Blizzard Hammers Midwest and Northeast
Friday, January 3rd, 2014January 3, 2014
More than 100 million people from the Midwest to the East Coast ushered in the New Year while contending with heavy snowfalls, blustery winds, and piercing cold. The first major winter storm of 2014, which began tapering off in the Northeast this morning, led the governors of New York and New Jersey, as well as a number of local officials, to declare states of emergency. At least 13 people were reported dead, as snowfalls of up to 21 inches (53 centimeters) and wind gusts of up to 30 miles (48 kilometers) per hour clogged highways and city streets, forced some 2,300 flight cancellations, closed businesses, and extended the winter holiday for tens of thousands of students. Many of the storm’s victims died in traffic accidents.
The blizzard hit the Midwest on New Year’s Eve, lingering for nearly 48 hours to dump up to 17 inches (43 centimeters) of snow on Illinois and Michigan. The storm then merged with a low-pressure system off the Atlantic Coast to create a nor’easter (a storm with high winds that blow from the northeast). Some areas also suffered bitterly cold temperatures. The wind chill in Burlington, Vermont, dropped to a dangerous -29 °F (-34 °C). A new weather system was forecast to bring subzero temperatures to an area stretching from the Northern Plains to New England by this weekend and early next week.

Blizzard is a blinding snowstorm with strong, cold winds. (AP Photo)
Additional articles in World Book:
- The Forecast: Better Weather Prediction Ahead (a Special Report)