Hurricane-Battered South Braces for Winter Storm, Bitter Cold

The south-eastern U.S. saw the first of today’s winter storm, which many meteorologists are referring to as a “bomb cyclone.”

After a devastating hurricane season, Floridians were dealt something even more rare — some visibly accumulating snowfall. The storm, which is being called Winter Storm Brody in some places, is expected to drop snow from Florida all the way up to Maine by the end of the night, with hurricane force winds up to 50 miles per hour.

As the storm passed, an unaccustomed cold settled over the south. Morning commuters dealt with temperatures they’re not used to, including 23 degrees in Jackson, Mississippi, 28 degrees in Atlanta, Georgia, and 35 degrees in New Orleans. In the Raleigh-Durham area of of North Carolina, temperatures hit 14 degrees, the coldest on record in the region for 130 years.

While southerners were battered by the unyielding cold, some were pleased by the unusual sight of snow. The storm has also left a trail of school closings and delays in its wake, which is always a welcome treat during this season.

Meanwhile, winter storm watches are officially in effect for areas in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. Others are expected to be announced shortly. Up to eight inches of snow may fall in parts of the mid-Atlantic, along with sleet and ice that will make driving incredibly dangerous.

In New England, as much as 14 inches may accumulate, with more expected up north of Boston.

As far as the “bomb cyclone” element, some scientists are chiming in to say that this is more or less sensational language. The name describes the “explosive” drop in atmospheric pressure that characterizes these storms.

Meteorologists are reminding people that New England and the mid-west have already technically had a bomb cyclone this year, though this time the winds will be much stronger.