October 2021 Northeast Pacific bomb cyclone

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October 2021 Northeast Pacific bomb cyclone
Satellite image of the bomb cyclone several hours prior to reaching its peak intensity off the Pacific Northwest, on October 24, 2021
Meteorological history
FormedOctober 19, 2021
DissipatedOctober 26, 2021
Extratropical cyclone
Highest winds120 km/h (75 mph)
Highest gusts159 mph (256 km/h)[1]
Lowest pressure942 hPa (mbar); 27.82 inHg[2][3]
Maximum rainfall16.56 inches (421 mm) of rain at Middle Peak, Sierra Nevada, California[1]
Maximum snowfall or ice accretion42 inches (110 cm) of snow at Mount Rose, Nevada[1]
Overall effects
FatalitiesAt least 2[4]
Damage>$400 million (2021 USD)[5]
Areas affectedRussian Far East, Japan, Alaska, Western United States, Western Canada
Power outages>370,500[6][7]
Part of the 2021–22 North American winter

An extremely powerful extratropical cyclone began in late October 2021 in the Northeast Pacific and struck the Western United States and Western Canada. The storm was the third and the most powerful cyclone in a series of powerful storms that struck the region within a week.[1][8][9] The cyclone tapped into a large atmospheric river and underwent explosive intensification, becoming a bomb cyclone on October 24. The bomb cyclone had a minimum central pressure of 942 millibars (27.8 inHg) at its peak, making it the most powerful cyclone recorded in the Northeast Pacific.[2] The system had severe impacts across Western North America, before dissipating on October 26. The storm shattered multiple pressure records across parts of the Pacific Northwest. Additionally, the bomb cyclone was the most powerful storm on record to strike the region, in terms of minimum central pressure. The bomb cyclone brought powerful gale-force winds and flooding to portions of Western North America. At its height, the storm cut the power to over 370,500 customers across the Western U.S. and British Columbia.[6][1][7] The storm killed at least two people;[4] damage from the storm was estimated at several hundred million dollars (2021 USD).[5] The bomb cyclone was compared to the Columbus Day Storm of 1962, in terms of ferocity.[10]

  1. ^ a b c d e Kevin Byrne; Mark Puleo (October 27, 2021). "West Coast slammed by record-breaking bomb cyclone". AccuWeather. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Matt Zaffino (October 28, 2021). "Bomb cyclone: What it is, where the term came from and why it's not a hurricane". KGW8. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference October 24 map was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b "NW 'bomb cyclone' winds toppled tree that killed mother, son -- 'It's a freak accident'". oregonlive.com. The Associated Press. October 27, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Global Catastrophe Recap October 2021 (PDF) (Report). Aon. November 11, 2021. pp. 4–5. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference blasts West Coast was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference B.C. storm update was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference grand finale was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Paul Rogers (October 20, 2021). "Atmospheric river storms to soak Bay Area, Northern California — biggest in 9 months". The Mercury News. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  10. ^ Paul Duginski (October 29, 2021). "How did California's recent bomb cyclones compare with the 'Big Blow' of 1962?". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 4, 2021.