What is the criteria for a blizzard warning?

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Blizzard warnings are a rare occurrence in the southern states, but on Tuesday morning, the Lake Charles National Weather Service in Louisiana issued its first-ever blizzard warning. This warning extended across parts of eastern Texas and Louisiana, reaching the Gulf Coast.

While there have been other blizzard warnings issued for portions of Texas, how often do they really happen?

To issue a blizzard warning, the National Weather Service follows a straightforward set of criteria. The conditions must include sustained or frequent wind gusts of 35 miles per hour or higher, alongside falling or blowing snow that reduces visibility to less than a quarter of a mile. These conditions must persist for at least three hours.

Blizzard warnings are far more common in the Texas Panhandle. For example, the last blizzard warning issued by the Amarillo and Lubbock offices happened 379 days ago. The Midland office issued a blizzard warning 789 days ago, while the El Paso office last did so 4,421 days ago. The San Angelo office hasn't issued a blizzard warning in 5,507 days. The San Antonio/Austin office has never issued a blizzard warning.

As rare as these warnings are in the southern U.S., they do serve as a reminder of the extreme weather that can sometimes hit the region, especially during significant winter storms.