What is a Bomb Cyclone? Northeast braces as winter storm set to explode into bomb cyclone in US - Kansas City breaks 40-year-old daily snowfall record; New Jersey declares state of emergency

A third winter storm in just a week is spreading snow across the central US and is on track to bring the season’s first broad snowfall to the Northeast and New England, reported CNN. Forecasters expect the system to rapidly intensify into a bomb cyclone as it moves up the East Coast on Tuesday, with coastal New England facing strengthening winds by Tuesday night.

According to CNN, major cities - which pass through the I-95 corridor - including Philadelphia, New York and Boston will likely escape heavy accumulation, though light morning snow is possible. Behind the storm, a sharper chill is set to settle in, with potentially record-breaking cold east of the Rockies.



According to ABC News, the National Weather Service (NWS) says New England and the Mid-Atlantic can expect increased winter precipitation and potentially strong inland winds, marking the season’s first truly impactful winter storm.

WHAT IS A BOMB CYCLONE?

A storm that intensifies quickly by undergoing a sharp pressure drop - typically within a 24-hour window - is known as a bomb cyclone. To meet the technical threshold for 'bombogenesis', its central pressure must fall at least 24 millibars in 24 hours. According to CNN, forecast models for the current system show an even steeper plunge, with projections of a 27- to 29-millibar drop from Tuesday to Wednesday.

KANSAS CITY BREAKS 40-YEAR-OLD DAILY SNOWFALL RECORD

According to the National Weather Service, as reported by CNN, Kansas City International Airport in Missouri recorded 3.6 inches of snow on Monday, setting a new December 1 daily snowfall record. This mark easily surpassed the previous mark of 1.5 inches, which had stood for four decades.

NEW JERSEY DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency beginning at 5 AM ET Tuesday for several northwestern counties, warning of hazardous conditions from heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain, reported ABC News. The state’s transportation crews will mobilize overnight, and officials urged drivers to use caution. In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul advised upstate residents to prepare for the season’s first major snowfall, noting that state agencies and plow teams are ready to respond.


The National Weather Service, as reported by ABC News, said the risk of significant snow is increasing, with more than 6 inches possible north and west of the I-95 corridor. The Midwest is expected to see 2 to 5 inches Monday night, with 3 to 6 inches across the Ohio Valley.

By Tuesday, heavy snow will extend from Pittsburgh to Cleveland and into upstate New York, then persist in New England into Tuesday night, where 6 to 12 inches may fall. As per NWS, heavy rain is also forecast from Washington, DC, to Boston through Tuesday afternoon.