Snowmageddon Explained

Snowmageddon, Snowpocalypse, and Snowzilla are portmanteaus of the word "snow" with "Armageddon", "Apocalypse", and "Godzilla" respectively. Snowmageddon and Snowpocalypse were used in the popular press in Canada during January 2009,[1] and was also used in January 2010 by The Guardian reporter Charlie Brooker to characterise the sensationalist reaction of television news to a period of snowfall across the UK.[2] The Washington Post, out of Washington, D.C., ran an online poll asking for reader feedback prior to the February 5–6, 2010 North American blizzard on February 4, 2010,[3] and several blogs, including the Washington Posts own blog, followed that up by using either "Snowmageddon" or "Snowpocalypse" before, during, and after the storm hit.[4]

The Washington Post also popularized the term "kaisersnoze" (see Keyser Söze) in response to the February snowstorms.[5]

During the evening preceding the first blizzard hitting Washington, D.C., most of the United States federal government closed, and press coverage continued to characterize the storm using either "Snowmageddon", "Snowpocalypse", or both.[6]

The term "Snowpocalypse" was used in the Pacific Northwest to refer to a snowstorm in December 2008.

The 2008 children's book Winter Blast by Chris Wright, uses the term "snowmageddon" in the storyline of the book.[7]

Examples

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Mild winter easy on city budget. February 11, 2010. January 26, 2010. Heather. Ibbotson. Brantford Expositor. "At this time last year, we were referring to it as snowmageddon," Madden said.. March 19, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120319195119/http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2276849. live.
  2. News: Charlie Brooker's Screen burn. February 11, 2010. Charlie. Brooker. Charlie Brooker. January 16, 2010. The Guardian. As far as the 24-hour rolling networks were concerned, this wasn't a freak weather condition. This was war. Death from the skies. Earth versus the Ice Warriors. Snowmageddon..
  3. News: Vote for storm name, Twitter hashtag & snow total. https://web.archive.org/web/20120628225200/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalweathergang/2010/02/poll_storm_nametwitter_hashtag.html. dead. June 28, 2012. February 11, 2010. February 4, 2010. Washington Post.
  4. News: East Coast Is Hit by 'Potentially Epic Snowstorm'. February 11, 2010. John M.. Broder. Jack. Healy. February 5, 2010. The New York Times. bracing for what newspapers and bloggers have been calling the “snowpocalypse,” or “snowmageddon,”. February 11, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100211040300/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/06/us/06storm.html. live.
  5. News: Washington's New Four-Letter Word: Snow. February 12, 2010. Dan M.. Gainor. February 10, 2010. Reuters. Fox News. D.C. residents have turned to social media like Twitter and Facebook to vent their frustration with terms like “snOMG,” “snowmageddon”, “snowpocalypse”, and “kaisersnoze”.. July 31, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210731165349/https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/washingtons-new-four-letter-word-snow. live.
  6. News: Powerful blizzard shuts down US capital. https://web.archive.org/web/20100213022711/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j3HVBhfkkHN4c9TlIAxNkxjbwR0A. dead. February 13, 2010. February 11, 2010. February 5, 2010. AFP. The storm, dubbed "Snowpocalypse" and "Snowmageddon" by many locals,.
  7. Book: Wright, Chris. Christopher Wright (author)

    . Winter Blast. February 11, 2010. Christopher Wright (author). 2008. Mountain Valley Publishing. 978-1-934940-10-5. 2009-01-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20090105085200/http://www.mountainvalleypublishing.com/winterblast.asp. live.

