Along the Gulf Coast and Southeast
This region is usually doesn't get much snow, ice or freezing temperatures. Once in a while, though, cold air penetrates south across Texas and Florida, into the Gulf of Mexico. Temperatures fall below freezing, killing tender vegetation, such as flowering plants and the citrus fruit crop. Wet snow and ice accumulate on trees with leaves, causing the branches to snap under the load. Motorists are unsure how to drive on slick roads and there can be a lot of traffic accidents. Some buildings are poorly insulated or lack heat altogether so it can be cold inside! Cities may not have snow removal equipment or treatments, such as sand or salt, for icy roads.

In the Midwest and Plains
Storms tend to develop over southeast Colorado. These storms move east or northeast and use both the southward plunge of cold air from Canada and the northward flow of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico to produce heavy snow and sometimes blizzard conditions. Other storms affecting the Midwest and Plains move southeast. Arctic air is drawn from the north and moves south across the Plains and Great Lakes. Wind and cold sometimes combines to cause wind chill temperatures as low as 70F below zero! The wind crosses the lakes, tapping its moisture and forming snow squalls and narrow heavy snow bands. This is called "lake-effect snow."

From the Rockies to the West Coast
Strong storms crossing the North Pacific sometimes slam into the coast from California to Washington. The vast Pacific provides an unlimited source of moisture for the storm. If it's cold enough, snow falls over Washington and Oregon and sometimes even in California. As the moisture rises into the mountains, heavy snow closes the mountain passes and can cause avalanches. The cold air from the north has to filter through mountain canyons into the basins and valleys to the south. If the cold air is deep enough, it can spill over the mountain ridge. As the air funnels through canyons and over ridges, wind speeds can reach 100 mph, damaging roofs and taking down power and telephone lines. Combining these winds with snow results in a blizzard.

In Alaska

Wind-driven waves from intense storms crossing the Bering Sea produce coastal flooding and can drive large chunks of sea ice inland, destroying buildings near the shore. High winds, especially across Alaska's Arctic coast, can combine with loose snow to produce a blinding blizzard and wind chill temperatures to 90F below zero! Extreme cold (-40F to -60F) and ice fog may last for as long as a week at a time. Heavy snow can impact the interior of the state, especially along the southern coast. The snow accumulates through the winter months and in the mountains, it builds glaciers. The heavy snow accumulations can cause avalanches or collapse roofs of buildings. A quick thaw means certain flooding. Ice jams on rivers can also cause substantial flooding.

Source: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Provided by Factmonster.com.

2008 Presidential Election Resources

Get your students involved in the presidential-election process by focusing on the 2008 race. We have plenty of resources about voting, elections, and the current candidates to help you structure your classroom discussion and lesson plans.

2009 Educators' Calendar

There's something worth celebrating every day! Find fun and educationally relevant holidays, events, and celebrations for each day of the year.

Daily Printables

Add a TeacherVision widget to your blog, personalized homepage (such as iGoogle or Pageflakes), or social networking sites (such as Facebook). Our widgets feature a different fifth-grade language arts printable or fourth-grade math printable for each day of the year.

October Events

Find educational resources for every day in October. Fill your October lessons with activities for Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15–Oct. 15), World Space Week (Oct. 4–10), Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 5–11), Columbus Day (Oct. 13), National Chemistry Week (Oct. 19–25), School Bus Safety Week (Oct. 20–24), and Halloween (Oct. 31).

Online Courses for Busy Teachers

Earn graduate credit with no commute. Finish in as few as 4 weeks. Facilitated online courses from Drake University and Pearson.

Green Classroom Practices

Go green in your classroom with environmentally friendly tips that will save you and your school district money! Plus, educate students about ways they can go green with these activities focused on saving the environment.

Money Saving Advice & Tips for Teachers

Read our money-saving tips to save money on classroom supplies, field trips, and professional development.