With parts of eastern Pennsylvania and all of New Jersey under a blizzard warning, you may wonder what exactly does that mean? A blizzard warning is issued when a storm has sustained wind or frequent wind gusts of 35 mph or greater, combined with considerable falling and/or blowing snow that can red uce visibility to less than a quarter mile, according to the National Weather Service. That combination of winds and blowing snow will typically result in whiteout conditions. To meet the technical definition of a blizzard, a storm needs to produce those conditions over a three-hour period. Blizzard conditions often develop on the northwest side of a storm system — differences between the low pressure inside the storm and higher pressure to the west tend to produce high winds. Perhaps a lesser known detail: A storm could still be considered a blizzard even if it doesn’t produce any snow. A blizzard that results from drifting snow that has previously fallen is called a ground blizzard, according to the weather service. Forecasters with the weather service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey, noted that it has been several years since the region last saw a true blizzard. Portions of the region are under a blizzard warning. It has been a few years since the region saw a blizzard, so as a reminder, here is the definition of a blizzard. The combination of winds and blowing snow result in whiteout conditions. #NJWX #DEWX #MDWX pic.twitter.com/qAtI79YFeW — NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) February 21, 2026 Interestingly, the term “blizzard” is a relatively new word in relation to the weather. It was first used  to describe a snowstorm by an Iowa newspaper in the 1870s, according to the weather service. The term — which originally meant a cannon shot — quickly caught on and was soon used to describe fierce snowstorms all over the United States and England. What makes a blizzard so dangerous? The whiteout conditions created by a blizzard can be life threatening for anyone caught in one. Blizzards tend to produce a drier, more powdery snow that is more prone to drifting, according to the weather service. Driving can become impossible, stranding motorists in freezing cold temperatures. The high winds combined with the cold can create extremely low wind chill values, the weather service notes. Being stranded in colder temperatures isn’t the only threat. The combination of heavy snow and high winds can lead to downed trees and power lines, leading to widespread power outages, according to the weather service. Heavy snow can also lead to collapsed roofs and structures, while extremely low temperatures can lead to frozen pipes. You can read more about blizzards on the National Weather Service website. ...read more read less