After causing rare snowfalls on parts of the southeast coast, a powerful winter storm prepares to hit the northeast with up to 30 centimeters of snow and strong winds. By the end of this week, some parts of the northeast will be colder than Mars.
At least 16 people have died.
Thirteen states from South Carolina to Maine are under a winter storm warning, as a huge bombonogenesis begins to wreak havoc on Thursday. Meteorologists say that the northeastern states will see wind gusts winter hurricane force and snow that decreases visibility.
Bombogenesis is created when a low pressure area that rapidly decreases and gives rise to what is known as a cyclone pump, which occurs when a cyclone has a large drop in atmospheric pressure for a short period of time.
Pump cyclones can attract cooler air from the north, which can affect areas in the northern hemisphere with freezing temperatures. They often occur in North America when cold air over the area interacts with hot air over ocean water from the Atlantic, but have also been reported in East Asia and South America.