This time, the United States is facing very extreme conditions with winter storms and heavy snowfalls. The country is facing one of the lowest temperatures in a long time. Around 200 million people have been affected by this extreme weather condition. The winter storm, Elliot has now advanced to a bomb cyclone which is similar to a Category 2 hurricane.
From Maine to Seattle, many places have lost their power supply and the storm is in its full fury in many other places including New York. The temperature dropped to -45°C in some parts of the country. Travel has also been affected by the storm that has been hovering over the country. Here’s more about bomb cyclones.
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Everything About Bomb Cyclones
Bomb cyclones occur when the atmospheric pressure at the center of the cyclone starts to drop at a rapid rate. That is if the pressure drops at the rate of 1 millibar or more at the center of the cyclone every hour for 24 hours then it becomes a bomb cyclone. These fast-developing storms are also known as bombogenesis. This happens when the warm air mass collides with cold air mass according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The name bomb cyclone is used because of the quick rate at which low pressure develops. These usually occur during the cold season.
The damage that a bomb cyclone causes can depend on the location and also the speed of the storm. Now according to NOAA, the cyclone can cause blizzards, heavy snow winds, and even heavy rainfall due to the heavy precipitation. And some states in the US have gravely been affected by this bomb cyclone.
Traveling can be pretty difficult during these times as they would affect both visibility and movement. There can be extreme winds and intense snowfall. Flights would be canceled as it is risky to fly. Also, these extreme weather conditions can cause interruptions in the power supply.
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Areas Affected By The Bomb Cyclones In The US
In the US, the situation has been pretty hard with a dozen deaths being reported under the cold storms. These are caused by falling branches, car crashes, or exposure to extreme weather. About 60% of the population has been facing trouble with homes and businesses being left without power.
The massive storm has been named Elliott and has affected areas over 2000 miles. This is from the Great Lakes near Canada to the Rio Grande near the Mexican border. The weather conditions in the coastal areas were grave, with the northeast facing coastal and inland flooding whereas the northwest experiencing heavy rainfall.
