“Bomb Cyclone” Could Bring 2 Feet of Snow to These Areas, Forecasters Predict
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January is off to a wild start weather-wise—and the onslaught doesn’t appear to be letting up anytime soon. Following two massive winter storms in the past week, yet another is now on the horizon. According to USA Today , a “ bomb cyclone ” is expected to bring blizzard conditions to certain parts of the U.S. starting tomorrow. Read on to find out which areas forecasters predict will see two feet of snow.
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The bomb cyclone—a nickname for the meteorological term “ bombogenesis “—is expected to hit parts of the Plains and the Midwest starting Thursday, USA Today reports. According to AccuWeather, these two regions should expect even more snow going into the long weekend.
The storm is anticipated to be much stronger and colder than this week’s first storm, which impacted the region through last night with snow, rain, and high winds. After the second storm hits, areas in the Plains and the Midwest could have anywhere between one to two feet of snow on the ground, per AccuWeather.
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Per Fox Weather, snowfall is expected to be lightest over the Plains and increase in both coverage and intensity in the regions surrounding the Great Lakes. The latter area could also see wind gusts over 30 mph.
Because the latest storm is tracking further east, more areas in the Midwest are at risk for wintry weather, with heavy snow potentially hitting St. Louis, Detroit, and Fort Wayne, Indiana, according to AccuWeather. The outlet also highlights Kansas City, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Davenport, Iowa, as cities that could be hit especially hard.
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The storm could make travel in these parts of the country extremely difficult if not impossible, AccuWeather advises, largely due to blowing and drifting snow that can’t be immediately removed. Fox Weather says that travel along the I-80 corridor could be dangerous due to heavy snow and winds.
Fox Weather also notes that meterologists won’t know precisely where the heaviest snow will be until Thursday morning following a computer model analysis. However, there is potential for flight disruptions due to the latest storm, according to AccuWeather. While airlines are “still in recovery mode” and dealing with the impact of the first storm, additional delays and cancellations could make things even worse, the outlet reports.
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While other regions are facing blizzard conditions, those in the South aren’t getting off scot-free going into the weekend.
There’s an “enhanced risk” of severe weather in the form of thunderstorms, high winds, and strong tornadoes for parts of this region, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Storm Prediction Center (SPC).
The highest threats for Thursday are in east Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, per Fox Weather. The threat zone moves east on Friday, affecting the area from Mississippi to North Carolina. Tornadoes are another possibility, due to the type of thunderstorms hitting the areas, Fox Weather forecasters said.
- Source: NOAA: What is bombogenesis?
- Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center: Jan 10, 2024 Day 3 Severe Thunderstorm Outlook
Powerful “Kitchen Sink” Storm Hitting Next Week—What to Expect in Your Region
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Love it or hate it, it’s winter here in the U.S.—and along with chillier temperatures, you can also expect snow and wintry mixes . This weekend, the eastern part of the country is bracing itself for Winter Storm Ember , which is expected to bring snow, ice, rain, and wind. Travel conditions may be dicey for those in this region on Saturday and Sunday, according to meteorologists with The Weather Channel, but if you’re anticipating being in the clear for the workweek ahead, think again. There’s another storm on the horizon, and this one is expected to bring “ everything but the kitchen sink ” to multiple U.S. regions, The Weather Channel Says.
“A few of us meteorologists at weather.com like to throw around the phrase ‘kitchen sink storm’ when a major system like that one checks the boxes for many hazards at once,” Chris Dolce , meteorologist with weather.com, said in a discussion posted on Weather Underground (part of The Weather Company, which owns The Weather Channel/weather.com).
He continued, “These storms occur in the cooler months of the year when the jet stream is more potent and able to generate strong areas of low pressure that can deliver a wide variety of weather conditions given the collision between milder air from the Gulf of Mexico and colder air seeping south from Canada.”
Meteorologists anticipate that this second storm, dubbed Winter Storm Finn, could actually be a “bigger deal” than Ember, largely because it will have a more widespread impact along the Mississippi River and east of it. Read on to find out what you can expect in your region.
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The Weather Channel notes that it’s still a bit early to predict the details of the storm’s impact across all regions, but it is starting in the West. Those in this region can expect snow and rain, with snow potentially affecting travel in valley and mountain locations, including Salt Lake City and Boise, Idaho, the outlet says.
As weather.com meteorologist Domenica Davis explained in an accompanying forecast video, Finn is following a similar path to Ember, but instead of moving off the West Coast, it is moving north, presenting a “potpourri of weather.”
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“A stripe of snowfall” and strong winds are expected north of the storm’s path, per The Weather Channel, namely in the Central Plains into the Midwest and the Great Lakes. For those on the warm side of the storm, i.e. to the south, there’s a chance of heavy rain and winds.
Those in central states can expect peak impacts on Monday and Tuesday, potentially moving into Wednesday, The Weather Channel says.
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Davis said the South could see strong storms, which are “the biggest concern.” The Weather Channel specifies that these storms are possible near the Gulf Coast during the day on Monday and into the evening.
On Tuesday, storms could move into the Southeast, with the possibility for “damaging winds, hail and some tornadoes.” Flooding could also result from the heavy rain expected in this region.
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The Northeast isn’t getting a break after Winter Storm Ember, according to The Weather Channel. Heavy rainfall is predicted to affect the coast and the Interstate 95 corridor from Boston to Washington, D.C. “Interior areas” of the region are expected to see snowfall or wintry mixes that then turn to rain.
Much like central states, those in the East should expect to face the brunt of the storm on Monday, Tuesday, and potentially Wednesday.
On top of this, Davis pointed out that flooding is a concern for this region as well.
“Especially through parts of the Northeast where you had heavy snow and you see that rain coming in, that could create flooding,” she said in the forecast video.
Regardless of where you live, The Weather Channel stresses that you should pay attention to the latest forecasts, as the storm is likely to change in the coming days.
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In the discussion posted on Weather Underground, senior meteorologist at weather.com Linda Lam noted that there are some parts of the U.S. where weather will be moderate—at least for a little while.
“Much of Texas to the lower Mississippi Valley will have fairly pleasant conditions this weekend,” Lam said. “Dry weather is expected and temperatures will reach into the 50s and 60s. However, rain returns as early as Sunday night and portions of this area will need to be ready for the chance of severe thunderstorms on Monday.”
In the Northeast, Boston will have “milder air” and rain-free skies on Saturday before Ember, with the mid-Atlantic through the Carolinas also getting clear skies on Sunday and no “big-cold” air, weather.com digital meteorologist Jonathan Belles added.
