Re: 'snowstorm vs. blizzard'

Robert Jung wrote:
What's the difference between "snowstorm" and "blizzard"?

I respond:

In Washington State west of the Cascade Mountains, we reserve the word
"blizzard" to describe snowstorms that are followed by several days of
freezing temperatures. I'm 60 years old and that has only happened here 3
times in my lifetime.

Here's what's normal here. Overwhelmingly, winter days are cloudy, and
the cloud cover keeps much of the daytime heat from escaping, so it
generally doesn't get cold enough to snow except on cloudless days.  But
it obviously can't snow if there aren't clouds, either.  So snow is rare
here (falling less than once a year).  And, when it does snow, it only
snows when the temperature is between 28 and 32 degrees F (near 0 degrees
C) because it can't get any colder than that if clouds are present.  So
the snow is sure to melt the next day or two unless something weird
happens.  Specifically, for the snow to not melt, it has to be followed
by several cloudless days (which, as I said, are rare here in the winter)
and, on those days, a cold wind has to blow in from Canada's interior
(which is also a rare occurrence).

Anyway, it ain't a blizzard unless it leaves you snowed in.