So, the words “bomb” and “cyclone” are pretty unsettling words to begin with. But when paired together in the same phrase, a “bomb cyclone” sounds pretty freaking scary, right? Well, as it turns out, the East Coast is currently facing a bomb cyclone, conjuring “blinding” snow and up to 60 mph wind gusts, CNN reports. And when Florida, a state who hasn’t seen snow in 28 years received a little dusting, you can tell that this bomb cyclone is a serious issue.
So, what in the hell is a bomb cyclone? According to CNN, a bomb cyclone forms “when a cyclone has a significant and rapid drop in atmospheric pressure over a short period of time,” which means white-out blizzard conditions, freezing cold temperatures and intense winds for the Northeast.
The New York Times provides an even more thorough breakdown on how a bomb cyclone, or “bombogenesis” works, stating that “deep drops in barometric pressure occur when a region of warm air meets one of cold air. The air starts to move, and the rotation of the Earth creates a cyclonic effect. The direction is counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere (when viewed from above), leading to winds that come out of the northeast.”
Latest developments report power outages, school closures, dangerous driving conditions, canceled flights, in areas such as New York and Boston. Grocery store shelves are quickly losing stock, and even deaths related to the cold temps have unfortunately been reported, with six in Wisconsin, four in Texas, one in North Dakota and one in Missouri.
Some states are taking extra precaution, with Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe declaring a state of emergency, as Virginians could face up to a foot of snow in the eastern region.
“The bitter cold that continues to plague the Commonwealth will be joined by a potentially significant winter storm which will blast Hampton Roads, the Northern Neck, Eastern Shore and other areas of Eastern Virginia with snowfall and blizzard-like conditions in some communities,” McAuliffe said Wednesday, according to CNN.
CNN also reports that states such as New York and Philadelphia are expected to drop down to three degrees this weekend, and along with a foot of snow, Boston could face as low as minus seven-degree temperature.
So why on Earth does a bomb cyclone bring such bitter cold? CNN says that bomb cyclones, which frequently occur in North America when cold air collides with warm air, can draw colder air from the north and then blast out ice-cold temperatures.
The New York Times reports that scientists are studying the influence of climate change and its connection to the cold spell in North America and the bomb cyclone terrorizing the East Coast. The importance of the relationship is not entirely clear yet, but NY Times states, “The Arctic is not as cold as it used to be—the region is warming faster than any other—and studies suggest that this warming is weakening the jet stream, which ordinarily acts like a giant lasso, corralling cold air around the pole.”
It’s no question that it’s absolutely cold AF out here. And as far as the conditions in the East Coast go, climate change may very well be the culprit. To those affected, stay warm and stay safe!