Oh, the weather outside is...

[Cutlass]

So I saw the media throw that term around. Does it actually signify anything distinct or is just a new clickbait headline buzzword?

Bomb cyclone: it sounds really cool, it’s actually kind of scary, and it’s headed your way. On Wednesday and Thursday, the intimidatingly-named winter storm is set to hit the East Coast with icy precipitation from Florida up into New England.

But a name as apocalyptic as bomb cyclone begs explanation. How bad will this storm be, exactly? I mean, “bomb” is generally a qualifier you want attached to something like “frostings,” not “cyclone.”

The phrase doesn’t refer to the storm itself. (The storm’s name is Grayson and you will refer to him as such.) Instead, 'bomb cyclone' refers to a phenomenon expected to occur as this weather event unfolds. The official term is explosive cyclogenesis, or bombogenesis which—in addition to being my new favorite word—is actually really common.

The 'bombing' occurs when a low pressure system’s central pressure falls 24 millibars in 24 hours or less. Say what now?

Don't worry, we'll break it down. First off, what's a low pressure system? This is a region where the pressure of the atmosphere at sea level is lower than the surrounding area. As winds converge in the area, they rotate in the same direction as the Earth and can form a cyclone in the center of the region. The circulation within the system makes air move up higher into the atmosphere, where moisture in the air condenses and forms precipitation.

A millibar is simply a unit of measurement used by meteorologists to describe pressure—the force exerted by the air’s weight. The standard surface pressure on Earth is 1013.2 millibars, and the lower the pressure drops within a cyclone, the more intense a storm it creates. Intense hurricanes are often in the 900s, so what sounds like a little pressure drop can go a long way.

Drops in atmospheric pressure allow a storm system to pick up more air and strengthen, but a fall as sharp as 24 millibars in less than a day—while not exactly rare—is considered, in meteorological terms, explosive. This threshold came into common use after the publication of an article on the subject in 1980.

https://www.popsci.com/bomb-cyclone




So it's short for bombogenisis, which is a legitimate term in meteorology.

 

[Silurian]

Schools close there for an inch of snow?

I could see closing for a blizzard, extreme cold temperatures, dangerous ice conditions, and so forth. But that little skiff of snow and temperatures that are quite manageable with proper outdoor clothing wouldn't merit anything closing here.

I'll admit that I've been bundled up in my apartment, since -40, and even -25 is outside my comfort zone. It's supposed to be -16C tomorrow, so that won't be so bad.

Tims post pointed out some of the facts that you may not be aware of when you made your post.

If Red Deer was hit by a heat wave this summer and temperatures were up in the high 30sC right through most of June not dropping below 20C at night would you

Oh the schools are closed because of its too hot, why don't they turn up the AC.

The asphalt on the roads is melting and now the surface is coming up on the car tyres, why didn't they use asphalt that takes higher temperatures.

 

[Broken_Erika]

It's...........Most Unpleasant outside.
windy, minus 21 degrees Celcius with a wind chill of minus 32, gonna get up to a high of minus 17 Celcius with a wind chill of minus 28....

 

[Lemon Merchant]

Isnt that just a blizzard? I also thought you were in Ireland

It's worse than a blizzard. Blizzards don't have hurricane force winds.

And I am from Ireland, but I live in Canada now. Have for many years.

@Timsup2nothin: you never heard of a bike generator before? No seriously, I never lost power, thank god. We'll see what the day brings.

 

[Broken_Erika]

Apparently it's so cold that Iguana's are falling out of trees in Florida.
http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-42578034/florida-iguanas-falling-from-trees

 

[stfoskey12]

Schools close there for an inch of snow?

I could see closing for a blizzard, extreme cold temperatures, dangerous ice conditions, and so forth. But that little skiff of snow and temperatures that are quite manageable with proper outdoor clothing wouldn't merit anything closing here.

I'll admit that I've been bundled up in my apartment, since -40, and even -25 is outside my comfort zone. It's supposed to be -16C tomorrow, so that won't be so bad.

I mean we've only been averaging 4" (10 cm) of snow a year the past decade or so, so people aren't that used to it. We used to average more like 7" (18 cm) a year, but due to human or natural climate variations, it's dropped off significantly lately. Also, it's been getting down to -10C or below at night, which is pretty cold. I have clothes for it, but I'm not sure everyone does.

People there don't generally own what you are referring to as "proper outdoor clothing." My most serious outdoor clothing is a hoodie. There is also a high probability that their city owns neither a snowplow nor a salt truck, so that "little skiff of snow" does in all likelihood produce "dangerous ice conditions."

By the way, the juxtaposition of "I only hope it doesn't knock out my power," and "How is it that you have internet access if the power is out?" was hysterically funny, so thanks for that.

I think we have a couple snowplows, as the main roads get cleared within a day. But the secondary roads stay snowy/icy for a while and so they don't want buses driving on it.

 

[Sommerswerd]

Tims post pointed out some of the facts that you may not be aware of when you made your post.

If Red Deer was hit by a heat wave this summer and temperatures were up in the high 30sC right through most of June not dropping below 20C at night would you

Oh the schools are closed because of its too hot, why don't they turn up the AC.

The asphalt on the roads is melting and now the surface is coming up on the car tyres, why didn't they use asphalt that takes higher temperatures.

I grew up in New England and when I was a young kid, we would only get snow days when there was a big snowstorm, like a foot or more. If it was less than that we would get 1 or two hour delays, or early dismissal, if anything. They would NEVER cancel school for few inch dustings or light sleet or for ice storms, freezing rain, etc...

