A powerful "bomb cyclone" winter storm is bearing down on the Northeast this weekend, threatening to pile fresh snow and brutal cold onto regions still reeling from one of the deadliest winter weather stretches in decades.
The rapidly intensifying storm system is forecast to arrive in the New York City area late Saturday and linger through Sunday, potentially dumping up to three inches of additional snow on a city that is still digging out from more than a foot that fell this week.
Meteorologists warn that the storm will bring strong winds and dangerous wind chills, pushing "feels-like" temperatures into the single digits and even below zero.
A bomb cyclone, also known as bombogenesis, occurs when a storm rapidly strengthens, usually over ocean waters, producing intense winds, heavy snow, and bitter cold.
AccuWeather senior meteorologist Matt Benz told the New York Post that Sunday will likely be "a blustery day," especially along coastal areas east and south of New York City.
While conditions in the city may not reach last weekend's severity, forecasters warn Long Island could see up to six inches of snow with possible whiteout conditions. The storm is expected to exit the region by Sunday night, but frigid temperatures are likely to persist well into next week, with little relief in sight before February.
The bomb cyclone is part of a larger weather pattern impacting much of the eastern United States, from the Carolinas to Maine. Boston could receive three to six inches of snow, while Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., may see up to three inches.
Parts of Virginia and North Carolina could be hit hardest, with snowfall totals reaching six to 12 inches.
Meanwhile, the South is still struggling to recover from a crippling winter storm that left devastation across Mississippi and Tennessee.
According to the Associated Press, at least 80 people have died nationwide amid the prolonged deep freeze stretching from Texas to New Jersey.
Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves deployed 500 National Guard troops to clear roads blocked by fallen trees and debris, calling it the state’s worst winter storm since 1994.
Interstates in northern Mississippi were closed after vehicles became stranded on icy roadways, and about 60 warming centers were opened, though local officials say they are insufficient in some hard-hit communities.
In Tennessee, nearly 1,000 utility workers have been racing to restore power to tens of thousands of homes in the Nashville area after hundreds of power poles snapped under the weight of ice and snow.
More than 300,000 homes and businesses nationwide remained without electricity midweek, with Mississippi and Tennessee accounting for the majority of outages.
Forecasters warn that another blast of arctic air will drive temperatures even lower in the Southeast, raising concerns for residents unaccustomed to prolonged cold.
Officials urge Americans to take the threat seriously, conserve energy, and prepare for continued dangerous conditions as winter shows no sign of loosening its grip.
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