Heavy rain and strong winds began lashing central and southern California Wednesday night as a powerful “bomb cyclone” washed ashore.
The storm, centered about 400 miles west of Eureka, is one of three so-called atmospheric river storms that reached California in the past week.
The bomb cyclone, named for its rapid intensification, is expected to bring two to four inches of measurable rain to Southern California’s valleys Wednesday night into Thursday with higher amounts likely in the mountains and foothills, according to the National Weather Service.
“Rain rates still appear to peak in the 0.50 to 1.00 inch per hour range, with isolated rates of 1.25 inches per hour likely,” the NWS said in a bulletin. “This is a lot of water and the threat of flooding is a real concern. Expect a lot of roadway flooding, including a few highway closures. The Thursday morning commute will be bad.”
The threat of heavy rain also has officials worried about possible debris flows around wildfire burn scars. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works issued evacuation warnings for the following areas:
Winter storm warnings were issued for the mountains of Southern California where heavy snow and potentially damaging winds are forecast. The NWS expects areas above 7,500 feet in elevation to receive one to two feet of snow accumulation and 4-8″ for elevations between 6,500 and 7,500 feet.
Lightscape at the Los Angeles Arboretum was postponed due to heavy rain, officials said. Anyone needing to change the schedule can email lightscape@arboretum.org or call 626-566-3720.
The rain also forced the early closing of Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park and Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia. Knott’s planned to close at 6 p.m., while Six Flags officials announced the closing of the park at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency throughout California to “keep people safe from the effects of the incoming storm,” he said in a statement. The declaration allows emergency crews to mobilize quickly and prepare for floods, debris flows and other crises.
“This state of emergency will allow the state to respond quickly as the storm develops and support local officials in their ongoing response,” Newsom said.
Although the showers should taper off this weekend, more rain is expected next week.
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What is the difference between a bomb cyclone and a hurricane?
Unlike hurricanes, bomb cyclones occur in mid-latitudes, where fronts of warm and cold air can collide. They rarely strike in summer, when the weather is generally warm in the Northern Hemisphere. Rather, they form between late autumn and early spring, when warm tropical air bumps up against freezing arctic air.
How strong is a bomb cyclone? According to the National Weather Service, a bomb cyclone is simply a storm that becomes very strong very quickly. At least 24 mb (a pressure unit) fall in 24 hours.
What is a bomb cyclone?
Bomb cyclone is a term given to a rapidly intensifying storm that meets one important criterion. In general, the pressure must drop 24 millibars (a unit of pressure) within 24 hours. However, that reference is also based on the latitude of the storm.
What is a bomb cyclone in simple terms?
A bomb cyclone, also known as bombogenesis, is a rapidly developing storm that occurs when atmospheric pressure drops at least 24 millibars over a 24-hour period, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration notes online.
Is a bomb cyclone the same as a hurricane?
Although both are low pressure systems that can bring high winds and heavy rainfall, Swain says a bomb cyclone is not a hurricane.
Why is a bomb cyclone not a hurricane?
Unlike hurricanes, bomb cyclones occur in mid-latitudes, where fronts of warm and cold air can collide. They rarely strike in summer, when the weather is generally warm in the Northern Hemisphere.
Why are cyclones not hurricanes?
Called hurricanes when they develop over the North Atlantic, central North Pacific, and eastern North Pacific, these rotating storms are known as cyclones when they form over the South Pacific and Indian Oceans, and typhoons when they develop in the northwest pacific ocean.
Is a bomb cyclone the same as a hurricane?
Although both are low pressure systems that can bring high winds and heavy rainfall, Swain says a bomb cyclone is not a hurricane.
What is the difference between a cyclone and a bomb cyclone?
“A bomb cyclone occurs when atmospheric pressure in the center of the cyclone drops rapidly.
What makes a bomb cyclone?
What makes a storm a bomb cyclone? Bomb cyclone is a term given to a rapidly intensifying storm that meets one important criterion. In general, the pressure must drop 24 millibars (a unit of pressure) within 24 hours. However, that reference is also based on the latitude of the storm.
Why is it called a bomb cyclone?
Meteorologists are already referring to the system as a “bomb cyclone” as it builds in intensity. “Bombogenesis” occurs when the system’s barometric pressure drops rapidly over a 24-hour period, generating a vacuum-like effect that funnels the storm and causes it to generate strong winds.
Will California be underwater eventually?
A foot or two of vertical rise can translate into hundreds of feet of horizontal flooding. And of course seas rise even without melting ice. Under current projections, two-thirds of Southern California’s famous beaches could be mostly underwater by 2100.
What will happen to California in 2050? Homes, railway lines, bridges, ports, power plants, highways and other structures are vulnerable to rising seas and tides. “Between $8 and $10 billion of existing property in California is likely to be underwater by 2050, with another $6 to $10 billion at risk during high tides.â€
Will California ever go underwater?
No, California is not going to fall into the ocean. California is firmly planted atop the Earth’s crust in a place where it straddles two tectonic plates.
What cities will be underwater in 2050?
A new analysis of the impact of sea level rise on Indian coastal cities has revealed that some critical properties and road networks in Mumbai, Kochi, Mangalore, Chennai, Vishakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram will be under water by 2050.
What happens when a bomb cyclone occurs?
When a large storm wakes up, it is possible that a bomb cyclone could follow it – especially in the winter months. The rare weather phenomenon can bring a number of dangers, including heavy snow, strong winds, dangerous wind chill temperatures and coastal flooding.
Are bomb cyclones rare? Late last month, a powerful winter storm intensified into a bomb cyclone, bringing bitterly cold and snowy conditions to the Midwest and rainy conditions to the East Coast, as well as high winds to many states. However, that bomb cyclone was rare.
Where will the bomb cyclone hit?
A major storm described by weather officials as a “bomb cyclone” is making landfall in central and southern California. The storm is expected to deliver heavy rainfall to the valleys, foothills and mountains Wednesday night into Thursday.
What happens during a bomb cyclone?
A bomb cyclone is an event in which the pressure in a storm drops very rapidly as cold air collides with warm air, amplifying the cyclone’s spin and wreaking havoc if this aptly named bombogenesis occurs over land.
Will the bomb cyclone affect Southern California?
The bomb cyclone is expected to deliver 2 to 4 inches of rain to many parts of Southern California and heavy snow in the mountains, according to the National Weather Service.
Has there ever been a bomb cyclone?
In early 2014 in the North Atlantic, fourteen of twenty wind events that had reached hurricane strength underwent bombogenesis, the process that creates a bomb cyclone, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
What is a bomb cyclone 2022?
A bomb cyclone, also known as bombogenesis, is a rapidly developing storm that occurs when atmospheric pressure drops at least 24 millibars over a 24-hour period, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration notes online.
When did bomb cyclone become a thing?
The first known use of the term “bomb cyclone,” according to Merriam-Webster, was in 1987 — born out of a 1980 research paper in which meteorologists tried to describe the intensity of non-summer storms.
Has California ever had a bomb cyclone?
â A bomb cyclone slammed into California on January 4, 2023, bringing strong winds and torrential rain that were expected to cause flooding in areas already saturated by subsequent storms.
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