What is Bomb Cyclone? Extreme storm set to explode off US West Coast, dump 8 trillion gallons of rain in California
Bomb Cyclone threatens US coast with harsh weather and heavy rainfall.
An extreme weather event, named the Bomb Cyclone, is emerging on the US coast. It is expected to bring harsh conditions and havoc to various country states. Very strong winds, heavy rainfall, and a lot of snow in mountain areas will accompany this huge weather phenomenon along with Category 5 atmospheric river. Experts have also warned that more than eight trillion gallons of rain will be deposited in states like California.
What does Bomb Cyclones mean?
Bomb Cyclones can be described as extreme winter storms, identified when the temperatures experience a sudden drop such as 24 millibars in 24 hours. In a single day, this weather system is expected to drop its pressure by almost 70 millibars, reaching as low as 942 millibars. This definition changes based on the altitude, as reported by Weather Nation. In simpler terms, such extreme weather conditions are categorised into Category 4 hurricanes.
Bomb cyclones received their name from meteorologists in the 1980s who related the sudden intensive change in weather to that of a bomb detonation. As the low-pressure system grows stronger, it will draw in a flow of warm, moist air from the tropics, forming what's called an atmospheric river. These weather systems can bring heavy rain, snow, and strong winds.
This now-emerging extreme weather which is aiming the West Coast is expected to tap into the full atmospheric river.
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The incoming storm
Forecasts suggest that the storm heading towards the West Coast, expected Tuesday through Thursday, will see an extreme drop of 50 millibars to 60 millibars in less than a day. The pressure in the storm will start at over 1000 millibars on Monday night, and it could drop to below 950 millibars by Tuesday night. A lower pressure means the storm is getting stronger and more intense.
To easily study these impacts, the University of California in San Diego created a scale of 1 to 5. Some areas running along the California coast are expected to experience a Category 4 impact which is an “extreme” category. These areas are expected to witness rainfall Tuesday night through Thursday. Southern Oregon and Northern California could experience rainfall measures surpassing a foot or more. These states will also likely experience river flooding and flash flooding.
People living in low-lying areas are warned to stay on alert and be ready to leave in case of flooding.
