Explained: What's 'Bomb Cyclone' Hitting US And Canada, How Has It Disrupted Lives?

Dozens of people have so far been killed in the United States from the severe winter storm that's covered large parts of USA and Canada in snow, caused power outage affecting over a million people.

Madhur Sharma

Updated on: 26 December 2022 12:01 pm

In this drone image, snow blankets a neighborhood in Cheektowaga, New York.

Large parts of the United States and Canada are currently under the grips of 'bomb cyclone' that has caused dozens of deaths and plunged millions into darkness with resultant power outages.

Large parts of the United States and Canada are enveloped in snow and it has caused cancellation and delays of flights and trains. As visibility has fallen to near-zero and roads have become unsafe with snow, a number of accidents have also taken place that have caused deaths.

Though situation appears to have improved in some areas, it's not expected to get much better until Tuesday and forecasts say the storm's effect will stay this week too.

Here we explain what's the 'bomb cyclone', how it has disrupted everyday life, and what's the forecase.

What's US-Canada bomb cyclone?

A cyclone refers to a weather system in which winds rotate inwardly to an area of low atmospheric pressure, as per the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies of University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Simply speaking, a 'bomb cylone' is one that forms very rapidly, says NBC News, adding that it's more about the quickness of its formation than its strength.

"Bomb cyclones form when air near Earth’s surface rises quickly in the atmosphere, triggering a sudden drop in barometric pressure — at least 24 millibars within 24 hours," says NBC.

Sky News weather presenter Kirsty McCabe said very cold Arctic air is being pulled into the affected US and Canadian regions by the bomb cylone.

Sky quoted McCabe as saying, "These intense storms bring heavy precipitation and very strong winds. In the US right now, very cold Arctic air is being pulled in, with the freezing weather causing further complications."

These cyclones can also take the form of hurricans. Though it's not always the case.

Climate scientist Daniel Swain told NBC, "All bomb cyclones are not hurricanes. But sometimes, they can take on characteristics that make them look an awful lot like hurricanes, with very strong winds, heavy precipitation and well-defined eye-like features in the middle."

How has bomb cyclone affected US, Canada?

The storm has piled high piles of snow in the affected region, caused power outages, cancelled or delayed flights and trains, and caused road accidents.

NBC reports that at least 46 people have so far been killed in the United States. At least four people were also killed in an accident in Canada, as per Toronto Sun.

NBC reports that deaths have been reported in 12 states: Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

The causes of deaths are accidents because of poor visibility and roads becoming dangerous from the snow and people being stranded out or indoors without any heating as up to 1.5 million people have suffered power outages.

Power outages

The BBC reported that a total of 250 people across the United States and Canada are affected by the storm and 1.5 have suffered power outages.

Though the United States has faced much of the brung, Canada too has faced outages and passenger woes.

"In Canada, Ontario and Quebec were bearing the brunt of the Arctic blast, with power cut to hundreds of thousands. Much of the rest of the country, from British Columbia to Newfoundland, was under extreme cold and winter storm warnings," reported BBC.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has said that as many as 15,000 people in some parts of the state will not likely have power restored by at least Tuesday.

Poor visibility and accidents

The American state of Montana is facing temperatures up to -50*C, reports BBC, adding that near white-out conditions have been reported in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan.

A white-out condition is one in which fallen snow around you and the snow still falling from above blend with each other and make visibility difficult as you cannot distinguish ground before you from the sky or fields around you.

"When the ground is covered in a white blanket of snow, new snow that falls from a lake-effect storm or a blizzard can cause the landscape to blend together. Add in whitish grey storm clouds and your sense of spacial boundaries can become warped quickly. This can obviously lead to very dangerous road conditions," explains Accuweather.

Accidents and people being stranded outdoors have been reported, even leading to deaths.

In Ohio, 50 cars rammed into each other in which four people were killed, reported BBC.

The CNN reported that as many as 500 people were stranded across New York as their vehicles got trapped in snow and some residents were forced to stay indoors for up to 56 hours at a stretch.

Flights and travel disruption

Thousands of flights have been cancelled and delayed in the United States and Canada lately, which have disrupted plans of people who were travelling for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The BBC reported more than 5,900 US flights were cancelled on Friday.

Thousands of more flights were cancelled or delayed over the weekend, reported Fox Business.

It reported, "More than 2,300 flights were canceled and nearly 6,000 others were delayed on Christmas day...Nearly 3,500 flights were canceled and another 8,607 were delayed on Saturday," reported Fox, adding that disruption is likely to continue this week as well.

"Cancelations will continue into next week, with 365 flights throughout the United States already called off for Monday," reported Fox.

How long with the storm last?

The winter storm is expected to last this week with forecast saying it will not moderate at least until Tuesday.

NBC reported the US National Weather service (NWS) saying that “hazardous travel conditions” were expected to continue over the next few days and that they would slowly ease over the new year.

“Much of the eastern U.S. will remain in a deep freeze through Monday before a moderating trend sets in on Tuesday,” it said in a 2:56 a.m. bulletin.

But even as this subsides, Western USA is bracing for another storm.

NBC reported, "The western parts of the country were also bracing for an incoming storm, with forecasters warning of a 'potent surge of moisture' into the Pacific northwestern and California on Tuesday, threatening flash floods."

The NWS said, “The life-threatening cold temperatures and in combination with dangerous wind chills will create a potentially life-threatening hazard for travelers that become stranded, individuals that work outside, livestock and domestic pets.”