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While some areas are sitting around wondering when winter is planning to arrive, others are digging out and waiting for the next whopper to hit, yet which winter storms top the charts?

Of course, there are many factors that go into a bad storm, from massive amounts of snow to moderate amounts with elements such as ice, bone-chilling temps, or nasty winds to make things worse.

The Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale (NESIS) figured these into the equation to determine what the worst snowstorms in history were.

10. The Blizzard of 1888 — Northeastern United States

This snowstorm was so massive it became a historical event. In terms of storm severity factors, this one had it all: enormous amounts of snow, frigid temperatures, howling winds whipping up monstrous snow drifts — and a widespread area of effect that covered the entire northeastern United States from New England to the Chesapeake Bay, including major metropolitan areas like New York City [source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]. More than 400 people died during the storm, including more than 100 who were lost at sea…

9. The Storm of the Century, 1993 — Eastern United States

In 1993, an early March storm surged up the east coast of the United States, unleashing snow and wind on a wider area than any other storm in recorded history. Massive snowfalls were recorded from eastern Canada to Alabama. Parts of 26 states were hit; roughly half of the entire U.S. population was affected, including many large cities [source: NOAA]. Two hundred and seventy Americans were killed. This storm is often compared to the Blizzard of 1888 — in many areas, it wasn’t as severe and didn’t drop as much snow, but it covered a much larger area…

Full story at How Stuff Works via Neatorama.

Epic weather.

Graphics credit: Canva