Dictionary

blizzicane en · NOUN

Etymology

Blend of blizzard + hurricane.

Meanings

1. (informal) A weather system that produces intense rain, wind, and snow.
   • The "blizzicane" of '93 drenched Hampton Roads with monsoonlike rains Saturday morning, ripped the area with near-hurricane force wind in the early afternoon then began dropping some light snow after nightfall. 1993 March 14, Steve Stone, “Wicked Winds Tear Up Hampton Roas”, in The Virginian-Pilot:
   • Lauer applauded the Hub for its response to last weekend’s blizzicane — a storm, he said, that “hammahd’’ the city, mimicking a Boston accent. 2013 February 15, Mark Shanahan, Meredith Goldstein, “Fans flock to see ‘Today’ show at Faneuil Hall”, in Boston Globe:
   • A certain form of extra-tropical cyclone, the infamous Nor'easter, can even come to exhibit "blizzicane" features, including dramatic drops in central pressure and an eyelike structure. 2007, Chris Mooney, Storm World: Hurricanes, Politics, and the Battle Over Global Warming, Harcourt, published 2008, →ISBN, page 293:

Forms