The West Coast is set to witness a bomb cyclone as it is developing to welcome strong weather conditions to the region. With the cyclone, a long-duration atmospheric river is set to occur which will also bring feet of snow, flooding rain, and high winds by this week's end. However, many are wondering what is a bomb cyclone.
The term is derived from the real meteorological term bombogenesis. According to FOX 13 Seattle Meteorologist Abby Acone, such a cyclone is a storm system that has tremendous strength which drops by at least 24 millibars in pressure or more over 24 hours.
This type of cyclone produces heavy rain and snow when pushed up against mountain ranges. They occur when a cold air mass and a warm air mass collide, which is also the reason behind some winter storms.
A major event is expected when a bomb cyclone and an atmospheric river occur together. While atmospheric rivers provide the necessary moisture for a storm, the cyclone helps in intensifying the winds. According to the National Weather Service, the expected cyclone is the first major storm of the season.
When will bomb cyclone brace the West Coast?
A bomb cyclone is expected to occur very soon in the West Coast but, according to Acone, its winds may develop by Tuesday evening. The air will flow from the gaps of the Cascade Mountains and move in the direction of the coast. As they will accumulate into a vacuum in the ocean, a cyclone will be created.
While the center of this low-pressure system will remain in the Pacific, it will weaken and move to the west on Wednesday. The biggest impact of the cyclone will be on residents in western Washington; they are expected to witness powerful winds.
Winds of more than 70 mph may occur in the Pacific Ocean off the Washington coast. This is less than a category 1 hurricane, which has at least 74 mph wind power. However, it cannot be said if the storm will have hurricane-force winds in the region yet.
The forecast is also likely to change due to the rapidly evolving situation.
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If the forecast stays the same, a bomb cyclone could cause a lot of destruction to the eastern King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties. However, if there is a slight variation, the storm's speed could vary from being incredibly strong or weak.
The winds are expected to flow throughout the week.
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