Status: 12/24/2022 1:34 p.m
Massive snowfalls and extreme temperatures continue to wreak havoc across the United States. 17 people have died so far, mostly on the icy roads. Rescue services are reaching their limits.
Winter storm “Elliot” swept across the United States with heavy snowfall, icy winds and extreme sub-zero temperatures. In the course of the day, it should mainly hit the east of the country. According to the broadcaster NBC, 17 people have already died as a result of the weather conditions, most of them in traffic accidents.
Extreme winter storm sweeps across the United States
Marion Schmickler, ARD New York, tagesschau24 9:00 a.m., December 24, 2022
The storm had already paralyzed most of the traffic on Friday. Numerous roads had to be closed. The US weather service also warned that traveling under these conditions was “extremely dangerous and at times impossible” for the Christmas weekend. Sometimes there were so-called whiteout conditions with severely restricted visibility and difficult orientation due to the heavy snowfall.
The extreme weather also brought air and rail traffic to a standstill in some cases. According to the FlightAware website, more than 5,000 connections had to be canceled on Friday, and almost 9,000 flights were delayed to their destinations.
“Elliot” becomes “Bomb Cyclone” in part
The effects of the winter storm affect 48 states in the United States and about 60 percent of the entire population of the country. It is particularly bad on the Great Lakes. There the storm developed into a so-called bomb cyclone – a weather phenomenon in which the air pressure drops extremely within 24 hours and thus increases the force of the storm. Cities like Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago are buried under a thick blanket of snow. Snowfalls of up to 1.20 meters are predicted in Buffalo, New York State.
Temperatures of around minus 45 degrees Celsius were measured on Friday in several states such as Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota. Even on Saturday morning, the value in Montana was sometimes still minus 40 degrees Celsius.
What is a “bomb cyclone”?
In the case of a “bomb cyclone” such as is currently threatening in parts of the USA, meteorologists speak of the term “bombogenesis” or rapid cyclogenesis.
In this phenomenon, arctic cold air from the north meets milder air from the south. Extreme temperature differences lead to a strong and rapid development of low pressure.
By definition, for rapid cyclogenesis, mid-latitude air pressure must fall by 24 hectopascals (hPa) every 24 hours. For comparison: During a storm, the air pressure drops by about ten hectopascals in about 24 hours.
In a “bomb cyclone”, temperatures can even drop to what feels like minus 60 degrees Celsius. According to NASA, that’s almost the temperature on Mars.
A “historical event”
The weather service called “Elliot” a “historic event”: not only because of record temperatures of up to minus 48 degrees Celsius, but also because of the size of the Arctic cold front, which runs from the border with Canada in the north to the border to Mexico in the south.
Over the weekend, the winter storm is expected to hit the US east coast in particular, causing the coldest Christmas in years in many places. Further west, in Denver, Colorado, for example, the worst is already over. It’s supposed to be up to plus 7 degrees warm there today.
“Pack up warm, stay inside”
Such extreme weather conditions could be life-threatening for people, warned the US weather service. After just a few minutes outdoors, there could be a risk of frostbite, and even death if you stay longer.
A state of emergency has been declared in several states, including New York. Governor Kathy Hochul urged the population to stay at home: “Pack up warm, stay inside and take care of yourself this weekend.” Hochul spoke of a “life-threatening event”. The icy roads would not go away anytime soon, the freezing winds would continue. The governor warned:
We’ve got ice, floods, snow, freezing temperatures and whatever Mother Nature could throw at us this weekend.
President Joe Biden had previously warned of a “really serious” risk situation. Such weather has nothing in common with a “snowy day from childhood”.
At times almost 1.5 million households without electricity
In Erie County, Marc Poloncarz, who is responsible for emergency services in the district, warned of overloading the emergency services. On Twitter, he called for calling 911 only in “the most critical, life-threatening cases.” He also emphasized that people should stay in their houses, even if their heating and electricity should have failed. Transport to emergency shelters is currently almost impossible.
According to US authorities, almost 1.5 million households across the country were temporarily cut off from electricity due to the effects of the storm. The so-called New England states were particularly affected by the failures ARD correspondent Katrin Brand reported. The New England region includes the states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. In Maine alone, around 250,000 people would have had no electricity in the meantime.
If the heating also fails, this can be life-threatening at double-digit minus temperatures. The homeless are particularly hard hit. Most cities have set up heat centers and shelters.
Extreme winter has USA under control – An update
Katrin Brand, ARD Washington, 12/24/2022 1:19 p.m