What is a Bomb Cyclone?Extreme winter storm hits US | World News

While it doesn’t sound like much, a “bomb cyclone” is a legitimate scientific term, so named because the storm’s rapid formation resembles a bomb going off.

Millions of Americans are warned Get ready for the bomb whirlwind With blizzards, freezing winds and temperatures as low as -45.6C (-50.1F) – cold enough to get frostbite in less than five minutes.

A sort of bomb whirlwind Or “weather bomb” is the term used to describe a rapidly deepening low pressure area.

“More precisely, it should be called an explosive cyclone, which refers to a sharp drop in pressure at the center of the low-pressure system – 24 millibars in 24 hours,” Sky News weather presenter Kirsty McKay said. cloth said.

“These intense storms are bringing heavy precipitation and strong winds. Right now in the U.S., very cold arctic air is being sucked in, and the cold weather is causing further complications.”

How do bomb whirlwinds form?

The sudden change in pressure is due to the interaction with the powerful jet, McCabe said.

“It’s the fast-moving band of air in the atmosphere that guides our surface low-pressure system around.

“The contrast between cold arctic air in the north and warm tropical air in the south strengthens the jet stream, which in turn deepens the low pressure area.”

Overnight lows from Friday night to Saturday morning
picture:
Nighttime low temperatures (Celsius) from Friday night to Saturday morning

Why is it called a bomb whirlwind?

Meteorologists liken the sudden drop in pressure to a bomb explosion, using words like “explosive cyclone” and “bomb blast” to describe the process of storm formation.

The term specifically refers to the speed at which storms form, said climate scientist Daniel Swain of the University of California, California.

“It doesn’t necessarily refer to the absolute strength of the storm system,” he said.

Is there a bomb cyclone in the UK?

The UK has experienced weather bombs, most notably the Great Storm of 1987.

A man wrapped in a blanket walks on the sidewalk as it starts to snow in St. Louis.Lewis Photo Credit: Associated Press
picture:
St. Louis, Missouri started snowing, finishing.Photo: Associated Press

How is a bomb cyclone different from a hurricane?

“All bomb cyclones are not hurricanes,” Mr Swain said. “But sometimes, they take on features that make them look very hurricane-like, with strong winds, heavy rainfall, and a distinct eye-like feature in the middle.”

Hurricanes tend to form in the tropics and are powered by warm oceans. For this reason, they are most common in the U.S. during summer or early fall, when ocean waters are warmest.

In contrast, bomb cyclones do not require warm water to form.

They can be found over land and sea, and are most common between late autumn and early spring, when warm tropical air meets cold arctic air.

“They have to happen at times of the year when there’s a chance of warm air and cold air at the same time,” Mr Swain said. It’s the temperature difference that causes the pressure drop.

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Are Bomb Tornadoes Dangerous?

it depends on. Sometimes, bomb cyclones behave like traditional winter storms.

But sometimes they produce severe flooding, blizzard conditions and wind speeds comparable to a Category 1 hurricane.

“Fundamentally, the effects of a bomb cyclone are not necessarily different from other severe storm systems, except that rapid intensification is usually the hallmark of a very powerful storm system,” Mr Swain said.

Much of the danger, he added, was that the bomb cyclone would catch people off guard.

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