“Bomb cyclone” went from goofy meteorological term to serious business Wednesday as a turbocharged blizzard walloped Colorado’s mountains, Front Range and Eastern Plains with hurricane-force wind gusts, heavy snow and general misery. Gov. Jared Polis declared an emergency after the storm stranded motorists and forced massive highway and road closures across the state. The blizzard also halted air travel at Denver International Airport, cut power to more than 200,000 homes and businesses, disrupted public transportation services and sent trees falling across the metro area. Life should begin returning to normal Thursday morning, though the storm’s effects will persist as Xcel Energy works to restore power to thousands. And several large metro school districts — including Denver, Cherry Creek, Jeffco, Douglas County, Littleton and Westminster — called off classes and activities for another day. Polis’ statewide declaration resulted in the activation of the Colorado National Guard, making its units available to rescue stranded motorists and for search, rescue and life-safety operations. Hours earlier, the storm had turned deadly after a Colorado State Patrol trooper who was responding to a slide-off on Interstate 76 in rural Weld County was struck by another driver who apparently had lost control of his vehicle. In Denver, where police reported 125 crashes on city streets throughout the day, a separate emergency declaration by Mayor Michael Hancock will last for up to seven days. RELATED: Colorado weather: Bomb cyclone lived up to the hype, keeping even the most hardy people indoors “We are seeing improving conditions, (and) the brunt of the storm is moving east of Interstate 25 and east of Denver,” National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Kalina said about 5:30 p.m., but he warned: “Winds will still be strong.” Northeastern Colorado still faced a blizzard warning through noon Thursday, and the weather service warned against travel on the roads Wednesday night. East of Denver, Interstate 70 was to remain closed to the Kansas border overnight, while, south of the city, state officials planned to keep Interstate 25 closed overnight between Lone Tree and Colorado Springs. In the mountains, the heavy snow brought the return of avalanche warnings across a swath of central mountains from north to south that had experienced record snow slides in the previous week. Snowfall totals vary widely Along the Front Range, the storm largely delivered on meteorologists’ dire forecasts of wind gusts of up to 80 mph or more, though snowfall totals varied starkly. The weather service office in Boulder cited snow reports ranging from 20 inches in Nederland, and nearly as much in several foothills communities, to just 6 inches in Denver by 4 p.m., as the storm drifted out of the metro area. Some places got even less. The day began innocently enough in the city, with driving rain and light wind gusts. “I’m waiting for the hype,” said Rob Roberts, 38, from his front porch in northwest Denver as he considered driving to work at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, skeptical of taking a snow day. “It’s a big to-do for what looks like slushy rain so far.” A short time later, big flakes began falling — and then flying, as the wind whipped. It was just the beginning. Colorado experienced a bombogenesis event — colloquially called a bomb cyclone — of the sort that’s more common on the East Coast. If the barometric pressure drops rapidly enough in a 24-hour period, it turns a winter storm into a cyclone with intense winds, according to Weather Nation meteorologist Chris Bianchi, who was among those sounding the alarm ahead of Wednesday’s storm. “It’s obviously a very rare circumstance for this to happen in Colorado,” said Bianchi, also a Denver Post contributor. The early conditions were equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane, the National Weather Service said. In some places — especially to the northeast and east of Denver and near the Palmer Divide — it quickly got even worse as snow fell at the rate of nearly 2 inches per hour in some places. Sweeping tractor-trailers sideways But the wind was the main event, as fast-forming ice and whiteout conditions rendered roadways hazardous. Before noon, the trouble became apparent as drivers ignored warnings and attempted to navigate a slushy and ice-covered I-70 east of Aurora. High winds made the highway invisible at times and, near the highway’s closure point at Airpark Road, swept at least a dozen tractor-trailers sideways, blocking the interstate. The winds were so strong that they snapped the metal posts of a sign marking the exit. Nearby, speed limit signs were bent in half, while traffic lights — some no longer functional — bobbed in the wind on their thick metal beams. At Denver International Airport, moderate snowfall blown by wind gusts reaching 80 mph or more forced the closure of all six runways by the afternoon — for only the fourth time in DIA’s 24-year history — and littered Peña Boulevard with wrecks that brought traffic to a standstill, stranding some motorists for hours. While the concourses and terminal stayed open, they effectively served as massive warming huts. Earlier wind reports to the weather service included hurricane-strength gusts of 92 mph in Glen Haven in Larimer County and 77 mph in Bennet, but the wind was fierce across the Front Range and Eastern Plains. Major closures affected interstates 70 and 76 on the Eastern Plains, I-70 in the mountains, I-25 south of Denver and north of Fort Collins, and many mountain passes. In Weld County, both the Colorado Department of Transportation and county plows gave up on clearing roads by mid-afternoon, due to low visibility, according to Fort Lupton Fire. To the south of the metro area, several shelters filled in Douglas County in the afternoon as authorities rescued stranded motorists. Vehicles got stuck in snow drifts between Larkspur and Monument, prompting rescues by Colorado State Patrol. And about 100 vehicles were stranded mid-afternoon on Highway 86 between Kiowa and Elizabeth, authorities said, as local firefighters used four-wheel-drive vehicles to reach them one by one.