Shutterstock
If you’ve been concerned about bad weather over the holiday weekend, there’s bad news sweeping in from the west. A storm system that was building off the Pacific has evolved into a full-fledged bomb cyclone, and it’s spinning heavy rain and snowfall off over the Continental US.
According to the Weather Channel, this bomb cyclone is identified as “Winter Storm Ezekial.”
This bomb cyclone is going to be pummeling the West Coast with heavy rain in the south and snowfall in the north. While the rain is much-needed in California following numerous wildfires, it’s a high enough volume that there is the risk of flash-flooding from the downpour.
Meanwhile, the snowfall accumulation further north is likely to cause serious travel delays around the Thanksgiving holiday.
Into Friday, the storm is likely to creep its way east and begin dropping snow over the Midwest and Plains. This will likely result in further snow accumulation on roads, so people in the area are encouraged to delay travel plans if possible.
Planes are expected to see delays due to the strong weather, as well.
Winter storm watches, winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories have been issued across a vast swath of the West and Midwest in advance of the storm’s path. Through the weekend, the storm is likely to continue dropping winter precipitation over the Midwestern states, focusing primarily on the Northern Plains.
During the storm’s passage east, it will likely carry numerous thunderstorms further south. Northern Texas can expect severe thunderstorms through the weekend, as can Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and other states in Tornado Alley.
The cold half of the storm is expected to sweep over the Great Lakes through the weekend, bringing freezing wind and winter precipitation along with it. By Saturday, the storm will likely be dropping snow in the interior of the Northeast.
By Sunday, the storm will be at the coast, covering the entirety of New England in winter precipitation and cold weather. This could cause travel issues for people returning home after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, so people are urged to alter their travel plans accordingly.
