Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A violent storm of thunder and lightning that is accompanied by snow instead of rain.
  • noun The snow produced by such a storm.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A thunderstorm accompanied by snow, rather than rain or hail.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From thunder +‎ snow.

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Examples

  • As the Herald-Journal went to press, forecasters estimated 6 inches of snowfall for Spartanburg County, up to 7 inches in the Chesnee and Boiling Springs areas, and isolated incidents of 8-inch accumulation resulting from "thundersnow" - a thunderstorm that produces snow instead of rain.

    news | SJ | http://www.goupstate.com 2009

  • Just ahead of the evening commute, the Weather Channel reported thundersnow, which is heavy snow accompanied by thunder, at Dulles Airport outside Washington, D.C.

    Yahoo! News: Business - Opinion 2011

  • Mixed in with the heavy snow could be thunder and lightning, a phenomenon called thundersnow, which typically produces heavy snow over a brief period.

    unknown title 2009

  • Mixed in with the heavy snow could be thunder and lightning, a phenomenon called thundersnow, which typically produces heavy snow over a brief period.

    ABC News: ABCNews 2009

  • Mixed in with the heavy snow could be thunder and lightning, a phenomenon called thundersnow, which typically produces heavy snow over a brief period.

    FOXNews.com 2009

  • A spokesman for the Met Office said the phenomenon of thundersnow occurs when sleet or snow coincide with thunderstorms.

    unknown title 2009

  • Mixed in with the heavy snow could be thunder and lightning, a phenomenon called thundersnow, which typically produces heavy snow over a brief period.

    The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com 2009

  • When last month's "thundersnow" knocked out power in Bennett's Montgomery County neighborhood, the preindustrial hush inside his house - when even the refrigerator seemed to hold its breath - soon gave way to the two-stroke roar of engines up and down his block.

    In Pepco territory, blackouts mean more home generators, more noise complaints Steve Hendrix 2011

  • When last month's "thundersnow" knocked out power in Bennett's Montgomery County neighborhood, the preindustrial hush inside his house - when even the refrigerator seemed to hold its breath - soon gave way to the two-stroke roar of engines up and down his block.

    In Pepco territory, blackouts mean more home generators, more noise complaints Steve Hendrix 2011

  • Meanwhile, in the video above, you can see Jim Cantore blow a gasket, and use some rather un-TWC language, experiencing "thundersnow": "Oh, JEE-sus!"

    TIME.com: Top Stories 2011

Comments

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  • "thundersnow: a snowstorm that includes lightning flashes. NewScientist2686" (via Erin McKean)

    January 27, 2009

  • The kind of thing that makes Lewis Black completely freak out. (around 7:30) (Caution: bad words! Not safe for work)

    January 27, 2009

  • Thundersnow thunders now in New England's 2/8/2012 blizzard.

    February 9, 2013

  • I experienced my first thundersnow yesterday. Thunder during a snowstorm?! Strange.

    February 22, 2013

  • Do isobronts leave tracks in the snow?

    February 22, 2013

  • snow-a-peal appeals?

    keraunoscopia without bounds!

    tonitruous melting

    redampened echos

    clap somemore (summer) (w)in-a-tour! Winterthur

    tour winters

    Where (ware) is Dela?

    February 23, 2013

  • Anagram: drown the sun.

    February 23, 2013