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NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DECLARES IT A BLIZZARD

EVEN THOUGH, TECHNICALLY, LOGAN ONLY HAD 35+ WINDS FOR TWO STRAIGHT HOURS:

BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WERE REACHED AT MANY LOCATIONS ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND DURING THE STORM ON FEBRUARY 8 AND 9. THUS IT IS SAFE TO CALL THIS THE BLIZZARD OF 2013 FOR SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. CERTAINLY PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF THIS EVENT WAS THAT IT WAS MOST DEFINITELY A BLIZZARD.

THE STRICT DEFINITION OF A BLIZZARD IS THAT FALLING AND/OR BLOWING
SNOW REDUCES VISIBILITY TO BELOW 1/4 MILE ALONG WITH WINDS THAT
FREQUENTLY GUST TO 35 MPH OR MORE...AND THAT THESE BLIZZARD
CONDITIONS ARE THE PREDOMINANT REPORTED CONDITION FOR 3 CONSECUTIVE HOURS.

WHEN REVIEWING WHETHER A PARTICULAR OBSERVATION LOCATION HAD
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS...WE COUNTED VISIBILITIES EQUAL TO 1/4 MILE
SINCE THAT IS QUITE LOW FOR AN AUTOMATED VISIBILITY SENSOR TO BE
ABLE TO DETECT. WE ALSO MADE SOME SUBJECTIVE DECISIONS. FOR
EXAMPLE...IN MANCHESTER NH...BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WERE MET FOR A
CONSECUTIVE 2 HOURS 40 MINUTES...AND WE CONSIDERED THIS CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE 3 HOUR REQUIREMENT. AT BOSTON LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...WITHIN A 6-HOUR PERIOD BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WERE OBSERVED FOR 4 OF THOSE HOURS. THUS WE DECIDED TO COUNT THIS EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE ONLY 2 CONSECUTIVE HOURS.

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Comments

Blizzard inflation? If the NWS is going to officially declare storms as certain types of storms, they should stick to the definition, and maybe have a tiered system. "This wasn't a blizzard, it was a ____." It's similar to massive straight-line winds versus tornado, where the resulting destruction may feel the same to a devastated block or neighborhood, but the actual meteorological cause differs.

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IN EARLY JANUARY THERE WAS A WHIRLWIND IN MY DRIVEWAY THAT LEFT A LITTLE ROUND PILE OF LEAVES. IT WENT AROUND AND AROUND A WHOLE BUNCH OF TIMES. THUS I DECIDED TO CALL IT A TORNADO.

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I totaly agree, the rule are the rules. But my Kids are asleep, Check your caps lock, please.

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AND YOU MUST TYPE IN CAPS WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. WAKE UP YOUR KIDS AND INFORM THEM OF THIS PROTOCOL.

PETE NICE
08:37 HOURS
FEBRUARY 12 2013

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UNLESS YOU ARE INTO LAME MARKETING STUNTS OR AN EMPLOYEE FOR the weather channel OR ANY OTHER nbc/universal AFFILIATE.

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BLIZZARD OF '78
APRIL FOOL'S STORM (AKA EASTER NOREASTER)

THOSE WERE TOTALLY EPIC AND GET THEIR OWN NAMES BY POPULAR ACCLAIM.

NEMO? SUSHI FOR NEMO!

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Pete and Jeremy observed 3 consecutive hours at Logan from 8:30 thru 11:30 Friday night, after which they officially called it a blizzard and geeked out even more than they were.

IIRC:
8:30-9:30 was 40mph sustained
9:30-10:30 was 38mph sustained
10:30-11:30 was 45 sustained

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