While blizzards are anything but pleasant, I think it’s safe to say most people would take a blizzard of the white stuff over blizzards of the fly variety.

Yes, you heard that right — a blizzard of mayflies.

You’ve most likely seen the jaw-dropping photos of the mayfly hatches, where mayflies are covering every square inch of a surface. Sometimes, there can be so many mayflies that the nickname “blizzard hatch” is given to describe the dramatic, synchronized emergence of mayflies that can blanket entire towns in early summer.

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They can even show up on radar! It appears like a thunderstorm is approaching, but step outside and instead of rain, you're greeted by clouds of insects so thick they coat your car, your clothes — even the streetlights. Welcome to the blizzard hatch.

These hatches typically happen near rivers and lakes when warm, humid conditions trigger these aquatic mayfly nymphs to rise to the surface and molt into flying adults, all at once — in massive numbers. It’s one of the most incredible and disgusting shows in nature, and it can test just about anyone’s bravery.

While these bugs are harmless, they can cause big disruptions. In places like the upper Midwest, they've shut down bridges, caused traffic accidents and even required snowplows to clear the piles.

But for anglers, the blizzard hatch is a jackpot, signaling prime feeding time for fish. And for weather and nature lovers alike, it’s one of the most "you have to see it to believe it" signs that summer has officially arrived.

Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for weather.com. She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.