‘Bomb Cyclone’: Record-breaking blizzard hits US, Canada
Cyclone Rafani has engulfed many areas of the United States and Canada, affecting the lives of about 140 million people, while about 1.5 million people are without power as a result of this storm. It is being described as the coldest Christmas in America in decades.
At least six people have died in various accidents in the United States as a result of this storm, which connected to the coasts of both countries and extended to the Mexican border.
Around 200 million people have been advised not to travel due to bad weather warnings during the Christmas holiday, the busiest time of the year for travel.
Flights have been canceled at major airports in Canada and the US as the blizzard rages on. 60% of the US population has been affected by this storm while many power lines have been damaged by strong winds. Some educational institutions have been closed in Toronto and other cities.
Weather forecasting agencies have said that some parts have recorded a temperature of minus 57 degrees Celsius.
Fear of frostbite within minutes Experts warn that frostbite, meaning the body’s skin and tissue can freeze, can occur within just five to 10 minutes of being outside in such cold weather. In this condition, the nose and hands and toes are mostly affected.
Actually, frostbite is a natural reaction of the body against extreme cold. Blood flow to the last parts of the body is extremely reduced in its sufferers. Symptoms include swelling and pain from frostbite. In severe cases, the tissue is lost and has to be removed from the body with the help of surgery.
If someone suffers from frostbite, they should be taken to a warm environment immediately and seek medical attention.
Bomb cyclone intensifying like an explosion in USA, Canada
Meteorologists have named this winter storm as a ‘bomb cyclone’, meaning it is like an explosion of a storm that continues to increase in intensity. This is because the air pressure has dropped by at least 24 millibars in the last 24 hours.
President Joe Biden, while giving a briefing at the White House on Thursday, said that this is not an ordinary day in which it snows. Just like when you were a kid. This is a serious matter.
The US National Weather Service (NWS) says the storm originated in the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday. According to him, it is a ‘once in a lifetime winter’ event.
More than 100 daily cold weather records could be tied or broken in the coming days, the NWS said.
Even Florida, considered a warm coastal state, is forecast to have its coldest Christmas in 30 years. In Cheyenne, Wyoming, the record for the highest temperature drop in one hour was broken when the temperature dropped from 43 to 3 degrees Fahrenheit in just 30 minutes. Temperatures in this western state have gone as low as minus 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
Neighboring Montana is also expected to see more than a dozen near-record breaking temperatures. A blizzard warning has been issued for Chicago until Saturday, with several inches of snow and winds of up to 80 km/h.
Temperatures in Columbus, Ohio, New York and Washington, D.C. will drop to around 10 degrees Fahrenheit during the evening hours on Friday. Heavy snowfall, strong winds and freezing rain are occurring in the Canadian regions of Ontario and Quebec.
States of emergency have been declared in New York, West Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina and Oklahoma. Meanwhile, an energy emergency has been imposed in Wisconsin.
Christmas holidays affected by travel accidentsInterstate highways are closed in western New York and South Dakota due to hazardous travel conditions.
The hurricane also caused flooding on the US East Coast on Friday and canceled train service on the Long Island Railroad. Lake Ontario, located on the US-Canada border, could see waves as high as 37 feet.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has attributed the weather to “unusual and dangerous” conditions. They have warned people who are traveling to visit their loved ones on Christmas.
From Colorado to Kansas and then Wyoming and further north in Minnesota, the storm caused major damage.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol received 787 calls for assistance and recorded 104 crashes in 12 hours.
Since Friday morning, Canadian police in Ontario have received reports of nearly 100 accidents due to heavy rain, snow and sleet.
According to flight tracking website FlightAware, more than 6,900 flights have been canceled in the US. WestJet alone canceled 266 flights in Canada on Friday.
United, Delta and American Airlines have already reduced flight rescheduling fees for passengers due to worsening travel conditions.
