In The News – Bomb cyclone exploding over California spells snow and rain
November 18, 2024 | Member Submitted
Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 11/18/2024, Written by Eli Ramos
LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Ski resorts will be happy to hear that the bomb cyclone hitting northern California and southern Oregon will result in 1 to 5 inches of snow this weekend, though it also may result in rain in later weeks.
Bomb cyclones have a rather evocative name, which comes from their explosive formation. As cold and warm air collide, it causes a drop in pressure that can rapidly intensify over 24 hours. If the pressure drops at least 24 millibars in 24 hours, the storm is classified as a bomb cyclone. The one hanging over the area will drop from 1,000 millibars to less than 950 millibars from tonight to Tuesday night.
These low-pressure areas can then lead to atmospheric rivers, narrow streams that dump precipitation on the areas they float above. These rivers can stall and stay in the same area for a while if winds don’t blow them away.