“I was afraid I would be hit by flying shrapnel”

Life-threatening conditions are present in Washington state, parts of California and Oregon, and British Columbia in southwestern Canada, among others. On Tuesday, a powerful cyclone hit these areas, bringing strong winds and extreme rain and snowfall. The element formed off the coast of Vancouver, Canada, where wind gusts exceeded 160 km/h.

American media write about two women who lost their lives after being crushed by trees. The first incident occurred in Bellevue (Washington) and the second occurred near Alderwood Mall Parkway in Lynnwood (Washington). Harborview Medical Center told KOMO News Wednesday morning that at least five people were admitted to their facility with injuries. One of them was in critical condition.

The powerful element also led to massive power outages. Currently, this problem affects over 300,000 people in Washington state and residents of California and British Columbia.

The effects of the cyclone bomb were most felt by residents of the western part of Washington state. Regardless of the power outages, roads were blocked. A spokesman for the city of Seattle spoke of dozens of downed trees disrupting transportation. School classes were canceled on Wednesday due to dangerous weather conditions. Wind gusts exceeded 120 km/h in some places.

“We're seeing significant tree damage, most traffic lights are out,” said Mary Lou Pauly, mayor of Issaquah, Washington.

– I didn't even go outside. I was afraid that I would be hit by flying debris, one of the residents described in an interview with CNN.

American meteorologists emphasize that the threat has not passed and that the storm may become more intense in the coming days. The National Weather Service warns of extreme downpours in northern California and southwest Oregon that could lead to life-threatening flooding. According to the NWS, up to 400 liters of rain per square meter may fall in places.

In mountainous areas (the Cascade Mountains and the extreme northern regions of California), heavy snowfall and snowstorms may occur, during which wind speeds may reach up to 104 km/h. On Thursday, dangerous storms will appear in areas of the northwest coast of the United States.

Cyclone bombs are rapidly developing low-pressure systems in which the pressure may additionally decrease by at least 24 hectopascals per day. The phenomenon is accompanied by intense rainfall and strong wind gusts. This year's cyclone in the northwestern United States is one of the strongest in years. American experts say it's so powerful storm it happens once a decade in this region.

According to forecasts, the front will bring heavy waves of rain and snow in the coming days. All thanks to the so-called atmospheric rivers, i.e. extensive wind tunnels, transporting huge amounts of water vapor from warm ocean waters to the lands of mid-latitudes in the atmosphere.