Bomb Cyclone Triggers Winter Storm Across Great Lakes and Northeast
A winter storm characterized by heavy snow, strong winds, and frigid temperatures impacted the Great Lakes region and the northeastern United States following a bomb cyclone crossing the Midwest. More than 120,000 power customers lost electricity, with about one-third of these outages occurring in Michigan.
The system progressed from the Plains into the Great Lakes on Monday, bringing snow, ice, and rain, and rapidly intensifying to reach bomb cyclone criteria. As the storm moved into Canada, the National Weather Service issued warnings for further inclement weather in the eastern US, including sudden bursts of heavy snow and gusty snow squalls, along with sub-freezing temperatures reaching as far south as Florida's panhandle.
Western and Upstate New York experienced a foot or more of snow on Monday, with totals expected to reach up to three feet (91 cm) over the week. Buffalo recorded gusts up to 81 mph (130 km/h), causing downed trees and power lines that disrupted transportation. Over Lake Erie, fierce winds caused water surges toward the eastern basin and exposed parts of the lakebed in the west, revealing remnants such as a wrecked car and a snowmobile. On Lake Superior, waves were expected to reach 20 feet (about 6 meters), prompting nearly all cargo ships to seek shelter in harbors.
Dangerously low wind chills were reported in North Dakota and Minnesota, dropping to as low as -30°F (-34°C). Northeast West Virginia experienced rare near-hurricane-force winds at Dolly Sods. Meanwhile, on the West Coast, Santa Ana winds gusted to around 70 mph, causing downed trees near Los Angeles that led to a freeway closure. Rain forecast for New Year’s Day threatened to impact the Rose Parade in Pasadena for the first time in approximately twenty years.
