All US states and parts of southern Canada are poised to experience the coldest holiday season in 40 years.
A powerful Arctic winter storm is ravaging the United States and parts of Canada, lowering temperatures and canceling flights ahead of the busiest travel days of the year.
More than 100 million people in the United States are under winter weather warnings and snowy conditions are expected to wreak havoc on travel this weekend.
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Major airports have already canceled flights in anticipation of the storm.
The cold snap could cause this Christmas to have the lowest temperatures in decades, meteorologists say.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said freezing temperatures of -45°C and -56°C are possible through the end of this week in parts of the country.
The Arctic air mass is believed to reach as far as the Mexican border in El Paso, Texas, where strong winds will lower the temperature to -9.4°C.
Even Florida, considered the sunniest state in the USA, is expected to experience the coldest Christmas in the last 30 years.
The NWS described the winter weather event as “one in a generation”, especially as the storm hit the Great Lakes region, where pressure is expected to reach the equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane.
Meteorologists say the winter storm could be a “bomb cyclone”? An informal term for a particular type of storm that develops strong and fast during Friday (12/23).
The storm also brings snow and strong winds that are expected to cause damage and power outages across the Midwest and Canada.
falling temperatures
As the storm and scorching cold move eastward, the weather phenomenon is already felt by millions:
Temperatures in Colorado dropped to a record low of -23°C on Thursday (12/22). Meanwhile, temperatures in Wyoming dropped to -37°C.
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Forecasters are also expecting heavy snowfall with strong winds of up to 80 km/h in Chicago.
In Canada, most of Ontario and parts of Quebec are also preparing for a major winter storm on Thursday, which is expected to last through Christmas weekend, bringing with it “strong and potentially damaging winds”, the Canadian National Weather Service said.
interrupted trips
The storm came on the busiest travel days of the year. The Transportation Security Administration, the government agency that oversees transportation systems in the United States, said it expects holiday travel volume to be close to pre-pandemic levels.
More than 2,200 flights scheduled for Thursday and Friday have already been canceled, according to flight tracking site FlightAware.
In anticipation of travel disruptions, major airlines have offered fare waivers for those wishing to reschedule their flights.
Snowy and icy roads will also wreak havoc on road trips this weekend.
Highways on the Colorado-Wyoming border were closed on Wednesday, 21/12 for near-zero visibility.
More than 100 cars were stranded on snow-covered roads in South Dakota Wednesday, prompting emergency rescue operations. The airport in the state capital was also closed.
The American Automobile Association estimates that more than 112 million people will travel 50 miles or more between Friday and January 2. 102 million? with car.
“We had a great Thanksgiving week with minimal disruption,” Transport Minister Pete Buttigieg told MSNBC on Wednesday. “Unfortunately, that won’t happen at Christmas.”
state of emergency declared
The governors of Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia, and Oklahoma declared states of emergency.
Other states, such as Maryland, launched emergency operations before the storm, while others opened bunkers. Denver Coliseum, an indoor arena in Colorado, has been converted into a reception center.
President Joe Biden on Thursday said his office has reached out to the governors of the 26 affected states and that the federal government is ready to offer assistance when needed.
He also encouraged people to avoid traveling as conditions worsened. “Please take this storm extremely seriously,” Biden said.
What is a bomb cyclone?
A bomb cyclone is a term given to a rapidly intensifying storm where central air pressure drops by at least 24 millibars in 24 hours.
They are called bomb cyclones because of the explosive power caused by the rapid pressure drop.
These types of storms bring weather conditions ranging from blizzards to severe thunderstorms and precipitation.
Bomb hurricanes are most common on the eastern coasts of the United States and Canada, where cold soils and warm Gulf Stream currents provide ideal conditions for their development.
– Text originally published at https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-64070908
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.