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Bomb Cyclone Unleashes Nor'easter Fury
24 Feb
Summary
- A powerful nor'easter formed a classic 'bomb cyclone' with rapid pressure drop.
- Satellite images showed a distinct 'comma cloud' shape indicative of the storm.
- Frigid air over the Atlantic created 'cloud streets' as the storm intensified.
A potent nor'easter has intensified into what meteorologists are calling a "classic bomb cyclone." This storm formation is characterized by an explosive drop in barometric pressure, a phenomenon known as bombogenesis, where pressure typically falls 24 millibars in 24 hours. This particular system significantly exceeded that threshold, dropping 41 millibars in the same timeframe.
Satellite imagery revealed the storm's distinctive "comma cloud" shape, with its main "head" centered over the Northeastern United States. The most severe weather, including heavy snowfall and damaging winds, is concentrated in this area. The storm's counterclockwise flow pulls moisture from the Atlantic into subfreezing coastal air, resulting in heavy snow accumulation.
Further visual evidence of the storm's dynamics can be seen in "cloud streets" — parallel rows of clouds stretching over the ocean behind the storm's tail. These form as frigid continental air rushes over the warmer Atlantic waters, absorbing heat and moisture. A clear strip along the coastline indicates the cold air needs distance to gather sufficient moisture for cloud formation.
