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Feb 20, 2024
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The Blizzard of 1993: Case Study Research
EDMG 611, Case Analysis in Crisis and Disaster.
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The Blizzard of 1993: Case Study Research
The impact of the Blizzard of 1993, known as the storm of the century or superstorm, likely bolstered the prediction of more recent blizzards across the Eastern Coast. The models did predict the probability of the storm weeks in advance. However, many meteorologists and individuals did not imagine the models could be accurate as the amount of snow indicated was extreme (McLeod, 2021). The events were from March 12 to 14
th
, 1993 and the recovery efforts lasted weeks as the storm began to melt, creating flooding in some areas. The storm of the century ranked category five for the snowfall index and covered over 550 thousand square miles up the United States East coast. Current weather data suggests how the 1993 blizzard has assisted
in establishing additional weather data for more recent blizzards across the United States (On This Day: The 1993 Storm of the Century, 2017). The overall snow fell between two to three inches per hour, including over six inches of snow down the Florida panhandle. The most significant snowfall was in Mount LeConte, Tennessee, with an overall snowfall of fifty-six inches. However, blizzards are not straightforward about just snow. Sixteen tornadoes occurred in Florida, and increased hurricane winds gusted over 144 miles per hour. In understanding climate change and blizzards, one must ask how blizzards impact the East coast of the United States at various times of the year due to climate issues and the changes to the temperature coming from the Gulf of Mexico (Peeples, 2013).
Climate Change Skepticism
Overall, the article suggests that the study provides further insight into the unintended effects of climate change communications and ways to reach skeptical individuals regarding
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climate change (Graham Dixon, 2019). One crucial factor to consider is understanding the skeptics across the United States, as many do not believe climate change affects natural disasters.
Research can show how climate change affects the need to communicate effectively to lessen the
idea of climate change skepticism and risk communication. Rising global temperatures and ocean warming lead to more extreme weather events such as hurricanes and blizzards. However, that doesn't mean any storm is climate-driven. The weather has natural variations, of course. Climate change is rewriting the realistic viewpoint, as researchers can tell from weather data and other historical records that research will support climate issues. Case Study Collection Preparation
Robert Yin, Case Study Research Design and Methods suggests that case studies should be separate from traditional research methods as the reliability of the research need to be valid in making a critical point. Robert Yin indicates that research is a difficult concept and not only centers upon the researcher's capability but should use a comprehensive method. Yin proposes that case studies can be utilized to show the intricacy of a case and how multiple circumstances can be applied throughout the techniques used in one's research (Yin, 2014). Data Collection and the Six Sources of Evidence
How climate change has affected our daily lives will be critical to explain in this case study. The article "How Climate Change May Lead to Bigger Blizzards" by Tim Molloy shows how weather affects many of our daily tasks and the needs of all individuals. Molloy quotes Anthony Broccoli in the article: "Climate is telling us the statistics of the weather we experience.
One analogy often used
is that weather determines what clothes you wear on a particular day, but climate describes what clothes you have hanging in your closet" (Molloy,
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2015)
. Three additional sources will be used to highlight the events concerning the Blizzard of 1993. One source will be utilized to show how blizzards have changed and formed over the last two decades by reviewing the events between January 22-24, 2016, in response to the great blizzard of 2016. This specific blizzard impacted many southern states of the United States before moving toward the eastern coastline up to New York City
. Evidence Relevant to Your Event Climate change is a current problem we must face as glaciers and ice sheets are melting, and the ice on lakes and rivers is breaking before the spring season as temperatures have shifted earlier year after year. Scientists suggest climate change will lead to more blizzards but less snow. Yet, how could we have more blizzards but less snow? As temperatures rise and the atmosphere is warmer, more moisture is created. The humidity and cold air that comes through creating a blizzard with increased winds and high ocean temperatures, thus creating a coastal surge as storms move up the eastern coastline of the United States. El Niños may impact severe East Coast storms, including blizzards moving along the coast. Scientists conclude that severe snowstorms were two times as expected to occur when moderate to strong El Niño conditions are
present. Conclusion
In reviewing Robert Yin's "Case Study Research Design and Methods," the case study
method will effectively provide a methodological process for the specific topic. Climate change
has dramatically affected our daily lives and has changed how blizzards are formed from higher
temperatures and increased moisture in the air. Overall, the Blizzard of 1993 shows the effects of
climate change and predicts future snow blizzards within the United States. Thus, the methods
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and design Yin provides to his readers are practical in emphasizing the need for quality or
quantity of research within the presented case study research method.
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References
Graham Dixon, O. B. (2019). Unintended Effects of Emphasizing the Role of Climate Change in Recent Natural Disasters.
Retrieved from Environmental Commuication: https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2018.1546202
McLeod, J. (2021, February 22). Storm of the Century: The Blizzard of 93.
Retrieved from Farmers Almanac: https://www.farmersalmanac.com/superstorm-the-blizzard-of-93-
16923
Molloy, T. (2015, January 26). How Climate Change May Lead to Bigger Blizzards.
Retrieved from PBS: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/how-climate-change-may-lead-to-
bigger-blizzards/
On This Day: The 1993 Storm of the Century.
(2017, March 11). Retrieved from National Centers for Enironmental Information: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/1993-snow-
storm-of-the-century
Peeples, L. (2013, February 8). Climate Change and the Blizzard: Nor'easters More Fierce with Global Warming, Scientists say.
Retrieved from Huffpost: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/climate-change-blizzard-global-warming_n_2649587
Record snow, record heat: Our view: Instead of contradicting climate change, the great blizzard of 2016 may be the latest evidence of it. (2016, January 26). The Baltimore Sun
. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.apus.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F
%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fnewspapers%2Frecord-snow-heat%2Fdocview
%2F1760128506%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D8289
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Yin, R. K. (2014). Case Study Research: Design and Methods 5th edition.
Sage.