AccuWeather
By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A rapidly intensifying storm is poised to sweep across the central and eastern United States from Sunday into Monday, threatening widespread disruption for nearly 200 million people as meteorologists warn it could strengthen into a full-fledged bomb cyclone.
Forecasters say the system will explosively deepen as it moves east, pulling in vast amounts of Pacific, Gulf, and Atlantic moisture and unleashing a sprawling mix of hazards, from blizzard conditions in the Upper Midwest to severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, and heavy rain farther south and east, AccuWeather reported.
Widespread impacts will sweep across the country beginning Saturday night, stretching from the Florida Panhandle northeast through Maine and northwest into Montana.
Read More on Weather
...
What Is a Bomb Cyclone?
A bomb cyclone occurs when the central pressure of a low-pressure system drops at least 24 millibars within 24 hours, according to the Weather Channel. The rapidly intensifying storm can cause significant impacts. Bomb cyclones typically occur off the East Coast, and the storms can be accompanied by strong winds and snowfall.
The rapid strengthening of the incoming storm will generate an "expansive and intense wind field," AccuWeather chief on-air meteorologist Bernie Rayno told Newsweek.
Major travel disruptions are expected, with flight delays and cancellations potentially climbing into the thousands at major hubs including Denver, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Charlotte. Schools in parts of the Midwest may also face closures early next week.
“Travel is likely to be especially hazardous Monday, as snow, strong winds and bitter cold combine to produce blizzard conditions across northern portions of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes region,” Rayno said.
In the Upper Midwest, blizzard conditions could develop as heavy snow combines with powerful winds and bitter cold. Temperatures may plunge into the teens and single digits, and as much as 3 feet of snow is possible across parts of Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula as the storm hits in two waves.
Numerous National Weather Service (NWS) alerts and warnings are already in place, warning of the incoming impacts.
"The strong winds and weight of snow on tree limbs may down power lines and could cause sporadic power outages," NWS Green Bay, Wisconsin, said in a winter storm watch. "Whiteout and near blizzard conditions are possible and may make travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening. Travel could be very difficult to impossible."
Forecasters say this could become one of the most disruptive U.S. weather events of the year so far, arriving just days after a separate windstorm swept from the Rockies to the Northeast. Power outages could affect tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of residents as the new system moves in.
The storm’s impacts will be felt across a massive stretch of the country, and authorities urge travelers and residents to prepare now as the powerful system begins to take shape.
In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not "both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.
When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. Help keep the center courageous. Join today.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines