A powerful ‘bomb cyclone’ has hit the northwest United States, unleashing high winds and soaking rains that have disrupted daily life across the region. Arriving on Tuesday evening, the storm is considered one of the strongest in decades, knocking out power and downing trees from Oregon to California.
The Weather Prediction Center has issued warnings for excessive rainfall as this atmospheric river—the strongest that California and the Pacific Northwest have seen this season—bears down on the area. A ‘bomb cyclone’ occurs when a cyclone intensifies rapidly, dropping at least 24 millibars in atmospheric pressure within 24 hours, leading to severe weather conditions.
Communities from south of Portland, Oregon, to north of the San Francisco area are bracing for particularly severe rainfall and potential flooding. Residents have been advised to prepare for possible evacuations, and emergency services are on high alert to respond to the storm’s impacts.
This extreme weather event highlights the increasing frequency of intense storms impacting different parts of the world, raising concerns about climate patterns and their global implications.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
