Confirmed: You Can Officially Call It 'The Blizzard Of 2015'
BOSTON( CBS) -- It's official: The "Blizzard of 2015" was indeed a blizzard for many in Massachusetts.
Powerful winter storms are often referred to as blizzards, but there are certain criteria a storm needs to meet before earning that title.
Check: Blizzard Snow Totals
A true blizzard features falling or blowing snow with winds that frequently gust to 35 mph or more, and visibility that is reduced to 1/4 mile or less, according to the National Weather Service. Those blizzard conditions have to be in place for at least three hours.
Mission accomplished for the "Blizzard of 2015."
"Blizzard conditions were reached at many locations across southern New England during the storm on Jan. 26 and 27," the weather service said in a statement. "Thus it is safe to call this the Blizzard of 2015 for southern New England."
Boston saw blizzard conditions for nine hours from 12:54 a.m. to 9:54 a.m., according to the weather service.
In Marshfield, where high winds and heavy snow at high tide breached a seawall, blizzard conditions were reported for 14 hours, the longest duration reported in the state.
Other locations where blizzard conditions were observed include Hyannis, Nantucket, Chatham, Worcester and Beverly.
Fitchburg, Martha's Vineyard and New Bedford all just missed sustaining blizzard conditions for the required three hours.