Bomb cyclone: Michigan to be hit with 50 mph winds
Michigan will be hit this weekend with a low-pressure system that has the potential to turn into a "bomb cyclone," meteorologists said Friday. Strong wind gusts in excess of 50 mph are possible Sunday, the National Weather Service.
The severe weather increases the potential for widespread and lengthy power outages, CBS Detroit reported. Snow showers will also develop in the late morning and afternoon, and last into Sunday night. Strong winds and blowing snow could create dangerous travel with possibly near whiteout conditions statewide.
The bomb cyclone is part of a larger weather system that is currently soaking the Southeast. Several days of rain have flooded homes and roads across Mississippi and parts of Alabama have gotten as much as 10 inches of rain this week. Tornadoes are possible in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.
This severe weather system is expected to meet up with a front from the West. Three to five inches of rain is expected in the Ohio Valley and the Plains could see 6-12 inches of snow.
What is a "bomb cyclone"?
A bomb cyclone, or explosive cyclogensis, occurs when pressure drops dramatically over 24 hours, causing strong winds. A storm dropping 24 millibars, the metric used to measure atmospheric pressure, over 24 hours is classified as a bomb cyclone.
