What is a Blizzard? A Blizzard is a massive winter storm that have a combination of blowing snow and very strong winds. When heavy snow is falling and it is very cold it can often make a blizzard, and when these conditions you will get a “Blizzard warning”. When a less severe, but still dangerous, winter storm is expected a “winter storm watch” or “winter storm warning” may be issued. Always keep alert and stay tuned to a T.V, radio, and other sources of weather information. There might be a winter storm/blizzard coming or already occurring. Even though we live here in Torquay there might be one day we an unexpected one comes.

Three things are needed to make a blizzard: 3. Warm, rising air is needed to form clouds and cause precipitation. For a blizzard to form, warm air must rise over cold air. There are two ways that this may happen. Winds pull cold air toward the equator from the poles (North and South Poles) and bring warm air toward the poles from the equator. When warm air and cold air are brought together, a front is formed and precipitation occurs. 1. Cold air (below freezing) is needed to make snow. For snow to fall to the ground, the temperature must be cold both up in the clouds where snowflakes form, and down at ground level. If the air near ground level is too warm, the snow will melt on its way down, changing to rain or freezing rain. 2. Moisture is needed to form clouds and precipitation. Moisture in the air is called water vapour. Air blowing across a body of water, such as a large lake or the ocean. As wind moves air over the water, some water evaporates from the surface, putting vapour into the air. CLICK HERE FOR BLIZZARD PICTURES

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Hail is lumps of ice that individually are called hail stones. Hail stones on Earth are mostly made of water ice and measure between 5 millimetres and 150 millimetres in diameter, with the bigger hail stones coming from really big thunderstorms. Hail is possible with most thunderstorms and is made by Cumulonimbi which are a type of thunder cloud. Yes, but it's very rare. Hailstorms have caused only a handful of deaths in the United States over the last 100 years or so. Believe it or not most of those killed were children. Lots of hail storm comes when there is a tornado and that is even worse than a hailstorm. Hail is normally formed in the higher places of the tropics. Hail is most likely to come in the summer months in the afternoon and evening hours of the day. Hail storms normally last 3-15 minutes or more if it is a bigger thunderstorm. So far it seems like the strong winds and not the "softball sized" balls of falling ice have done most of the damage. A tree fell on one person, another died when his mobile home rolled over, and a baby was blown down the street. Do giant hailstones ever kill anyone?

Hail forms when tiny clumps of ice, kept aloft by strong updraughts, get blown through freezing thunderclouds until they are heavy enough to fall to earth. Most large thunderstorms create some hail, but conditions must be met if the hailstones are to grow large, freeze solid, and survive until they reach the ground. Ideal conditions for hail are tall clouds that reach high into the atmosphere, many swirling updrafts such as in a tornado, and cold temperatures within and beneath the storm.

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By Ady, Ally, Angus, Blayne