A powerful bomb cyclone is expected to develop off the US East Coast on Sunday, bringing the threat of a major winter storm, blizzard conditions, and severe cold from the Southeast to New England.
Forecasters say the system will form as a strong jet stream over the subtropics collides with a surge of Arctic air dropping south from Canada.
This process, known as explosive cyclogenesis, causes a storm to rapidly intensify.
In this case, the storm’s central pressure is forecast to drop by more than 24 millibars in 24 hours, which officially classifies it as a bomb cyclone.
While the exact track remains uncertain, meteorologists warn the storm could impact a wide stretch of the East Coast, from the Outer Banks through interior New England and into coastal Maine.
Strong winds exceeding 65 miles per hour are possible, along with heavy snowfall, blizzard conditions, coastal flooding, and widespread travel disruptions.
The storm is also expected to pull extremely cold air southward. Parts of the Southeast and Florida could see a sharp and unusual drop in temperatures.
Forecasts suggest freezing temperatures may reach as far south as Miami, which has not experienced subfreezing conditions since December 1989.
Behind the storm, a displaced Polar Vortex is expected to deliver another wave of Arctic air, leading to a prolonged period of below normal temperatures.
According to NOAA’s 6 to 10 day outlook, much of the East Coast could remain colder than average for at least another week, with dangerous wind chills as strong winds persist.