A powerful winter storm is forming off the US East Coast, with meteorologists warning it could bring blizzard conditions, destructive winds and dangerous cold to millions this weekend. As of Friday morning, the storm, known as a bomb cyclone, is expected to form near Georgia and South Carolina early Saturday before rapidly intensifying as it tracks north through Sunday.
Blizzard conditions are forecast across multiple states, including the Carolinas, Virginia and Massachusetts, with heavy snow and whiteout conditions likely. Snowfall totals are expected to range from 1 to 3 inches in Washington, DC, 2 to 4 inches in Philadelphia, more than 4 inches in New York City, and potentially over a foot in eastern North Carolina and coastal Virginia.
Coastal cities from Georgia to Maine may experience wind gusts up to 50mph, while parts of the Outer Banks of North Carolina could see hurricane-force winds exceeding 80mph. Meteorologist Ryan Hall said the 968 millibar low-pressure centre is similar to a Category 2 hurricane, and warned of extreme wind gusts reaching 100mph just off the coast.
The storm is expected to rapidly intensify, similar to a tropical storm turning into a hurricane, and will pass southeast of Cape Cod by Sunday morning. Some models suggest the blizzard could form closer to land, potentially dumping as much as two feet of snow on the Carolinas and Virginia.
After the storm, bitterly cold Arctic air will sweep across much of the central and eastern US, pushing temperatures up to 30 degrees Fahrenheit below normal. In Florida, lows could drop to the 20s or teens in the north, with wind chills making it feel like single digits or below zero. By Sunday morning, temperatures could fall below freezing in Miami, and snow flurries are possible in Orlando, Jacksonville, Daytona Beach and even the Bahamas.
