Huge snowfalls, bomb cyclone with a pressure of 960 hPa over the continent, winds over 100 km/h, thermal sensations down to 60 °C and minimum temperatures of 40 °C or less should punish the United States before Christmas | ALMOND NGAN/AFP/METSUL METEOROLOGY
Bomb Cyclone (bomb cyclone) and Blizzard (blizzard) are some of the words currently used in the United States. More than 150 million people in the United States are on the verge of a polar wave of absurdly high intensity with a very powerful bomb storm over the continent of unusual intensity that should cause very high winds, heavy snowfall with extremely dangerous and risky conditions… of life .
The exceptionally strong polar air mass will not only be of unusual intensity, but will be widespread, covering twothirds of the continental United States. Frosty air will hit the Gulf Coast and Northern Caribbean over the Christmas weekend.
In addition, a “bombshell” cyclone (a system that deepens by at least 24 hPa in 24 hours) will hit areas from the Central Plains to the Great Lakes on Friday and Saturday. Strong winds in excess of 100 km/h and heavy snow with tremendous shortterm accumulation rates are expected to create widespread blizzard conditions and disrupt transportation in parts of the Great Lakes and Midwest. Snow can shut down everything from small towns to metropolitan cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, and Detroit.
The bomb cyclone will coincide with one of the busiest times of year on roads and airports, potentially bringing a nightmare for travelers and authorities alike. Conditions are expected to be so extreme that many thousands of flights are likely to be canceled and driving on Midwestern freeways in heavy snowfall, nearzero visibility and still winds at or above 100 km/h will be impossible. Chicago’s O’Hare Airport is likely to be hardest hit.
The center of low pressure that will give rise to the bomb cyclone (Bombbogenesis) is extraordinary. And it will be through an equally impressive high pressure center. The pressure gradient (difference) in North America will be remarkable and may be the subject of study by meteorologists for years to come, this is the exceptionality of the meteorological scenario.
Computer models project an Arctic high pressure center that will peak Thursday or Friday in Montana in the northern United States with a central pressure between 1055 hPa and 1070 hPa. The highpressure system will threaten the alltime record for highest surface pressure in the contiguous United States (excluding Hawaii and Alaska).
The record is 1064 hPa, recorded in Miles City, Montana, on December 24, 1983, during a cold spell worse than this. On that day in 1983, Chicago, Illinois had the coldest ride in its history, with a minimum of 31.6C below zero and a maximum of 23.9C.
As if that weren’t enough, the same computer models project a surface pressure at the center of the winter storm’s cyclone to be between 955 hPa and 965 hPa at the level of the Great Lakes near the states of Michigan and Ohio. The lowest surface pressure ever recorded in Michigan ranges from 965 hPa to 972 hPa, so it could be a record.
Winter storm warnings and extreme cold warnings have affected nearly 50 million Americans. The predicted storm system will explosively intensify at a rate sufficient to qualify as a “bomb cyclone,” and warning levels are expected to continue to rise.
Dangerous One Generation Storm
Forecasters in the United States are warning of a very dangerous snowstorm for parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes. The snowstorm (blizzard) will be extreme with winds close to and exceeding 100 km/h accompanied by polar temperatures of up to 30°C to 40°C below zero. Snow rates will be enormous with large accumulations in a short period of time.
Extreme cold is a hazard even with minimal or no snowfall. Readings can dip below zero for more than 24 hours south of Houston on the Gulf of Mexico coast, and in Omaha to Minneapolis in the north of the country levels that would not exceed 20C below zero throughout the day. Wind chills in the country’s Midwest and north will be unbearable for many people, with North American weather warnings reading as low as 70F below zero (60C).
A forecast discussion published by the National Weather Service in Chicago puts forward the notion of the extraordinary cold: “Every indication is that our Christmas Day will be the coldest since the mid1990s and possibly one of the five coldest on record (in more than a century).
The coming storm IS a big deal. For perspective, this graph shows that the projected surface pressure around Fr AM is over an ensemble “outside” the climatology for that time of year. Expect many weatherrelated effects, especially for leisure travel.https://t.co/d2oOHuCSMu pic.twitter.com/mcC4SPbIeL
— NWS Buffalo (@NWSBUFFALO) December 20, 2022
The Minneapolis office of the National Weather Service describes the cold event as “a highgrade, lifethreatening episode.” The NWS Buffalo office described the winter storm, unofficially named Elliott, as “once in a generation.”
We cannot stress this enough the #cold Air and wind chill forecast tomorrow (Wed) night through Thursday show some of the most extreme readings you will ever see!
Please take precautions: check on the elderly/vulnerable, protect pets, protect livestock, cover exposed skin! #WYwx #NEwx pic.twitter.com/aFFqnCXftk— NWS Cheyenne (@NWSCheyenne) December 20, 2022
In most Great Lakes, the heaviest snowfall and worst conditions are expected between late Thursday afternoon and Friday night. Conditions could gradually improve on Saturday, although winds could still blow away fallen snow and affect visibility.
Coldest December in Canada for 25 years
The extent of cold air entering the United States is measured against today’s lows in Canada in the west of the country. The cold was extreme even by Canadian standards used to freezing temperatures.
WORLD | The animation shows how extremely cold air, which will bring lows of 30°C, a feeling of 50°C and heavy snowfalls, will enter the US. With that a bomb hurricane should form #Polar Vortex from the Arctic to the Great Lakes. Learn more at https://t.co/ZvAiIEEheE. #Snow #blizzard pic.twitter.com/rkKo0mZC0r
— MetSul.com (@metsul) December 19, 2022
The minimum temperature in Yukon Territory was 52.0ºC at Pelly Farm, the first 50ºC mark in the Yukon in December since 1998, and the lowest since 1995 not exceeding 53ºC at Old Crow & Ross River).
Today’s low of 48.2°C in Hendrickson was the lowest in Alberta in December since 1996, when it was 49.0°C in Jarvis Lake). The 46.9°C minimum at Puntzi Mountain was the lowest minimum in British Columbia in December since 1996, when thermometers at 100 Mile House read 48.0°C.