<doc-sep>Thousands of Coloradans woke up in the dark Thursday after a winter storm system pounding the central U.S. knocked down power lines, grounded flights and buried highways in snow. As many as 74 million people were expected to face some type of severe weather ranging from blizzard conditions to heavy rain and flooding through Friday. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declared a state of emergency Wednesday and tweeted that the National Guard had been activated to assist in search and rescue and other operations. Authorities said 1,100 motorists were "stuck and stranded" in "treacherous conditions" on roads in Colorado's El Paso County. Sheriff Bill Elder added that search and rescue operations would continue through the night. His advice was to "STAY HOME." Around 86,000 customers in Colorado were without electricity early Thursday, according to Xcel Energy. Another 47,000 had no power in New Mexico and northern Texas. The storm underwent bombogenesis — also known as a bomb cyclone — according to The Denver Post, a term used when a storm drops 24 millibars, or units of atmospheric pressure, in 24 hours or less, according to Weather.com. We still have to get through a severe weather threat today but appears what is going to make the #2019PlainsBlizzard "Historic" was its enormous high wind field https://t.co/RLtR9s5yYP — Bill Karins (@BillKarins) March 14, 2019 It has contributed to at least one death. A Colorado State Patrol officer, Cpl. Daniel Groves, 52, was killed Wednesday after he was struck by a vehicle on Interstate 76 while responding to another vehicle that slid off the road. The patrol said in a statement that "high speed in poor driving conditions is being investigated as a possible causal factor," but the incident was under investigation and no charges have been filed. Denver International Airport's runways were shut down Wednesday, and almost 1,400 flights were canceled amid the whiteout, the Denver Post reported. The newspaper noted that it was only the fourth time in the airport's history that runways had been closed. More than 5 inches of snow was recorded at the airport as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, while parts of Colorado Springs and Aurora reported 10 inches, according to the weather service. Current conditions at DEN 👇🥶 pic.twitter.com/YFR4q87tky — Denver Int'l Airport (@DENAirport) March 13, 2019 Denver remained under a blizzard warning through midnight with as much as a foot of snow in the forecast. The state Department of Transportation closed stretches of interstates 25 and 70 until at least Thursday morning due to blizzard conditions, and other highways were also closed, NBC affiliate KUSA of Denver reported. Blizzard warnings stretched on a large swath of the central U.S., from eastern Colorado and Wyoming, portions of Nebraska and large parts of the Dakotas and into western Minnesota as of Wednesday night, while eastern Nebraska, southeastern South Dakota and parts of Iowa were under flood warnings. Between 6 to 12 inches of snow is likely for the central and northern plains through Thursday, particularly in the central portions of the Dakotas, the weather service said in a forecast discussion. The Nebraska Department of Transportation warned that residents could face flooding and blizzard conditions into Thursday. It wasn't just the snow causing disruptions. In New Mexico, the storm's high winds derailed a train on Wednesday, according to state police. Severe thunderstorm warnings also stretched from southwestern Texas to parts of Kansas, according to the weather service. Parts of Wisconsin and Michigan were among the areas under a flash flood watch. Our teams are working to restore jet bridges and clean up from this morning’s severe weather. Flights are arriving and departing as we continue to work with our partners to minimize any customer impacts. pic.twitter.com/ZwMpBX9PTF — DFW Airport (@DFWAirport) March 13, 2019 In Texas, Dallas-Fort Worth recorded gusts of wind between 75 mph and 78 mph early Wednesday. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport had several jet bridges damaged in Wednesday's storm, and there were cancellations and a number of flight delays, an airport spokesperson said. The terminals were not damaged. In Tennessee and parts of Mississippi, as much as 4 inches of rain could fall through Friday.<doc-sep>A mural of George Floyd is shown in the intersection of 38th St & Chicago Ave on March 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Community members continue preparations during the third day in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with multiple counts of murder in the death of George Floyd. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 01: President Donald Trump's lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani talks to journalists outside the White House West Wing July 01, 2020 in Washington, DC. Giuliani did an on-camera interview with One America News Network's Chanel Rion before talking to other journalists about Vice President Joe Biden and the news that Russian intelligence may have paid Taliban operatives to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Vigils & tributes to George Floyd one year since his murder ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: Former President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency on February 28, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. Begun in 1974, CPAC brings together conservative organizations, activists, and world leaders to discuss issues important to them. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Here's what reported grand jury in Trump case may look like NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: People walk past the Trump Tower as the impeachment trial of Donald Trump begins in Washington on February 09, 2021 in New York City. After listening to nearly four hours of legal arguments, the Senate has voted on Tuesday to move ahead with the impeachment trial of former President Trump. