A winter storm of unparalleled magnitude affected much of the continental United States on Friday.
Threat level: Disruptions to holiday travel and threats to livelihoods continue into Saturday, as high winds and poor visibility wreak havoc on major airline hubs.
Power outages are increasing across the country as the Arctic cold front and blast cyclones combine to create massive wind fields across the Midwest, Plains, Southeast and East Coast.
As of Friday afternoon, approximately 1.3 million customers were without power across the 48 contiguous US states, mostly in the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions. Given that subzero wind chills are moving into many areas, power outages pose health risks even to those staying indoors.
Arctic gusts from Siberia are blowing into the East Coast after a historic drop in temperatures across the plains to the Gulf and Midwest since Wednesday.
A rapidly intensifying storm system, caused by powerful turbulence in the upper atmosphere along with air mass contrasts between Arctic air and mild air to the east, is becoming a bomb cyclone across the Midwest. .
Such storms are characterized by a rapid drop in pressure of at least 24 millibars in 24 hours, and the storm has exceeded that deepening rate.
The intensifying storm will result in damaging winds from strong winds of over 40 mph through Saturday, along with pressure contrasts with the nearby weather system, raging over 1,000 miles.
Line spacing: Winds are reaching 79 mph in some areas, such as Buffalo, New York, and gusting winds are increasing in the Adirondacks and the Green and White Mountains of New England.a 151 mph wind gusts Recorded at Mount Washington, New Hampshire.
Up to 3 feet of snow can fall in blizzards around Buffalo, with wind speeds up to 70 mph. This makes travel impossible and declares a state of emergency in the city.a Travel bans in place For Erie County, New York.
Winds blowing across the Great Lakes can bring wave heights in excess of 25 feet. moreover, seyche eventoccurs when wind and pressure differences cause water to splatter from one side of a lake to another and back again, and can cause massive lakeshore flooding in Buffalo.
Buffalo, NWS just before 1pm local time Reported 1/16 mile visibility Wind gusts of 43 mph to 69 mph in heavy snow and blizzards. The temperature was 12°F and the wind chill was -13°F.
Satellite image showing frigid air across the Midwest as a bomb cyclone moves into Ontario. Image: NOAA
Flight delays continue to grow as wind becomes the biggest danger
As of Friday afternoon, about 4,700 flights were canceled and nearly 7,000 were delayed in the US.
Strong winds ahead of the cold front disrupted air traffic at major New England airports on Friday, while strong winds behind the cold front affected far more airports in the west and southwest. I’m here.
on the front line, coastal flood Astronomical storm surges, strong winds, and prolonged sea level rise have caused damage in several New England states.
Warnings take over weather maps
As of Friday morning, more than 350 million Americans have received winter weather warnings, monitors and advisories, including 100 million people from the Pacific Northwest to Florida and north to the Canadian border. There was a staggering 25 million cold weather advisories.
“From south of the Canadian border to the Rio Grande, the Gulf Coast and central Florida Peninsula, winter weather hazards are still having an impact,” the NWS said in an online discussion early Friday morning.
The NWS said, “The National Weather Service’s Watch Warning graphic represents one of the largest ranges of winter weather warnings and advisories.
The NWS warned Friday that “record low highs” were spreading from the lower Mississippi River to the mid-Atlantic.On Thursday, Denver announced its second coldest day on record.
Friday morning wind chill hit -50°F in Montana and North Dakota, with freezing temperatures all the way to Alabama. Frostbite can occur in a matter of minutes under these conditions.
Deeper…
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