During the first blizzard of the 2010-2011 winter season, Boston received 18.2" of snow and wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour. This storm met the 2 criteria set by the National Weather Service that define a blizzard. The first condition is that the snow has reduced visibility to less than a 1/4 of a mile. The second criteria is sustained or frequent wind gusts of 35 miles an hour or greater. These conditions must last 3 hours or longer.
Publications on this topic in the State Library's collection include the following:
1. Annual report. Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
MR 355M3 M37 1996-
2. The Blizzard of '88. Cable, Mary. QC 929 .S7 1988
3. Comprehensive emergency response plan. Massachusetts. Civil Defense Agency and Office of Emergency Preparedness, 1988. MR 355M3 .C65
4. Blizzard of 78 : after-action report to Governor Michael S. Dukakis . Massachusetts. Military Division. MR 355.6M3 B54 1978
Naomi Allen
Reference Librarian
image: Beacon Hill after the 1/23/2005 snow storm from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather service.