The connection between the blizzard of 1996 and global warming is a pure speculation.

The link between the unusual winter of 1995-96 and the theory of global warming which has been asserted by some researchers and discussed in the media is based on two characteristics of the climate models which are being used to conduct research on the effect of increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases on the earth's climate. First, most climate models indicate that the hydrologic cycle will become more vigorous if the climate warms substantially. In these models, the more vigorous hydrologic cycle results in more global precipitation. Second, global warming research models indicate that the warmer climate associated with increasing greenhouse gas concentrations also has larger swings of weather extremes. Thus, it may be expected that more extreme events like the recent blizzard will occur in a warmer climate and such storms will produce more precipitation, which may result in unprecedented snowfall amounts in individual events. It is important to keep in mind that more frequent blizzards are consistent with these two climate model characteristics but were not predicted by global warming simulations. That is, nobody suggested before the blizzard of 1996 that, as a result of global warming, we should expect such a storm. It is also important to realize that these research findings are by no means universally endorsed by the scientific community. In fact, the position taken in the consensus of climate scientists is that the wider swing of extremes will lead to a greater likelihood of prolonged summer season droughts, there is no mention of more frequent or intense blizzards among the findings agreed to by the research community. Unfortunately, most of the predictions made by global warming simulations will remain unverifiable for several years or even decades to come. Further research into climate dynamics may reduce the level of uncertainty, but the observational record will have to be significantly extended before we can definitively verify climate model-based conclusions.