard of 93 there was actually less snow in my yard than before it started. Spots blown bare. Don't know where it ended up

 

Man I remember that vividly. I was still living in Philly, still in high school too, I think they were shut down for almost a week I recall. I had to dig a tunnel to my car door. Biggest storm for me for sure.... Blizzard of '96

 

I moved from Phoenix Az to N. Mi in Feb, of 78' It was a bit of a shock, I don't consider it bad until we get 24" in one dump. We got about 5" last night and you would have thought it was a storm of biblical proportions by the way the people were talking.

 

Most I ever saw at one time was a couple years ago. Over a 16 hour course we got 8”, and in another eight hours we got 20” more

 

Although I haven't heard any weather guessers call today's storm a Nor'Easter, just a coastal storm, I'm hearing others in my state say it's big Nor'Easter. So yeah, I get the OP's irritation at everything being called a "BIG/HUGE [place your most dire storm type here]".

This is a coastal storm that won't even dump that much snow in this state (assuming the weather guessers are correct anyway).

 

We are currently at around 5” so far I’d say. Still snowing fairly heavy

 

Yep. That 2011 storm was something. Snow drifted to the top of my garage door. Had to shovel enough to get my snowmobile out so I could ride to work! Left for Lakeland/Townsend area the next day to...snowmobile!

 

We ended up with about 7” from yesterday’s squall. 3 storms in the last week and a half totaling about 2 feet.

 

More than 3/4"in an hr for more than 8 hrs. If 10 in falls in 2 days not a storm. If 10 in falls in 8 hrs storm.

 

Okay, Okay I can't resist any longer. I have been reading this thread and had a few smart remarks to make but didn't. Here goes.

Here, ANY snow is a big snowstorm. We have seen upwards to 18" but that was quite a few years ago. It all melts off in about a couple of days. Usually it is about 2 to 3 inches. I think we might get some next week as the polar vortex starts leaving our area and the moist air from the Pacific starts to cover us. The transition usually brings something.

 

Woodwidow understandable, I have lived in places that 3 inches SHUT down the town! Also seen those people come here to a ski area and You drive in that!

 

Well all this talk about snow and we have a dusting of snow on the porch deck. With the cold temps we have right now, this could last a few days.