Great Blizzard of 1888

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/great-blizzard-of-1888

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How deep is Great Blizzard of 1888?58 inches (1.5 meters) recorded in certain locations
2. How tall is Great Blizzard of 1888?Surpassed 50 feet (15 meters) in some areas
3. What is the date range of storm?March 11-14, 1888
4. What is the sustained wind velocity?Exceeded 45 miles per hour (72 km/h)
5. How much snow fell during the blizzard?Snow fell between 10 and 58 inches in places like New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. In some spots, the snow piled up to 58 inches, which is about 1.5 meters.
6. Why did the blizzard stop trains and roads?The snow formed huge drifts that could be over 50 feet tall, blocking tracks and roads. Falling trees and debris also made it impossible for trains and cars to move.

Blizzard: A severe snowstorm characterized by strong winds, heavy snowfall, and significantly reduced visibility, often leading to dangerous travel conditions.
Snowdrift: An accumulation of snow formed by wind deposition, capable of reaching substantial heights and creating significant obstacles.
Infrastructure: The fundamental physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g., buildings, roads, power supplies, communication networks) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.
Catalyst: An event or agent that provokes or accelerates significant change or action, in this case, driving infrastructure development.