What is a bomb cyclone? How does it differ from a blizzard and a snow storm?
Winter is coming, already here in some parts, and with the cold weather is a number of unfamiliar types of storms.
Summer is long gone, Halloween is over, and preparations are being made across the United States for Thanksgiving and Christmas, among other celebrations. The days are slowly dragging themselves longer, when the US is actually at its coldest.
Winter, as the Starks warned, is coming, and there is plenty of adverse weather around. But despite the increasing regularity of this, not everyone is completely clear on the terms used to describe winter storm and what they mean in practice, especially with many hitting the road for the holidays. Let’s aim to resolved some of that...
What is a blizzard?
The NWS defines a blizzard as snowfall while there are also higher than 35 mph winds. Alongside this it has to last three hours or more. What makes the blizzard unique is the wind as a blizzard without high wind is not a blizzard at all.
Did you know? When was the worst winter storm in US history?
A ground blizzard is when there is already snow on the ground, neutralizing visibility.
Meanwhile in the Pacific Northwest there are blizzard warnings for the Cascades! and Northern California — gusts 45 mph around the Bay Area, 85 mph in high elevations; Shasta Dam etc 10-20” above 4500 feet, 2-3 feet highest elevations! pic.twitter.com/kAvzK1C7Pi
— Ginger Zee (@Ginger_Zee) November 19, 2024
What is a snow storm?
A snow storm is a heavy fall of snow with strong winds. It’s more of a general term without a real scientific definition so any snowfall can be counted as a snowstorm as the precipitation is falling as snow and not rain.
Taste of winter: A storm is set to deliver snow, rain, and wind to millions of people in the central and eastern US this week. https://t.co/sKQ6TD12Mi pic.twitter.com/1BbcUSAp4c
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) November 18, 2024
What is a bomb cyclone?
A bomb cyclone is a term that has been used to describe a quickly intensifying storm. This has been due to air pressure falling which leads to thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.
Updated model guidance for "bomb cyclone" forecast to rapidly intensify off the Pacific Northwest coast bottoming out at 943 mb central pressure typical of a major hurricane.
— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) November 18, 2024
Intense atmospheric river [🍍express] will bring extreme coastal rain and snowfall for mountains. https://t.co/RNfZD4m1VR pic.twitter.com/4kS7nXr4g0
Now you know what to look out for as we prepare for the winter conditions that have already begun.
Complete your personal details to comment
Your opinion will be published with first and last names