East Coast Braces for Wild Winter Weather as Atmospheric River and Bomb Cyclone Hit. Due in part to an atmospheric river and a building bomb cyclone, the U.S. East Coast was starting a potentially dangerous, windy, and rainy stretch of weather on Wednesday that might cause whiplash.
In a single day, areas such as western Maine may see freezing rain, torrential downpours, abnormally high temperatures, and destructive winds, said to National Weather Service forecaster Derek Schroeter.
Forecasters warned that flooding may occur in several locations and that the intense rain and strong gusts will last until Wednesday night in many areas. Additionally, utilities were preparing for possible power disruptions due to damage from winds that in some places could reach 60 mph (97 kph).
An atmospheric river, a lengthy band of water vapor that may carry moisture from the tropics to more northern regions, is one of the main elements influencing the weather, according to Schroeter, who is headquartered in Gray, Maine.
