Weather & Science
‘Bomb Cyclone’ Knocks Out Power to Thousands in Northern US
Utility crew workers replace a power pole snapped in two when high winds downed a tree in Sagamore Hills, Ohio on Dec. 29.
Photographer: Sue Ogrocki/AP PhotoA winter storm that brought intense winds and rapidly falling temperatures to the Northern US including New York has left more than 200,000 customers without electricity.
A weather pattern known as a “bomb cyclone” because of large drops in air pressure hit the Great Lakes region, said Scott Kleebauer, a meteorologist at the Weather Prediction Center. “The vast majority of the power outages are from those strong winds,” Kleebauer added, noting that quick temperature reductions can also cause blackouts by freezing wet power lines.