While we have been enjoying warmer weather on the West Coast, the East Coast has been suffering with extreme cold. This “bomb cyclone” hit in the end of December and the beginning of January and triggered record breaking cold temperatures.
The temperature in parts of New Hampshire neared -100 degrees Fahrenheit. Areas like this experienced temperatures colder than the surface of Mars. The average temperature of the surface of Mars is about -80 degrees Fahrenheit. Not only was there more than a foot of snow in some areas, but there was also the issue of a piercingly cold and fast wind that reached speeds up to 75 miles per hour. The bomb cyclone level that this storm reached is signified by the dropping pressure of a storm as it gets stronger and escalates. With its destruction and intensity it closed schools, roads, and cancelled flights. More than 6,000 flights were cancelled because of this shocking storm. The vigorous weather also induced many injuries. Of these injuries, many were attributed to car accidents caused by the perilous terrain.
While the East Coast was experiencing a chilling cold, we enjoyed a warmer climate. However, the wildfires that marred Southern California have generated a perilous environment for a coming rainstorm predicted to strike on Monday. More than four inches of rain is predicted to pour down on the regions of Santa Barbara and Ventura county. These two areas is also where the Thomas Fire, the largest fire in California, targeted last month. This makes a rainstorm even more dangerous and prone to flood because the soil charred by the fire is unable to absorb water well. Downtown L.A. is not immune to this rain, either, as it will experience about an inch of rain.
photo courtesy : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association
