By: Michael Ley, Joey Ashbacher, and Alex Podberezin

Cold Waves Cold Wave- An extended period of below-average temperature, brought by large, high pressure systems. Cold waves are caused by systems of continental, polar, or arctic origin. Prolonged cold or reoccurring cold waves create blizzards. Usually occurs before a blizzard,

Cold waves: Stages & Location Location- There is no specific location for cold waves but are most common in the US, specifically the upper mid- west and the Great Plains. Canada and Russia are the second most common. Stages- Cold waves are usually started off with a slow and gradual build up. Cold waves often occur when the temp drops below 0 degrees Celsius for more than a week. Cold waves happen when this temperature drops even further and stays this way for over a week, or even a month. Cold waves usually stop with a rapid warming. Often these cold waves occur with long periods of no snow. The regularly occur in January and Febuary.

Cold Waves: Safety and Procedures Safety- Find an emergency heat source before the storm and prepare equipment before such as batteries, food, and other supplies. Procedures- In some places like Siberia fuel powered machinery must continually run. Also people often run water through their plumbing pipes to prevent freezing.

Historical Weather The great blizzard of 1888 was one of the greatest blizzards in history, going 36 hours non-stop, and broke all previous records. The weather that preceded the blizzard was unusually mild and followed by heavy rain. The heavy rain turned to snow. This snow blew so hard that it paralyzed all the roadways and highways completely. For many days no government officials such as police and ambulance could not work. Approximately 50 inches of snow fell in total in Connecticut and Massachusetts. 40 inches fell in New York and New Jersey. The winters of were the 2 greatest cold-waves ever recorded in Ohio were the coldest of the two cold waves. Jan was the coldest month ever recorded in Ohio. The average temperature of Dec was 6 degrees below normal. The average temperature of January 1977 was 11.9 degrees, this temperature is 17 degrees below the normal Ohio. Due to this temperature cars could not start and crucial businesses and government offices had to close.

Blizzards Blizzards- Severe snow storms that include blowing snow, high winds, and low visibility. Although heavy snowfalls and severe cold often occur during blizzards, they are not required. Officially the NWS defines a blizzard as a large amount of falling or blowing snow at 35mph or higher, and less then ¼ visibility in a mile for more than 3 hours.

Blizzards: Stages & Location Stages-Blizzard starts off with light snow that slowly builds over time with intense wind. As the snow increases the wind increases simultaneously and the temperature begins to drop rapidly. This goes on for a long period of time (upwards to multiple days) until it rapidly stops. The snow melts over a period of a month or even more, this melting causes a thick sheet of ice to cover the ground until it melts. Locations- Blizzards are most common in the US specifically the northern great plains, the upper mid-west, and as far east as Maine. Canada and Russia are the next most common

Blizzards: Safety and Procedures Safety- Buy shovels and snow removal equipment early, if you live in an area that has blizzards regularly possibly invest in a generator, and stock up on warm clothes and blankets. Procedures- 1 st stay indoors, 2 nd locate your flashlights, and 3 rd charge your phone. Extra tips would be to open your bathroom cabinets and let water from the faucet run to prevent freezing, and plan for emergency accommodations at a friends or a hotel.

Instruments Anemometer- Used by meteorologists to measure wind speeds. Ruler- Meteorologists use a ruler to measure the height of the snow fall, and take a sample and measure the amount of water in the snow. Satellites- They use satellites to measure how big and how fast the storm is.

Bibliography "Blizzards." Windows to the Universe. Web. 24 May "Emergency Procedures - Winter Storms." Spanish Fork City. Web. 24 May "1977 Ohio Statewide Cold Wave - Ohio History Central - A Product of the Ohio Historical Society." Ohio History Central - An Online Encyclopedia of Ohio History - Ohio Historical Society. Web. 24 May "Blizzards." U.S. SAR Task Force Main Page. Web. 24 May "What to Do during a Blizzard." Minimalism Defined. Web. 24 May "Winter Safety Information." National Weather Service - Central Region Headquarters Home Page. Web. 24 May