In really bad winds, my Bibler will survive and function and my 2 man ElDorado (a 2 pole crossed design) is my "solo tent" for winter, but frankly in RREALly bad weather I prefer my TNF mountain 24 tent, with 4 body poles. It survives snowdrifts on top of it, ventilates well and mostly above the Bibler, that weighs half as much, it doesn't flap because its a dome. So with 2 people I often take the TNF and share the weight of the tent/cover/poles. Its my only double walled tent BTW.

So ok - if your tent has one pole, it means the wind can flatten it. If your tent has two poles (and by this I mean main body poles not including entrance poles, then it may take a snow load if they cross at the top, but it will flap in wind. If the tent has 3 poles it will most likely distribute a snow load better and be quieter in a wind. A tent with 4 body poles is pretty extreme and probably also has extra tie outs for ropes and is made of special strong fabrics. A 4 pole tent will not be real light, but then my TNF mtn 24 weighs 8 lb 12 oz, but thats exactly twice my Bibler 4lb 4 oz, without the 24 ounce vestibule.
Some people like pyramid tents, swear by pyramid tents, but it depends on the kind of snow load. Light snow that can blow away is best, but snow that slides down the sides of a pyramid accumulates on the lower parts and depending on the snow depth, can bury most of the tent and break the center pole - been there done that . Yet under the right conditions pyramids like other simpler designs work well, mostly out of the wind.

You really need a 2 man tent for solo mountain travel in Winter and a 3 man tent for 2 people. A winter tent should have a huge vestibule for your packs and boots and to provide some protected ventilation by keeping the tops of the zippers open in the vestibule and the tent. A winter tent should never be completely closed up. Some feel that 2 people in a small tent keep it a bit warmer and force out moisture - works for me since my tent is made ot Toddtex.
Jim
Geez well if anybody made it this far, I'm coping to the fact that my gear is designed for extreme mountaineering and is not really what people may want or need for more gentile hiking and camping, but my gear does sort of offer some insight into whats required in extreme. When you've bivied on The Eiger at minus 40 and managed to survive, it changes your outlook on "being prepared.