Then one year, when I was a teenager... we had an ice storm that left ice sheen all over everything and true to form they didn't cancel school. My buddies' girlfriend fell down and broke her ankle walking to the bus stop... and sued the school. From then on, we ALWAYS got the day off for ice storms no matter how minor.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Tims post pointed out some of the facts that you may not be aware of when you made your post.

If Red Deer was hit by a heat wave this summer and temperatures were up in the high 30sC right through most of June not dropping below 20C at night would you

I was under the impression that American schools close down for June, July, and August.

No, I wouldn't laugh. Not that many years ago we had an unseasonable heat wave of 30C in September. I had just moved to a basement suite that faced west. Guess where I spent most of the next two weeks... I set up a place for the cats in the coolest part of the suite, made sure they had plenty of water, and I took myself off to the nearest air-conditioned mall.

Oh the schools are closed because of its too hot, why don't they turn up the AC.

I don't blame anyone for closing the schools because of the heat. I recall the summer of 1971, when I'd get headaches from the heat. Unfortunately, the school I attended had no air conditioning.

I mentioned this discussion to a couple of people today, and the collective reaction was indeed when I said that schools had been closed because of an inch of snow and temperatures that had people around town here saying, "Nice day today!".

 

[Camikaze]

I got a ticket for the cricket tomorrow about six months ago. A relatively cheap seat out in the sun. As it happens, tomorrow is the peak of the current heat wave, and I'll probably be sitting in 40C all day.

 

[Narz]

Even Florida's been cold this week. Lows in the 40's/feels like 30's. Been biking with gloves on.

 

[Lexicus]

It's 7F outside, and windy. Not quite as bad as it was a bit earlier.

 

[Lemon Merchant]

I survived the "winter hurricane" with no damage and no power loss. Life is good.

 

[Zkribbler]

I was under the impression that American schools close down for June, July, and August.

That's a holdover from our rural days when kids were needed in the fields.

 

[Camikaze]

Today's weather was awful, but at least the cricket was good. Hottest day in Sydney since 1939. 47.3 out west, about 43 at the SCG. They said that on the field it was ~57C, not really sure what that actually means, but it was absolutely baking. Sitting in that sun is a little like holding your hand too close to a candle. You can do it for a while, but soon enough it just becomes too intense. A number of people were passing out, and after an hour we moved to a shaded area (along with almost every else with cheap tickets). Instantly 10 degrees cooler, so still very hot ambient temperature, but the saving grace was that it was a very dry heat.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

not really sure what that actually means

It means they're all insane. I can't think of any other word to describe people who go outside in those temperatures on purpose.

 

[Silurian]

I was under the impression that American schools close down for June, July, and August.

No, I wouldn't laugh. Not that many years ago we had an unseasonable heat wave of 30C in September. I had just moved to a basement suite that faced west. Guess where I spent most of the next two weeks... I set up a place for the cats in the coolest part of the suite, made sure they had plenty of water, and I took myself off to the nearest air-conditioned mall.


I don't blame anyone for closing the schools because of the heat. I recall the summer of 1971, when I'd get headaches from the heat. Unfortunately, the school I attended had no air conditioning.

I mentioned this discussion to a couple of people today, and the collective reaction was indeed when I said that schools had been closed because of an inch of snow and temperatures that had people around town here saying, "Nice day today!".

My post was about your reaction to schools closing, if it was abnormally warm, in Red Deer which is in Canada, I thought Canadian schools were open for most of June.

Would the people you discussed this with be happy with people laughing at your misfortune.

As well as the headline deaths caused by accidents the cold spell, in the USA, will also lead to an increase in mortality in older people who can not keep warm.

Abnormally warm weather here in the UK has resulted in increased mortality and it would also have the same effect in Red Deer.




Here in Devon it is 3C rising to 6C this afternoon and it will not rain until Tueaday night.
The sun is out and it is a bit windy so I will be hanging out some washing on the line sortly.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

My post was about your reaction to schools closing, if it was abnormally warm, in Red Deer which is in Canada, I thought Canadian schools were open for most of June.

I guess you missed my next paragraph when I mentioned headaches in the summer of 1971. That was in school, in June. That month was absolutely miserable. The classroom windows faced west, and there was no air conditioning in that school.

I wouldn't know about school closures nowadays, but during the years I attended school, they remained open until at least noon on June 30 (or whatever the last weekday of the month was). It was customary to have a final assembly to give out awards and certificates, and of course that was when we received the final report cards and found out whether or not we'd passed.

Would the people you discussed this with be happy with people laughing at your misfortune.

I think most people understand that when a bad heat wave comes along, people can only cool down so far before there's nothing more they can do. And actually some people do laugh at me when I've mentioned my preference for cool temperatures and how much I hate the summer heat.

As well as the headline deaths caused by accidents the cold spell, in the USA, will also lead to an increase in mortality in older people who can not keep warm.

Abnormally warm weather here in the UK has resulted in increased mortality and it would also have the same effect in Red Deer.

Believe it or not, I do understand the dangers of people not being able to keep warm in cold spells and cool in heat spells.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

It's supposed to start raining on Monday and give us about an inch through Tuesday. I'm super stoked.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

It's supposed to start raining on Monday and give us about an inch through Tuesday. I'm super stoked.

Wait until you see the standard southern California drainage systems in action. You are in for a treat. The system of storm drains is incredibly extensive. Being new here you may have mistaken them for roads.

 

[Darsnan]

Yesterday's windchills (in Fahrenheit) forecast for noontime:

Had to go out and snowblow due to all the lake effect snow we were getting:

But their getting hit much worse just to the north of me so far this season: