The latest update for the ‘bomb cyclone’ has revealed which locations are expected to experience Category 1 hurricane force winds this week.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a hurricane force warning for areas off the Oregon coast, southern Washington and the northern tip of California from 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM PT on Tuesday.
Coastal waters are forecast to experience wind speeds of 46 to 120 km per hour, with wind speeds of 130 to 150 km per hour and waves of 6 to 7 meters high.
Cities like Eureka, Medford, Portland and Seattle can expect wind speeds in excess of 60 to 75 miles per hour. Stronger winds could impact inland areas through the Cascades and its foothills.
“Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines. Large-scale power outages are expected,” the NWS alert reads.
“Travel will be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles.”
The agency advised residents to stay on the lower floors of their homes and avoid debris during the storms.
‘Be careful if you have to drive. Watch for falling debris and tree limbs.”
While the bomb cyclone is expected today, meteorologists at The Weather Channel predicted that “another bout of stronger winds could arrive early Friday.”
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a hurricane force warning for areas off the Oregon coast, southern Washington and the northern tip of California from 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM PT on Tuesday.
NWS has issued a high wind warning for the Pacific Northwest coast from 1:00 PM Tuesday to 4:00 AM PT Wednesday.
“The bomb cyclonic storm swirling off the coast of the Pacific Northwest is powerful enough to produce Category 1 hurricane winds miles offshore Tuesday afternoon into the evening,” KOIN 6 meteorologists reported.
KOIN 6 Meteorologist Kelley Bayern said, “We are fortunate that this explosive storm is well offshore and over open ocean waters.
“Otherwise we could have been talking about a major storm with damaging consequences here in the valley.”
The term “bomb cyclone” refers to any mid-latitude cyclone that has undergone “bombogenesis,” or a rapid increase in strength or size over 24 hours, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Weather Channel meteorologist Jacqui Jeras shared on X: “A buoy near the center of our Pacific Bomb Cyclone is showing a rapid drop in pressure.
“It appears that Bombogenesis is achieved in just 12 hours (a drop of 24 MB in 24 hours is a benchmark).”
Storm intensity is measured by central pressure – the lower the pressure, the stronger – and is considered a ‘bomb’ when the pressure drops rapidly to at least 24 millibars in 24 hours.
But Jeras’ statement suggested the storm intensified in half the time.
The term “bomb cyclone” refers to any mid-latitude cyclone that has undergone “bombogenesis”, or a rapid increase in strength or size over 24 hours
The NWS Portland reported that winds are expected to be strongest along the coast and while winds along the 1-5 remain a point of uncertainty, “the ‘most likely’ scenario is of gusts of 55 to 45 mph.”
The Sacramento Bureau issued a “Wind Advisory” for the northern and central parts of the Valley on Wednesday from 11:00 PM to 4:00 PM PT.
“Winds may reach 55 to 70 mph at times, causing difficult driving conditions, blowing loose objects and causing downed tree limbs,” NWS Sacramento said.
The eye of the bomb cyclone is approaching Washington, putting Seattle directly in its path.
“Strong winds and snowstorms will continue to impact western Washington this afternoon through early tomorrow morning,” the agency said.
This bomb cyclone will also bring a Category 5 atmospheric river onto land, dumping up to 50 centimeters of rain in certain areas.
An atmospheric river is a long and narrow region in the atmosphere that transports heat and moisture from the tropics to the Earth’s poles. A Category 5 is exceptionally dangerous and causes intense storm effects on land.
While the bomb cyclone is expected today, meteorologists at The Weather Channel predicted another bout of stronger winds could arrive early Friday.
The NWS predicted that Northern California and Southwestern Oregon would see the highest rainfall totals, potentially resulting in flooding, landslides and mudslides.
As these storm systems move toward the West Coast, Washington, Oregon and California can expect at least six inches of rain, with more than eight inches possible in the mountains.
The flood of moisture flowing into the mountains could also drop several feet of snow from the higher elevations of the Cascades southward to the Siskiyou Mountains of Northern California. This may have consequences for traveling with some passes.
Meteorologist Ryan Maue said the “mega” bomb cyclone and “climate-driven” atmospheric river will dump eight trillion gallons of precipitation in California, five trillion in Oregon, three trillion in Washington and 2.5 trillion in Idaho — a total of nearly 20 trillion gallons across the whole world. these four states.
Areas affected by burns, or charred, barren swaths of land left by wildfires, will be particularly susceptible to flooding.
That’s because burned soil can be just as water-resistant as pavement, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Mudslides and rockslides are also more likely in areas recently affected by wildfires because the loss of trees, vegetation and their roots makes soil unstable and easily eroded.