An arctic blast and a bomb cyclone may occur at the same time this weekend, affecting weather conditions throughout the eastern United States and bringing yet another winter storm to the Eastern Seaboard.
This forecast follows closely on the heels of Winter Storm Fern, which recently traversed a significant portion of the US, from Texas to the Northeast, resulting in the deaths of at least 30 people. As of Tuesday, hundreds of thousands of residents remain without power, while the likelihood of another significant winter storm impacting this weekend increases, driven by arctic air moving into the US and a developing storm off the East Coast that is anticipated to rapidly strengthen into a bomb cyclone.
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What is a Bomb Cyclone?
A bomb cyclone is defined as a weather phenomenon where the central pressure of a low-pressure system decreases by at least 24 millibars within a 24-hour period, as per the Weather Channel.
{{/usCountry}}A bomb cyclone is defined as a weather phenomenon where the central pressure of a low-pressure system decreases by at least 24 millibars within a 24-hour period, as per the Weather Channel.
{{/usCountry}}Bomb cyclones are generally observed off the East Coast, often bringing strong winds and snowfall.
“We know that low pressure is likely to quickly strengthen offshore of the Outer Banks on Saturday night,” MyRadar senior meteorologist Matthew Cappucci mentioned in a post on X on Tuesday morning.
“It will probably become a ‘bombogenetic cyclone,’ meaning it will rapidly deepen, or intensify. That means a strong, windy system vacuuming lots of air inwards. At the very least, the Outer Banks and Cape Cod will see 40+ mph winds.”
While the forecast for snowfall totals and the precise timeline and trajectory of the storm remain uncertain, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines informed Newsweek that the storm is unlikely to impact the communities that have been most severely affected and are still recovering from Winter Storm Fern.
Bomb Cyclone map: Which states will be most impacted?
A Bomb Cyclone map provided by the National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Prediction Center showed that coastal North Carolina and Virginia face the highest likelihood of witnessing at least moderate impacts from the approaching cyclone.
Arctic Blast triggers alerts in Florida
In conjunction with the bomb cyclone, arctic air has led NWS meteorologists to issue warnings related to cold weather, including extreme cold alerts extending from the US South into the Midwest. This weekend, temperatures are anticipated to decline further, with freeze warnings extending as far south as Florida.
The coldest air of this winter is set to arrive this weekend, with a significant freeze that could burst pipes is anticipated across the Southeast on Sunday morning, stated WSVN meteorologist Dylan Federico on X this Tuesday. “I’m particularly concerned about Florida, which could experience its worst freeze since 2010. Crop farmers should be preparing for a multi-night hard freeze on Sunday and Monday in Central Florida. There is the potential for widespread 30s penetrating down into South Florida and Miami, which is extremely rare, and will send the iguanas falling.”