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.

CLEVELAND — In March 1993, one of the most powerful winter storms in American history brought heavy snow and ice to more than half of the U.S. from Alabama to Maine. Some areas of the Appalachian Mountains were buried under more than 40 inches of snow ...