The holiday season is here, but travel plans are at bay for those in the USA as thousands of flights have been cancelled owing to the winter storm bomb cyclone. Temperatures have dropped to frigid levels even in the southern states. Walloped in deep freeze conditions, the USA might remain indoors during the Christmas season.
What is this bomb cyclone? Why is it wreaking havoc in the USA at the busiest time of the year?
What is a bomb cyclone?
The bomb cycle is a meteorological phenomenon that ensues when a mass of low-pressure air system collides with high-pressure air and there is a drastic drop in atmospheric pressure. The pressure drops as fast as 24 millibars in 24 hours and strong winds form as a result of air moving from areas of high to low pressure. This phenomenon is also known as cyclogenesis and it can lead to extreme weather conditions like heavy snowfall and strong winds. The rapid strengthening of winds in this process is called Bombogenesis.
Why is it called a bomb cyclone?
In the mid-twentieth century, a few storms that arose over the sea colloquially came to be known as bombs by meteorologists because of their extreme fury which is uncommon for storms that form on land. The name was later popularised by MIT professor Fred Sanders who used the term in an essay in 1980 for explosive cyclogenesis. The bomb term has caused a few controversies and debates. Many European researchers objected to the war-like term.
How is it disrupting travel plans in the USA?
As per reports, President Joe Biden said, "This is not like a snow day when you were a kid. This is serious stuff." Bomb cycles can cause extreme winds and snowfall of up to 1.25 cm per hour. Such conditions can cause near-zero visibility and drop temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, power disruptions, wind chills as low as 10 to 20 degrees below zero and gusts of more than 65 miles per hour are anticipated. The condition can cause frostbite outside within minutes.
For how long will the weather condition last?
Temperatures are expected to rise again soon after Christmas and are expected to remain normal until the end of the year. States like New York have declared a state of emergency till then and issued a list of potential disasters that might ensue.
