'Bomb Cyclone' in the USA: Blizzards, Hurricane Winds and Tornado Threats

Свирепый зимний шторм — «бомбовый циклон» — привел к порывам ветра со скоростью 97 миль (156 км) в час (эквивалент урагана 2 категории) в Колорадо-Спрингс (Колорадо) 13 марта. Буря пронеслась через весь штат на пути к Великим равнинам и Среднему Западу, угрожая метелями и наводнениями на значительной части территории США.

Screenshot from Twitter / @ HayleyVatch

«Бомбовый циклон» возникает, когда происходит быстрое падение давления — с уменьшением по меньшей мере на 24 миллибара — в течение 24 часов. С утра 12 марта до утра 13 марта давление в пределах этого шторма упало на 33 миллибара и продолжает снижаться, пишет CNN.

Denver International Airport faced gusts of 75 miles (121 km) per hour, equivalent to a hurricane of the first category.

A further drop in pressure 13 March will lead to increased wind in the cyclone, and the speed of gusts will be equivalent to the second category hurricane.

Sound on for thunder snow ❄️! pic.twitter.com/UE7Vt8NvS1

- Hayley Breden (@HayleyVatch) March 13, 2019

According to officials, in Colorado more than 133 000 people suffered from power outages.

According to Jan Myers, a spokesperson for Oncor provider, in Texas, more than 69 000 people were left without electricity due to wind. Myers said that sudden gusts hit the state with unprecedented force.

“We are used to seeing storms in Texas that disable our equipment, but they are usually localized. And this was a very widespread phenomenon. Everyone is working to restore the power supply, all our teams are working at full capacity so that we can resume the power supply as soon as possible, ”she said.

Snow Denver is coming down to the mn in the Highlands North Denver #cowx pic.twitter.com/3W1N5opxWO

- Minh Phan (@WXMinh) March 13, 2019

The storm led to a lot of snow falling on the Rocky Mountains. By noon, 13 March, west of Boulder, more than 9 inches (23 cm) of snow were recorded with gusts of wind speeds of more than 50 miles (80 km) per hour.

Meteorologists warn that “this is a serious blizzard” and ask the residents of the region to refrain from walks and trips to the maximum.

Hundreds of flights bound for or departing from Denver Airport have been canceled. In the second half of March 13, the storm is on its way to the Upper and Midwest, where heavy snowstorms are expected. Meteorologists warn of heavy snow and wind with possible tornadoes and March 14 floods.

Warnings about blizzards and winter weather conditions apply to certain areas of Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska and South Dakota.

Territories in which storm warnings were issued cover approximately 1,5 million square miles, which is about half the area of ​​the continental US, and they extend from the Mexican to the Canadian border of the country.

Traveling through areas for which snowstorm warnings have been issued will be extremely dangerous and sometimes impossible.

BLIZZARD raging in Kimball, Nebraska with #BombCyclone intensifying to 970 mb in eastern CO! Power flickering now at Pizza Hut. Thunder snow reported across the High Plains. Worst still to come! @breakingweather @accuweather #blizzard pic.twitter.com/jEtTHV6Kkd

- Reed Timmer (@ReedTimmerAccu) March 13, 2019

The storm can also cause devastating winds, hail and tornadoes in the southern plains and in the Mississippi River valley. More than 55 million people are threatened by strong winds; more than 10 million - under the threat of a winter storm; and more than 17 million - at risk of flooding.

According to the FlightAware website, by midday Wednesday, more than 1900 flights across the US or from the US were canceled. Most of these cancellations were flights to or from Denver Airport (DIA), where blizzards made flight impossible.

Denver itself is expected to snow from 5 to 8 inches (from 13 to 20 cm) of snow.

Several school districts in Colorado have decided to close schools, in particular, cancellation classes in Denver schools.

Wyoming closed government offices in Cheyenne, and the governor of South Dakota ordered the government offices in central and western districts of 39 to be closed due to a storm.

In the state of Nebraska, due to a blizzard, officials blocked approximately 130 miles (210 km) on the 80 highway heading west from Ogallala to Nebraska-Wyoming border.

Winds of gusts from 50 to 70 miles (80-113 km) per hour are expected until Thursday morning in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. In some areas, wind gusts can reach 110 miles (177 km) per hour.

It is predicted that the storm will rapidly intensify and begin to slowly move to the northeast, which will lead to different extreme weather conditions in the area from New Mexico to the Midwest. It is expected that the snow will stop by noon Thursday, but a strong wind may persist until late evening on March 14.

In addition, flood warnings were issued in the Midwest and Great Plains amid fears that torrential rains would melt snow and cause flooding. The risk of flooding is also increasing due to the risk that ice jams clog rivers and streams.

Read also on ForumDaily:

10 things worth having in the house so as not to be afraid of the hurricane and the flood

September snow storm in the USA: 5 things that should not be left in a car in cold weather

16 states with the most natural disasters

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