Two bomb cyclones might pound the U.S. from opposite coasts over the next few days.
Weather alerts were spread across multiple states in the Northeast on Wednesday afternoon as an atmospheric river and bomb cyclone ushered in strong winds and a deluge of rain. Several storms are also taking aim at the Pacific Northwest—prompting weather alerts in those areas—one of which is likely to exhibit the rapid intensification associated with bomb cyclones when it hits this weekend, AccuWeather reported.
A bomb cyclone occurs when storm pressure drops quickly, strengthening the disturbance and ramping up wind gusts. Atmospheric rivers are a “long, narrow region in the atmosphere—like rivers in the sky—that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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The bomb cyclone in the Northeast is dropping torrential rain in at least 11 states on Wednesday. Widespread amounts of up to 4 inches are expected, with locally higher amounts up to 8 inches.
AccuWeather meteorologists anticipate storms in the Pacific Northwest to hit Washington, Oregon, California or all three states every two or three days until just before Christmas. The forecast comes as the states have experienced a dry spell following a slew of atmospheric rivers in November.
At least one of the incoming storms there could develop into an atmospheric river, AccuWeather reported, as well as a bomb cyclone.
The first storm is expected to arrive in the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday night as the bomb cyclone lashes the East Coast, with a second storm likely over the weekend. The latter carries the greatest potential for a bomb cyclone.
AccuWeather meteorologist Ryan Adamson told Newsweek that the storms aren’t expected to collide in the central U.S. The Northeast storm is expected to lift north toward Canada as it finishes its onslaught. The one predicted to approach from the west would likely fizzle out over Nevada or Utah on Saturday.
“These storms tend to only get so far and then they run out of steam,” Adamson said. “They sit in place and begin to lose intensity.”
The potential bomb cyclone for the Pacific Northwest could bring as much as 4 inches of rain and pose threats of flooding, AccuWeather reported.
The brunt of the Northeast storm is expected to be felt through Wednesday night, with winds stretching farther west into Thursday.
As of Wednesday night, flood watches, various wind-related warnings and a lake effect snow warning were in place across the Northeast.
A third storm is predicted to strike the Pacific Northwest on Sunday, with more weather disruptions on its tail.
