A forceful mix of snow, ice, strong winds and tidal flooding is expected to blast much of the East Coast this week, according to the National Weather Service.
» RELATED: State of emergency declared for coastal Georgia ahead of winter storm
Meteorologists warned a “bomb cyclone,” expected to strike Thursday, will likely result in 6 to 12 inches of snow in New England, accompanied by 40- to 60-mph winds as the massive winter hurricane heads north.
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal issued a state of emergency Tuesday for 28 Georgia counties ahead of the storm. The National Weather Service expects a nasty mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow in Florida and Georgia.
» RELATED: Parts of Georgia starting to see snow
As of Wednesday, at least 11 people in the U.S. have died due to the freezing weather, CNN reported.
What is a bomb cyclone anyway?
A bomb cyclone is a result of bombogenesis, the term used to describe a winter hurricane, or "a midlatitude cyclone that rapidly intensifies" due to its low-pressure system, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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“This can happen when a cold air mass collides with a warm air mass, such as air over warm ocean waters,” the NOAA website states. “The formation of this rapidly strengthening weather system is a process called bombogenesis, which creates what is known as a bomb cyclone.”
During bombogenesis, the storm drops at least 24 millibars in 24 hours, producing a bomb cyclone.
This week, the arctic blast from bombogenesis is likely to result in high winds, heavy snow and bitter cold weather along the East Coast.
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