Authorities are dealing with large-scale power outages after a "bomb cylone" slammed Washington state with heavy winds overnight.
As of 3:30 a.m. PT (6:30 a.m. ET), more than 600,000 people were without power, according to the power tracking website poweroutage.us.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Seattle issued high wind warnings on Tuesday extending into the early hours of Wednesday as gale force winds with gusts over 65 miles per hour downed trees and toppled power lines across the region.
NWS Seattle reported that the maximum wind speeds were reported in Canadian waters off the Vancouver Islands, where speeds eclipsed 100 miles an hour at 6 p.m. PT on Tuesday.
A woman was reportedly killed in a homeless encampment in Lynnwood, Snohomish County, after a large tree was blown over, according to a post by South County Fire Department on X (formerly Twitter).
"Severe winds from this evening's bomb cyclone ripped through western Washington, causing a mass outage event throughout most of our service area, with the biggest impact in King County," Puget Sound Energy (PSE), Washington state's largest energy utility, said on X in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The company's website and power outage map had been experiencing issues throughout Tuesday evening, though these have since been resolved.
"We are hearing reports of extensive numbers of downed lines and are urging our customers to never touch or go within 30 feet of downed power lines because they might be energized," PSE said, thanking customers for their patience.
A few things to keep in mind.
1) Winds will increase through the evening hours.
2) Strongest winds in this scenario are expected along the coast, near the Cascades, the N. Interior, and near the strait.
3) East/southeast winds can be highly localized and terrain driven.#wawx pic.twitter.com/i1yqhmN2Ld
Is the Bomb Cyclone Over?
Though the bomb cyclone is still churning away about 300 miles off the Washington coast, the winds are expected to subside by midday as the system moves away, according to the NWS.
While that may bring relief in Washington state, northern California will continue to be battered by the atmospheric river system there.
"Over 10 inches of rainfall across the northern California coast and inland mountain ranges are likely to increase the threat of life-threatening flash flooding, rock slides, and debris flows," the NWS said.
Another low-pressure system is then set to develop and strengthen by Friday, which will amplify the atmospheric river flowing into northern California, enhancing the risk of heavy downpours in the region.
The second low-pressure system will likely bring more strong winds to the Northwest too, with residents and visitors traveling between northern California and Washington advised to check road conditions before heading out.
What Is the Relationship Between the Atmospheric River and the Bomb Cyclone?
When atmospheric rivers and bomb cyclones interact, they form a powerful weather system that can intensify storms. The atmospheric river, a ribbon of moisture in the sky, provides the fuel, while the bomb cyclone acts as the engine.
As the bomb cyclone's pressure drops rapidly (at least 24 millibars in 24 hours), it pulls in moisture from the atmospheric river, like a giant vacuum.
This creates a feedback loop: the more moisture the cyclone absorbs, the stronger it gets. As it strengthens, it can pull in even more moisture, sometimes from thousands of miles away.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the bomb cyclones and atmospheric rivers? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
English (US) ·