Emergency declared in United States after massive snowstorm; over 5,600 flights cancelled, schools, transport services and businesses shut

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The United States is currently facing a severe snowstorm. On Monday, heavy snowfall was recorded across parts of North America from Maryland to Maine. Due to intense snow and strong winds, transport services, schools and several businesses were shut down, forcing millions of people to remain indoors. Weather authorities have also warned of strong winds and additional snowfall.

According to meteorologists, this is the most powerful storm to hit the region in the past ten years. More than 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow fell in parts of the metropolitan Northeast. Several locations broke previous snowfall records, transport systems were disrupted and even a United Nations Security Council meeting had to be postponed.

Authorities declared a state of emergency in several cities and ordered the closure of schools, including in New York City, where such heavy snowfall has been recorded for the first time in six years. Power outages were also reported in multiple areas. Although the snowstorm is gradually moving northward and conditions have started improving in some regions, the weather department has warned of another possible storm later this week that could bring additional snowfall.

According to flight tracking website FlightAware, more than 5,600 flights to and from the United States were cancelled on Monday, while over 2,000 flights scheduled for Tuesday were also cancelled. The highest number of cancellations occurred at airports in New York, New Jersey and Boston. Around 2,500 flights were delayed. T. F. Green International Airport temporarily suspended all operations on Monday. The airport recorded 32.8 inches (83.3 centimeters) of snowfall, breaking the previous record set in 1978.

What is a Bomb Cyclone?

Weather officials described the storm along the Northeast coast as a classic “Bomb Cyclone.” A Bomb Cyclone forms when atmospheric pressure in a storm drops rapidly within 24 hours. This phenomenon usually occurs during autumn and winter, when cold Arctic air collides with warmer southern air, causing the storm to intensify rapidly.