  8. Web site: Superstorm of 1993 "Storm of the Century" . 2013-02-23 . 2026-01-26 . Armstrong . Tim . . live . 2022-09-29 . https://archive.today/20220929204631/https://www.weather.gov/ilm/Superstorm93 . The Superstorm of 1993 (also called the Storm of the Century) was one of the most intense mid-latitude cyclones ever observed over the Eastern United States..
  9. News: Skinner . Grant . Raleigh's snowmageddon: Breaking down the biggest snowstorm in 2000 . . 2026-01-22 . 2026-01-26 . live . 2026-01-26 . https://archive.today/20260126163527/https://www.wral.com/weather/snowmageddon-biggest-snowstorm-in-raleigh-jan-2000/ . January 24-25th, 2000, nicknamed 'Raleigh's Snowmageddon', brought over 20 inches of snow to parts of the Triangle, and just two days prior, forecast models showed next to nothing..
  10. News: Capital Weather Gang - Amazing mid-Atlantic snow statistics . The Washington Post . Samenow . Jason . 2010-02-12 . 2026-01-26 . 2012-06-30 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120630131433/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalweathergang/2010/02/amazing_mid-atlantic_snow_stat.html.
  11. News: Snowmageddon Began 14 Years Ago Today . 2024-02-05 . 2026-01-25 . The MoCo Show . live . 2026-01-26 . https://archive.today/20260126044628/https://mocoshow.com/2024/02/05/snowmageddon-began-14-years-ago-today/ . A second blizzard named 'Snoverkill' hit the region five days later and both were preceded by 'Snowpocalypse' in December,.
  12. News: Snowpocalypse to snowicane: Hype reigns . Sistek . Scott . . live . 2026-01-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20260126052446/https://katu.com/weather/blog/snowpocalypse-to-snowicane-hype-reigns . AccuWeather's Web site on Saturday took up the 'snowicane' defense: 'Our concern was that the storm might be taken too lightly by the public if we stuck to the norm of calling the system a nor'easter, snowstorm, or even a blizzard.'.
  13. News: The blizzard that broke the highway: Snowmageddon after 15 years . 2025-12-15 . 2026-01-25 . The Sarnia Journal . Snowmageddon, as it came to be known, unfolded over December 12 and 13, gripping Lambton County and much of southwestern Ontario with blinding snow, whiteout conditions, and extreme cold..
  14. News: Did you survive Snowmageddon? County asks resident to share stories . 2020-11-17 . 2026-01-26 . . live . 2026-01-26 . https://archive.today/20260126050004/https://www.ctvnews.ca/london/article/did-you-survive-snowmageddon-county-asks-resident-to-share-stories/ . It’s those stories the Lambton County Archives wants residents to share to mark Snowmageddon’s 10th anniversary..
  15. News: Chicago Blizzard 2011: Looking back on 'Snowmageddon' 10 years later . 2021-02-01 . 2026-01-26 . . live . 2026-01-26 . https://archive.today/20260126144319/https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-blizzard-2011-snowmageddon-biggest-snowstorms-winter-storm/10139546/.
  16. News: The Best Ways to Track the Big Blizzard . 2013-02-08 . 2026-01-26 . Abad-Santos . Alexander . The Atlantic . live . 2026-01-26 . https://archive.today/20260126151244/https://www.theatlantic.com/national/2013/02/best-nemo-blizzard-weather-news/318556/ . The big snowpocalypse snowmageddon snowbigdeal blizzard of 2013 is arriving as we speak and some cities on the East Coast are already getting their first dusting and/or pounding of snow..
  17. News: Go outside and appreciate the clear conditions, because six years ago today was Snowmageddon . 2020-01-28 . 2026-01-26 . . Raymond . Jonathan . It's one of the most infamous weather events in Atlanta history, and it turns six years old today: Snowmageddon. . live . 2026-01-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20260126053302/https://www.11alive.com/article/news/history/atlanta-snowmageddon-2014-anniversary/85-bcf15186-4d02-4a47-8025-5a2cc1f3fdac.
  18. Web site: Media's "Snowpocalypse" on "Winter Storm Hercules" creates major public overreaction . 2014-01-06 . 2026-01-26 . IrishCentral . Fiscella . Charles . live . 2026-01-26 . https://archive.today/20260126155746/https://www.irishcentral.com/opinion/others/medias-snowpocalypse-on-winter-storm-hercules-creates-major-public-overreaction-238843381-239670981.
