EVEN THOUGH, TECHNICALLY, LOGAN ONLY HAD 35+ WINDS FOR TWO STRAIGHT HOURS [2]:
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.