The 1972 Iran Blizzard killed over 4,000 people with up to 26 feet of snow falling in a week. Blizzards are defined by wind speed and duration, not snowfall amount. The first recorded US blizzards were in 1880-1881, and the 1993 Storm of the Century was a combination blizzard and hurricane.
The deadliest blizzard on record was the 1972 Iran Blizzard, which killed more than 4,000 people. From February 3 to February 10, 1972, up to 26 feet (7.92 m) of snow fell in the country, burying roads, power lines, and villagers. In fact, it was thought that a small village had been completely buried by snow. The blizzard, which came after Iran experienced four years of drought conditions, occurred with the estimated temperature of minus-13 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-25 degrees Celsius). This caused many pipes to freeze, making the already scarce water supply even more limited.
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Blizzards are not classified by the amount of snowfall, but by the speed and duration of the wind. For a snowstorm to qualify as a blizzard, winds must reach 35 miles per hour (56.33 km/h) and last for at least three hours.
The first recorded blizzards in the United States were during the White Winter of 1880-1881, when the blizzards began in October and did not cease until February.
A combination blizzard and hurricane, the 1993 Storm of the Century spread from Cuba to Canada over the course of three days in March 1993.
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