National Weather Service defines a blizzard as a storm that contains large amounts of snow or blowing snow, with winds in excess of 35 mph and visibilities of less than 1/4 mile for an extended period of time (at least 3 hours).

North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia are all under winter storm warnings.

Around 33 million people are under winter alerts Saturday as Floridians brace for bitter cold and snow takes aim at the southern Appalachians and the Southeast

CLEVELAND — A blizzard is not defined by how much snow falls, but by how the atmosphere behaves. It’s a storm where wind, cold, and snow combine in a way that reshapes the landscape and slows daily life to a crawl. To meteorologists, a blizzard is a specific set of conditions. To those who experience one, it’s a reminder of winter’s raw power.

Snowfall rates could top 1-2 inches per hour as the storm peaks Saturday night through Sunday morning, according to the latest forecast. The Outer Banks in particular could see blizzard conditions, characterized by frequent wind gusts exceeding 35 mph and falling and/blowing snow that lasts more than three hours.

FOX Weather Storm Specialist Mike Seidel is seeing near-blizzard conditions in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, as a major storm blasts the Carolinas on Saturday.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, saying blizzard conditions are possible, with wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph and snow accumulations between 7 to 12 inches expected.

A cat lost in blizzard conditions after a crash in Colorado has been reunited with her family following a six-day search in some of the harshest weather Summit Lost Pet Rescue said it has ever faced.