Bomb cyclone' to slam East Coast as winter storm continues to bombard US

A "bomb cyclone" is set to dump snow and ice Wednesday across parts of the East Coast that rarely see winter weather, the latest bombardment of frigid weather that's brought freezing temperatures to vast portions of the United States.

The National Weather Service said Wednesday a mix of snow and freezing rain was expected to move across along the East Coast from Florida to North Carolina before rapidly strengthening at sea.

The weather service warned a so-called “bomb cyclone” will bring “blizzard conditions" across portions of eastern New England late Thursday.
This winter storm is forecast to bring the potential for a mix of freezing rain/sleet/snow from portions of northern Florida to North Carolina, and snowfall northward along portions of the Mid-Atlantic into northern New England," the NWS said in an advisory.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, bombogenesis or bomb cyclone “occurs when a midlatitude cyclone rapidly intensifies, dropping at least 24 millibars over 24 hours. A millibar measures atmospheric pressure."

"This can happen when a cold air mass collides with a warm air mass, such as air over warm ocean waters. The formation of this rapidly strengthening weather system is a process called bombogenesis, which creates what is known as a bomb cyclone,” NOAA said.

The NWS has issued a Winter Storm Warning for all of Southeast Georgia, Interstate 10 corridor in Northeast Florida, and portions of the North and South Carolina costs due to the possibility of ice and snow. The agency warned areas along coastal areas of New Jersey and the Mid-Atlantic could see up to 6 inches of snow, while parts of New England may see over a foot.

Fox News Senior Meteorologist Janie Dean warned Wednesday the storm is going to "almost going to be like a hurricane off shore" once it reaches the Northeast after bringing snow, sleet, and freezing rain across the Southeast."This is going to be a dangerous day for folks in North Florida, across the coast of Georgia and the Carolinas," she said on "FOX & Friends."

Savannah Mayor Eddie DeLoach urged residents to stay home and keep off the roads. The city, which has not seen measureable snowfall since 2010, is expected to get up to two inches of snow and sleet.

Plants near a fountain are covered in ice at the intersection of Broad and 9th Streets in Augusta, Ga., Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2017.
: Plants near a fountain are covered in ice at the intersection of Broad and 9th Streets in Augusta, Ga.  (Michael Holahan/The Augusta Chronicle via AP)
"The streets will be slick," DeLoach said at a news conference Tuesday. "We could have some serious issues for folks who aren't used to driving in this kind of weather."

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency through Friday for 28 counties because of the bone-chilling weather.