US: 'Bomb cyclone' leads to power outages, disrupts holiday plans
Millions of Americans experienced bone-chilling temperatures, power outages, and canceled holiday get-togethers due to a winter storm, which weather forecasters termed a "bomb cyclone," adding it was almost unprecedented in its scope. The bomb cyclone reportedly exposed nearly 60% of the United States of America (USA) population to some sort of winter weather advisory or warning, reported Associated Press.
Why does this story matter?
The weather department in the US had issued warnings for the impending bomb cyclone, which is playing spoilsport during the holiday season by causing an arctic storm. Numerous flights across America were canceled, and homeless shelters are overcrowded as temperatures dropped to almost -45 degrees Celsius in some parts. Earlier, this arctic storm was estimated to affect nearly 135 million Americans.
Nearly 1.4 million houses, businesses in darkness
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), way over 200 million people in the US were under warning or an advisory on Friday (local time). The weather forecasting body also "depicts one of the greatest extents of winter weather warnings and advisories ever." According to The Age reports, power outs left approximately 1.4 million houses and businesses in complete darkness.
Visuals of the storm from Buffalo, New York
Transportation in US takes hit
Transportation authorities in Iowa, South and North Dakota, Oklahoma, and a few other places reported near-zero visibility, blizzard-like conditions, and ice-covered roads and urged people to stay home. Oklahoma reported at least two traffic fatalities, while Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed three such incidents in his state. According to local media, a 50-vehicle pile-up in Ohio left at least one individual dead.
Visuals of vehicle pileup in Ohio
Thousands of flights delayed, canceled amid storm
As per flight tracking website FlightAware, nearly 5,000 flights across the US were canceled on Friday, while around 7,600 were delayed. Most of the flights at international hubs like Seattle, New York, and O'Hare in Chicago were affected.
Wrath of bomb cyclone
The storm turned into a "bomb cyclone" by Friday afternoon after air pressure fell significantly over the past 24 hours. Bomb cyclones cause heavy rain or snow, which can also lead to flooding on coasts and trigger hurricane-force winds. NWS's lead forecaster in Montana's Glasgow, Rich Maliawco, warned the weather was hazardous as the wind chill there plunged to -51 degrees Celcius overnight.
What are bomb cyclones?
Bomb cyclones, most common in midlatitudes, are winter storms that are formed by a process known as explosive cyclogenesis or bombogenesis. A quickly intensifying cyclone with the air pressure in the center dropping to nearly 24 millibars is categorized as a bomb cyclone. Meanwhile, the "bomb" in the name stands for the power these storms contain as a result of the sudden pressure drop.
