Bomb cyclone: ‘Once-in-a-generation’ winter storm upends US holiday travel | World News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: A dangerously frigid arctic air mass gripped a vast expanse of the United States on Thursday ahead of what could be one of the coldest Christmas Days on record, as a looming winter storm threatened to upend travel plans for millions of Americans.
Leading into the holiday weekend, the impending storm was expected to bring blizzard conditions to the Great Lakes region, up to 2 inches (5 cm) of rain followed by a flash freeze on the East Coast, wind gusts of 60 miles per hour (100 kph) and bitter cold as far south as the Mexican border.
As the storm took shape over the Great Lakes on Thursday, a weather phenomenon known as a bomb cyclone was expected to develop from a “rapidly deepening low-pressure” system, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.
What is a ‘bomb cyclone’
A bomb cyclone, also known as an explosive cyclogenesis, is a meteorological phenomenon that occurs when a low-pressure system experiences a rapid and drastic drop in atmospheric pressure. This rapid pressure drop is accompanied by strong winds and can lead to severe weather, including heavy snowfall, strong winds, and thunderstorms.
Bomb cyclones are typically associated with the winter months, but they can also occur during other seasons. They are most common in the mid-latitudes, such as the eastern United States, Europe, and Asia.
Bomb cyclones form when a low-pressure system moves over a region with very cold air. As the cold air moves over the system, it causes the air pressure to drop rapidly. This rapid pressure drop can lead to strong winds, as the air rushes in to fill the low-pressure area. Bomb cyclones can also bring heavy precipitation, such as snow or rain, depending on the temperature of the air in the region.
Bomb cyclones can be very dangerous, as they can bring strong winds and heavy snowfall, which can make travel difficult and disrupt daily activities. They can also lead to power outages and damage to infrastructure.
It is important for people to be prepared for bomb cyclones and to follow any warnings or advisories issued by meteorological agencies. This may include staying indoors, avoiding travel, and keeping an emergency supply kit on hand.
In Fort Worth, Texas, the NWS told residents the cold snap was not expected to be as devastating as the one in February of last year, when freezing temperatures knocked out power to millions in the Lone Star State and caused dozens of deaths.
Coldest Christmas on record?
Combined with the arctic cold, wind-chill factors as low as 40 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (minus 40 Celsius) were forecast in the High Plains, the northern Rockies and Great Basin, the NWS said. Exposure to such conditions without adequate protection can cause frostbite within minutes.
More than half of the Lower 48 states, from Washington state to Florida, were under winter weather alerts, including wind chill advisories affecting about 135 million people, said a weather service meteorologist.
Parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Plains could see Christmas Day weather that is near the coldest on record, according to the weather service.
The mercury was expected to fall to 15 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 9 Celsius) in Philadelphia on Sunday, near a previous low from 1943, while Sioux City, Iowa, could end up at minus 14F (minus 26C), surpassing a record from the 1980s.
The frigid air mass was pushing south through central Oklahoma and northwestern Texas, where the mercury was expected to plunge to about 10F (minus 7C) on Thursday. Temperatures in the Southern Plains and Southeast could stay below freezing — but still 30-plus degrees less than normal — for multiple days, the NWS predicted.
Authorities worried about the potential for power failures and warned people to take precautions to protect older and homeless people and livestock — and, if possible, to postpone travel.
Holiday travel plans in jeopardy
The American Automobile Association estimated that more than 112 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home between Friday and January 2, the vast majority- 102 million- by car. Authorities have advised caution in view of the inclement weather for the days ahead.
The Federal Aviation Administration warned that high winds and heavy snow could delay flights at major air travel hubs Minneapolis-St. Paul and Denver.
More than 3,000 US flights scheduled for Thursday and Friday have been canceled, including nearly 1,000 departures and arrivals at two major airports in Chicago, according to a flight-tracking service.
(With inputs from agencies)



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