Blizzard

Although now part of Standard English for a sustained snowstorm, the word itself is of unknown origin. It first appears in American English during the early 19th century meaning a sharp knock or blow and was sometimes used in the context of a hail of gunfire. It was only during the late 19th century in America that it took on its current meaning. The OED offers the explanation that might be onomatopoeic or echoic of the noise a snow storm makes.