A history of drifts: major snows in America

The World

The nation’s capital has been shut down this week, again, after receiving more than 50 inches of snow. It’s the biggest snowfall ever recorded in D.C. history. The storm has also paralyzed most of the Northeast.

We talk with Bernard Mergen, author of “Snow in America,” and “Weather Matters: An American Cultural History Since 1900,” about how American culture and history has been shaped by the falling of the humble snowflake.

Invest in independent global news

The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. Will you support The World with a gift today? Donations made between now and Dec. 31 will be matched 1:1. Thanks for investing in our work!