A “bombogenesis” storm affects the northeastern United States with high winds, power outages and precipitation that could be historic.
About 75 million people will be in the path of the cyclone, a threat that was taken seriously by the governments of the states that will be hit.
“It could be life-threatening,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said Saturday, suggesting people stay home “with a six-pack of beers while they wait.”
Forecasters say the storm, also known as a nor’easter, can cover the Boston area with up to 2 feet of snow. Meanwhile, 30 cm (1 foot) of snow has already been recorded in parts of New York.
The current record for accumulation is 70 cm (27.6 in) in 24 hours and was set in 2003.
In addition, experts forecast gusts of 60-75 mph (96-120 km/h) along the coast. Given this, more than 5,000 US flights were canceled for the weekend.
The country has not faced a similar phenomenon for four years.
What is “bombogenesis”?
“Bombogenesis” occurs when a storm rapidly intensifies, something that happens in the mid-latitudes of the atmosphere, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
It occurs when the atmospheric pressure in the cyclone drops by at least 24 millibars in a 24-hour period.
“This can happen when a cold air mass collides with a warm air mass, such as the air over warm ocean waters,” the government agency explains on its website.
The US East Coast is one of the regions where bombogenesis is common, meteorologist Esther Mullens told The Conversation.
“This is because storms in the mid-latitudes, a temperate zone north of the tropics that includes the entire continental United States, draw their energy from large temperature contrasts,” the expert explained.
The term is very popular among meteorologists, who sometimes also use “bomb cyclone”, although some consider it to be “alarmist”.
These natural phenomena can take on hurricane-like characteristics, such as strong winds, precipitation, and even a center that may look like an “eye.”
Critical hours at night
Weather conditions will be deteriorating through Saturday night, meteorologist Bryce Williams told The New York Times.
“If you don’t have to be away from home, stay until Sunday,” he told the newspaper.
Winds are expected to strengthen and possibly reach hurricane-like forces, according to the country’s National Weather Service.
Given this, the entire East Coast is under a blizzard warning, the first since 2018.
The governors of New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Rhode Island and Virginia declared states of emergency and asked residents to stay off the roads.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has canceled Saturday cookouts, as well as vaccination appointments.
Police in Atlantic City in New Jersey pleaded with residents not to “make things more difficult for our first responders by venturing out.”
In Connecticut, bus operations were suspended until Sunday, while Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee announced the closure of several bridges due to “dangerous conditions.”
Florida is also expected to experience some of its coldest temperatures in years. Cities like Orlando could experience 0°C overnight and Miami up to 10°C, according to The Weather Channel.
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BBC-NEWS-SRC: https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-60185683, IMPORTING DATE: 2022-01-29 20:50:06
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