Map Information: The map is titled, "Frequency of Winter Storm Events By County: 1996-2013." It depicts a map of the continental United States, Puerto Rico, Alaska, and Hawaii and illustrates state and county boundaries. It includes data from the NOAA/NCDC Storm Events Database and shows the total frequency of occurrence of all events identified as blizzards, heavy snow, ice storm, lake-effect snow, winter storm or winter weather, as identified by NOAA.A FEMA logo is in the lower right corner of the map indicating that the map was prepared by ORR Mapping and Analysis Center, Washington, DC on 7/29/14 and the Sources are ESRI, HSIP, and USGS.Map description: The frequency of winter storms from 1996 to 2013 is represented by five color coded categories. The first category (represented by white) includes counties that have recorded an average of one or fewer of the listed storm types per year. The areas of the United States in this category include all of Puerto Rico, Florida and Louisiana; the southern portions of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and Arizona; and portions of North and South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Idaho, Montana, Washington state, Oregon, Alaska, and Hawaii.The second category (represented by pale blue) includes counties that have recorded an average of one to four storm events per year. The primary area of the United States in this category extends from central New York, south to northern South Carolina, west to northern Texas, and north to southern North Dakota. Additionally, portions of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Washington state, Oregon, California, Alaska, and the rest of Hawaii are included.The third category (represented by blue-green) includes counties that have recorded an average of four to eight storm events per year. The areas of the United States in the category include all of Rhode Island, most of Connecticut, and portions of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Washington state, Oregon, California, and Alaska. Additionally, the rest of South Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and Kansas are included.The fourth category (represented by navy blue) includes counties that have recorded an average of 8 to 12 storm events per year. States with counties in this category include most of Massachusetts; large portions of Arizona, Maine, Vermont, New Jersey, New York; and small portions of Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Washington state, Oregon, California, and Alaska.The final category (represented by blue-black) includes counties that have recorded an average of more than 12 storm events per year. The areas of the United States in this category include most of Maine; large portions of New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Alaska; and small portions of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Washington state, Oregon, California, and Alaska.
