It’s a cold, windy, snowy day. But when does a windy snowstorm become a blizzard? A blizzard is a storm with low temperatures, strong winds (greater than 35 miles per hour), and falling or blowing snow that makes it difficult to see. A severe blizzard can have even stronger winds and lower temperatures!
Blizzard snow may come from the clouds, or it may come from the ground when a strong wind stirs snow that has already fallen. Sometimes blizzards can cause pipes to freeze and houses to lose power, so staying warm and being prepared for these storms is important! Luckily there are warnings, such as the “Blizzard Warning” issued by the National Weather Service, when these snowy storms are expected.
Now it’s time to create a blizzard on paper! Use white tempera and a brush to paint a “snowy day” landscape on blue construction paper. For a finishing touch, dilute the tempera paint with water in a spray bottle, making sure the mixture is watery enough to pass through the nozzle but thick enough to show up as white on the blue paper. Spritz the paper for an instant “blizzard” effect!