WASHINGTON: The National Weather Service has predicted a storm that could rapidly strengthen into what is known as a “bomb cyclone” through a process known as “bombogenesis,” when the barometric pressure drops and a cold air mass collides with a warm air mass.
In view of the energizing winds, airline authorities canceled as many as 2,270 flights on Thursday ahead of the Christmas holiday. Heavy snow and freezing temperatures disrupted air travel across the US. Almost 1000 flights scheduled for Friday were proactively canceled sources said. Subsequently, as a precautionary measure, another 85 flights for Saturday have also been rescheduled.
The weather agency has warned of snow squalls- bursts of snow lasting for an hour or two. Experts warn frostbites could occur within minutes as the temperatures are expected to drop to -50F and -70F in the coming days. Forecasters predict an onslaught of heavy snow, ice, flooding, and powerful winds from Thursday to Saturday in a broad swath of the country, from the Plains and Midwest to the East Coast. A surge of Arctic air will follow. The Christmas weekend could be the coldest in decades.