A blizzard is a severe snowstorm with strong winds and very low visibility, making it hard to see or travel.
The exact origin is uncertain, but it appeared in American English in the 1800s, first meaning a violent blow or attack. It later shifted to describe violent snowstorms, keeping the idea of sudden, powerful force.
“Blizzard” originally described a blast of gunfire or punches before it was borrowed by weather reporters. The word still carries that sense of being under attack—only now it’s from snow and wind instead of fists.
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