A house in Buffalo, New York, USA on December 26, 2022 after the impact of the cyclone bomb (Photo by Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The “Snowstorm of the Century” hit the United States, dropping the mercury to -31C and -55C in sentiment. Could this phenomenon, dubbed the cyclone bomb, one day hit France?
A polar cold has hit the American continent. Between freezing winds and snowfall, temperatures have been as low as -55C in some states. More than 50 people have died and nearly 48,000 American homes are without power. New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul uses the term “Snowstorm of the Century” to describe the “cyclonic bomb” that fell on the country.
What is a cyclone bomb?
This meteorological phenomenon corresponds to a drop in atmospheric pressure. “It’s so fast (24 hPa in 24 hours) that it creates a powerful low-pressure area,” notes forecaster Florian Pasiecznik. In the United States, polar air from Canada collided with milder air from Mexico and the Atlantic, causing air mass conflict and a major depression.
Can the phenomenon occur in France?
Cyclone bombs can form anywhere in the world. “We have the same type of phenomenon in East Asia and Siberia”, specifies the climatologist and meteorologist Robert Vautard of franceinfo. But they do not all have the same power depending on the geolocation. “In Europe, when the air comes from the North Pole , it has been through more oceanic air masses,” adds the specialist.
Because of its geographic location, the hot air-cold air conflict in North America does not have the same consequences as in France. However, the area has already experienced episodes of polar cold and cyclone bombing-related storms. Such is the case of Storm Xynthia in February 2010, which saw strong gusts and sea flooding hit part of the country. France is therefore not immune to a winter storm linked to a “cyclone bomb” but has no common ground with what is currently happening in the United States.
VIDEO – Freezing cold, snow, high winds: A “cyclone bomb” hits the United States