On the last day of March in 1982 a storm swept off the Pacific Ocean. It battered the California coast with high winds and heavy rain and then moved inland. Over the next six days this weather system crossed the United States, developing into one of the most powerful spring storms ever recorded.

This book follows the storm in all its beauty and strength, from avalanches in the Sierra Nevada to blizzards throughout the Rocky Mountains. Moving over the plains, the storm produced devastating tornadoes in Texas and the Midwest. Travelers were stranded by driving snow in Michigan, while rain and hail pelted the Deep South. As a final gesture, the storm dumped a foot of snow on New York City on the opening day of baseball season.

Science and geography work together to show the storm in many ways, from satellites and the National Weather Service to children delighting in a day off from school. Along the way, basic weather phenomena such as low pressure centers, cold fronts, tornadoes, rain, hail, and snow are explained and skillfully illustrated in beautiful and accurate watercolor paintings.

From the dust jacket