December 2010 North American blizzard facts for kids
The December 2010 North American blizzard was a huge snowstorm that hit the northeastern part of North America in late December 2010. This blizzard brought lots of snow and very strong winds. Some parts of New York City got over 20 inches (51 cm) of snow. An area near Elizabeth, New Jersey had the most snow, with 36 in (91 cm) falling. Elizabeth City itself got 31 in (79 cm) of snow. It was a memorable storm for many people.
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History of the Blizzard
The storm that caused all this snow actually started as light rain in California. As it moved across the country, it grew bigger and stronger. By the time it reached the northeast, it had become a powerful blizzard. On December 26, 2010, the blizzard arrived in New York City. It brought heavy snow and very strong winds. There was even something called thundersnow, which is when thunder and lightning happen while it's snowing! The storm moved away from the city on December 27th. By December 28th, it had moved out over the Atlantic Ocean.
How the Blizzard Affected Different Places
New Jersey
New Jersey received a lot of snow from this storm. Some areas, like Cape May, New Jersey, also had rain. Elizabeth City got about 31 in (79 cm) of snow. Just south of Elizabeth City, an amazing 36 in (91 cm) of snow fell. This was the most snow recorded anywhere during the blizzard. The heavy snow and strong winds made it a historic event for the state.
New York
New York City was hit hard by the blizzard. It received a lot of snow and had very high winds. About 20 in (51 cm) of snow fell on the city. Places east of the city, like eastern Long Island, also saw some rain from the storm. The blizzard did not affect areas far north of New York City as much. For example, Albany, New York got less than 1 in (2.5 cm) of snow.
Connecticut
Connecticut did get snowfall, but it was not an unusual amount for that state. Between 8 to 20 in (20–51 cm) of snow fell in Connecticut. Hartford, Connecticut had only 8 in (20 cm) of snow. New Haven, Connecticut, which is the closest area in Connecticut to New York City, saw about 20 in (51 cm) of snow.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts saw between 2 to 8 in (5.1–20.3 cm) of snow. This amount of snow is not unusual for this area.
Images for kids
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Satellite image of the blizzard on December 27.
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Infrared satellite image of the storm on Monday, December 27, 2010
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Manhattan as snowfall begins
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Broadway at end of snowfall
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A Satellite view of the snowfall from the blizzard
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No trains running on the BMT Brighton Line as the result of the storm.
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Snowing in Journal Square, Jersey City, New Jersey
