Winter storm, characterized by heavy snowfall, chilling rain and strong air current, is probably the most striking of all the meteorological events. Winter storms come with heavy precipitation. There is no specific season for winter storms. As the name suggests, it is more prevalent during the wintertime. However winter storms also happen at the end of autumn and spring.

Creation of Winter Storms

When two powerful currents of air with huge differences in temperature and moisture content meet in a particular geographical location, it results in the creation of winter storms. For winter storms air temperature must be sufficiently low. The junction point of air currents is known as a front. Winter storm develops when the cold current of air dominates the hot air flow. The air masses that precede winter storms are huge and spread over an area of 1,000 to 5,000 kilometers in diameter. Winter storms observed in North America develop out of cold and dry air current. If the air masses become static at front, it results in stationary front.

Features of Winter Storms

• Winter storms are accompanied by snowfall or sleet.

• Winter storms reduce the ground temperature down to the freezing point.

• Sometimes winter storms are followed by snowstorms. Heavy snowfalls resulting from winter storms are widely observed in areas like Atlanta, Canberra, Seattle, London and Vancouver. Relatively less severe snowfalls occur in New York, Montreal, Minneapolis and Quebec City.

Winter storms become more frequent and powerful in the month of March if the atmospheric temperature continues to remain below the freezing point for an extended period of time.