  19. News: A look back on Buffalo's historic 2014 'Snowvember' storms that left 7 feet of snow in some spots . The snowstorms of Nov. 17-20, 2014, later dubbed 'Snowvember' or the Buffalo 'Snow Blitz' were a one-two punch of storms that had some areas just south of Buffalo digging out from 5-7 feet of snow, while some areas a few miles away received just a few inches. . Sistek . Scott . . 2022-11-17 . 2026-01-26 . live . 2026-01-26 . https://archive.today/20260126145658/https://www.foxweather.com/extreme-weather/a-look-back-on-buffalos-historic-2014-snowvember-storms-that-left-7-feet-of-snow-in-some-spots.
  20. News: 'The biggest challenge we've ever had': A look back at the 'Snowvember' storm 10 years later . 2024-11-18 . 2026-01-26 . . It's the one-two punch of snow that will forever be remembered as 'Snowvember.' . Russo . Jeff . live . 2026-01-26 . https://archive.today/20260126145933/https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/the-biggest-challenge-weve-ever-had-a-look-back-at-the-snowvember-storm-10-years-later.
  21. News: Nik DeCosta-Klipa. WBUR. January 27, 2025. February 7, 2025. The wildest stats and numbers from Boston's 'Snowmageddon' winter of 2015. Boston, Massachusetts.
  22. News: Jill McDonough. The Boston Globe. February 21, 2015. February 7, 2025. In Boston's snowpocalypse, some find inspiration. Boston, Massachusetts. February 7, 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20250207143106/https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2015/02/21/the-poetry-boston-snowfall/maV2CoJKQfkbFAAdnh08tL/story.html. live.
  23. News: Angela Fritz. The Washington Post. January 22, 2016. January 22, 2016. We hereby name this winter storm 'Snowzilla'. Washington, D.C.. January 23, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160123103756/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/01/21/poll-name-this-winter-storm/. live. Snowzilla makes so much sense to us because of its perfect nod to this 'Godzilla' El Nino..
  24. News: Remembering Scotland's 2010 'Snowmageddon' as heavy snow blankets country . One of the most infamous weather events took place in 2010, when the country was battered by snow chaos in what was dubbed 'Snowmaggedon'. . 2026-01-26 . 2026-01-26 . . Smail . Alexander . live . 2026-01-26 . https://archive.today/20260126142444/https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/scotland-now/gallery/remembering-scotlands-2010-snowmageddon-heavy-36503940.
  25. News: 'Snowmageddon': cleanup begins after record Newfoundland storm . The Guardian . Reuters . 18 January 2020 . Canada . On social media people described the storm as 'snowmageddon'..
  26. Web site: Marx . Paris . Snowmageddon has come and gone. Let's hope metro St. John's learns the right lessons. CBC News . 26 January 2020.
  27. News: The Great Texas Freeze: February 11-20, 2021 . 2023-02-24 . 2025-01-26 . . live . 2024-06-08 . https://archive.today/20240608212052/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/great-texas-freeze-february-2021.
  28. Web site: 2021 Snowmageddon was Bad in Texas but the State has Seen Colder Days . During the snowmageddon of 2021, Tyler set a low temperature record of six degrees below zero while Longview set a record of five degrees below zero (KETK). . . Gibson . Michael . 2022-11-16 . 2026-01-26 . live . 2026-01-26 . https://archive.today/20260126050843/https://knue.com/texas-coldest-temps/.
  29. News: Ryan . Kate . Murillo . Mike . Snowmageddon 2026? How the DC region is preparing for the incoming snowstorm . 2026-01-23 . 2026-01-25 . . live . 2026-01-26 . https://archive.today/20260126035340/https://wtop.com/local/2026/01/montgomery-county-crews-prepare-for-major-snowfall-long-hours-ahead-for-plow-drivers/.
  30. News: White . Matt . Dozens of military bases brace as ‘Snowmageddon’ storm hits this weekend . 2026-01-24 . 2026-01-25 . . live . 2026-01-26 . https://archive.today/20260126035844/https://taskandpurpose.com/news/military-bases-snow-storm-ready/.

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