STATES along the Atlantic Coast of America are bracing for a major Nor'easter expected to smash the region in the coming days with damaging winds, heavy rain, snow and severe flooding.
Meteorologists have warned that the storm will cause damage from the Carolinas to Portland and Maine through Friday and Saturday.
The storm is the result of a weather system which moved east across the Midwest on Thursday.
It is expected to collide with a coastal low-pressure system off the coast in the Atlantic.
That collision is expected to lead to "bombogenesis” - a cyclone effect that will strengthen the storm to dangerous levels as it moves north over open water.
NBC News meteorologist Sherri Pugh said: "The reason this storm is particularly notable and particularly dangerous is that there are numerous impacts that will affect millions of people.
"This isn't a forecast with a question of if these impacts are coming. It's how bad are they going to be.”
Winds are expected to reach 40 to 60 mph along the Northeast coast on Friday, hitting as high as 75 mph in Cape Cod and Massachusetts.
Many cities are bracing for power failures as thousands of FirstEnergy customers have lost power across Northeast Ohio, where weather officials predict 7 to 10 inches of snow and localised amounts up to 13 inches.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker activated roughly 200 members of the National Guard to work with state and local officials.
He said: "Some roads in downtown Boston and roads along the coast that usually have flooding issues will likely become impassable for some time."
The National Weather Service in Boston tweeted: "Take this storm seriously! This is a LIFE & DEATH situation for those living along the coast, esp those ocean-exposed shorelines; moderate to major flooding; locations becoming inundated, cut off for periods of time; expect structural damage, homes destroyed."
Heavy rain of one to four inches is expected across parts of New Jersey; Long Island, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
The deluge will cause coastal flooding at high tide in places like the Jersey Shore and the Massachusetts coast, as well as river and stream overflow farther inland.
Pugh said up to 10 inches of snow was expected farther into the interior and in upstate New York.
For those least affected, Friday's will be a messy commute. For many others, it will be chaos.
On the Western side of America, a second storm has put the entire state of Nevada under hazardous weather warnings, watches, and advisories into Friday. There are currently rare blizzard warnings at Lake Tahoe, winter storm warnings to the Utah line in northeast Nevada, and a high-wind alert in Las Vegas.
The National Weather Service advised of blanketed snow for the Sierra Nevada mountains and flash flooding along the California coast.
Santa Barbara County authorities ordered mandatory evacuations for residents of Montecito and other areas that were devastated by recent wildfires and deadly mudflows on Thursday.
Twenty-one people died in Montecito on January 9th when rain threw a torrent of mud and debris across the region.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown warned: "Due to the size and breadth of the evacuation area, we will not be able to notify everyone in person.
"Tell your neighbours, family members, and friends. Do not wait for someone to contact you in person in order to leave.
"We just don't know how our watershed is going to react to this."
Flight tracking website FlightAware.com says more than 1,000 flights involving US airports have been canceled for Friday.
By express.co.uk
Meteorologists have warned that the storm will cause damage from the Carolinas to Portland and Maine through Friday and Saturday.
The storm is the result of a weather system which moved east across the Midwest on Thursday.
It is expected to collide with a coastal low-pressure system off the coast in the Atlantic.
That collision is expected to lead to "bombogenesis” - a cyclone effect that will strengthen the storm to dangerous levels as it moves north over open water.
NBC News meteorologist Sherri Pugh said: "The reason this storm is particularly notable and particularly dangerous is that there are numerous impacts that will affect millions of people.
"This isn't a forecast with a question of if these impacts are coming. It's how bad are they going to be.”
Winds are expected to reach 40 to 60 mph along the Northeast coast on Friday, hitting as high as 75 mph in Cape Cod and Massachusetts.
Many cities are bracing for power failures as thousands of FirstEnergy customers have lost power across Northeast Ohio, where weather officials predict 7 to 10 inches of snow and localised amounts up to 13 inches.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker activated roughly 200 members of the National Guard to work with state and local officials.
He said: "Some roads in downtown Boston and roads along the coast that usually have flooding issues will likely become impassable for some time."
The National Weather Service in Boston tweeted: "Take this storm seriously! This is a LIFE & DEATH situation for those living along the coast, esp those ocean-exposed shorelines; moderate to major flooding; locations becoming inundated, cut off for periods of time; expect structural damage, homes destroyed."
Heavy rain of one to four inches is expected across parts of New Jersey; Long Island, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
Pugh said up to 10 inches of snow was expected farther into the interior and in upstate New York.
For those least affected, Friday's will be a messy commute. For many others, it will be chaos.
On the Western side of America, a second storm has put the entire state of Nevada under hazardous weather warnings, watches, and advisories into Friday.
The National Weather Service advised of blanketed snow for the Sierra Nevada mountains and flash flooding along the California coast.
Santa Barbara County authorities ordered mandatory evacuations for residents of Montecito and other areas that were devastated by recent wildfires and deadly mudflows on Thursday.
Twenty-one people died in Montecito on January 9th when rain threw a torrent of mud and debris across the region.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown warned: "Due to the size and breadth of the evacuation area, we will not be able to notify everyone in person.
"Tell your neighbours, family members, and friends. Do not wait for someone to contact you in person in order to leave.
"We just don't know how our watershed is going to react to this."
Flight tracking website FlightAware.com says more than 1,000 flights involving US airports have been canceled for Friday.
By express.co.uk
Tags
Natural catastrophe