Winter Storms
Hazards associated with the winter months arise from heavy snow and rain, freezing temperatures, and high winds. Besides being an inconvenience to all of us, with missed school and workdays, closed airports and roads, power outages and downed telephone lines, there are important dangers with winter storms of which we must aware.
In North America, the cold, dry Canadian area moves south and interacts with warmer, moist area as this air moves northerly from the Gulf of Mexico. When condensation of the colder air occurs, this is how snow develops.
For winter storms to occur, there must be cold air, moisture, and lift. Below freezing temperature causes the formation of snow and/or ice. The moisture is provided from bodies of water, and something to raise the moist area to form precipitation is the third ingredient needed (lift) to allow for the formation of winter storms.