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Report: US companies may have benefited from forced labor of Uyghurs WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 20: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the conflict in the Middle East from Cross- Hall of the White House on May 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. Israel and Hamas announced that they would agree to a cease-fire, which will take into effect on Friday, following days of fighting that claimed more than 200 lives. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) SAN JOSE, CA - MAY 26: A view of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light-rail yard where a mass shooting occurred on May 26, 2021 in San Jose, California. A VTA employee opened fire at the yard, with preliminary reports indicating nine people dead including the gunman. (Photo by Philip Pacheco/Getty Images) A healthcare worker prepares to administer a Pfizer/BioNTEch coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine at The Michener Institute, in Toronto, Ontario on December 14, 2020. - Ontario, Canada's most populous province and one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, had 1,940 new cases and 23 deaths on Monday. The province is expected to give its next doses to nursing home workers as a priority, according to media reports. (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) 'Never seen levels like this': Union president on airline passenger misconduct Memorial Day weekend will bring rain and cool air for much of the East James Little crosses the street during a blizzard on Wednesday, March 13, 2019, in Cheyenne, Wyo. Heavy snow hit Cheyenne about mid-morning Wednesday and was spreading into Colorado and Nebraska. (Jacob Byk/The Wyoming Tribune Eagle via AP) (CNN) — About 1,100 motorists were stranded in Colorado as a ferocious winter storm – a “bomb cyclone” – unleashed hurricane-force winds and blizzard conditions in parts of the central United States. “We are in full saving lives mode,” said Ryan Parsell, a spokesman for El Paso County, about the ongoing rescues. “This isn’t your average Colorado storm.” Snow is coming down and winds gusting to 30-40 mph at my house in Highlands North Denver #cowx pic.twitter.com/3W1N5opxWO — Minh Phan (@WXMinh) March 13, 2019 The weather has been so severe in the state that law enforcement officers had to abandon their vehicles and get shelter themselves instead of responding to the high volume of motor vehicle accidents, officials said. “We are at the point where we are rescuing rescuers out there,” said Elbert County Manager Sam Albrecht. On Wednesday, 100 vehicles were involved in an accident on Interstate 25 near Wellington, Colorado, according to Wellington Fire Protection. There were no fatalities, according to the fire department’s Facebook page, but there were injuries ranging from minor to serious and emergency responders came from both Colorado and Wyoming. In Weld County, north of Denver, State Patrol Cpl. Daniel Groves, 52, was struck by a car Wednesday morning while assisting a motorist whose car slid off Interstate 76, according to the state police. Groves, on the job since 2007, was declared dead at a hospital. Sound on for thunder snow ❄️! pic.twitter.com/UE7Vt8NvS1 — Hayley (@HayleyVatch) March 13, 2019 High speed in poor driving conditions was being investigated as a possible factor, the patrol said. No charges had been filed. The storm morphed into a “bomb cyclone” Wednesday and roared through Colorado on its way to the Great Plains and parts of the Midwest. A bomb cyclone happens when there’s a rapid pressure drop, with a decrease of at least 24 millibars (which measures atmospheric pressure) over 24 hours known as bombogenesis. This storm has dropped 33 millibars since Tuesday morning and continues to strengthen. Hurricane-force winds The storm is bringing hurricane winds to the Rockies and as far away as Amarillo, Texas. Winds gusts equivalent to Category 1 and 2 hurricane winds were reported at the Denver International Airport and in Colorado Springs, the National Weather Service. In New Mexico, heavy winds contributed to the derailment of a 26-car train near the village of Logan, according to a tweet from state police. No injuries were reported. State Police on scene of a #trainderailment on SR 469 near Logan, NM involving 26 rail cars. No injuries reported. Wind was contributing factor in crash. pic.twitter.com/Qp6pzr0ee1 — NMSP (@NMStatePolice) March 13, 2019 Storm has left thousands in the dark In Colorado, at least 184,000 Xcel Energy customers were affected by weather-related power outages, company spokeswoman Michelle Aguayo said. Nearly 5,000 people with other utility companies were also without power, officials said.<doc-sep>To understand the significance of this record “low pressure,” consider a whirlpool generated by stirring your morning coffee. The more intense your stirring, the more pronounced the depression in the coffee’s surface. A dramatic dip indicates an intense cyclone, and in parts of Colorado and Kansas, the surface of this “atmospheric whirlpool” has dipped closer to the ground there than during any such system in the past.<doc-sep>
(CNN) — A powerful “bomb cyclone” that slammed Colorado with snow and hurricane-force winds is now threatening towns in central United States with heavy rains, flooding and even tornadoes. The storm’s center was over Iowa and Nebraska on Thursday and will continue delivering dangerous weather conditions to 105 million people who are under some sort of watch, warning or advisory as it moves east and then north into Canada. A bomb cyclone occurs when there is a rapid pressure drop, with a decrease of at least 24 millibars – a measure of atmospheric pressure – over 24 hours. This storm dropped 33 millibars from Tuesday into Wednesday. Track the storm for yourself Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster declaration as first responders scrambled to rescue dozens of people from floodwater. Adding to the misery of those in its path, the bomb cyclone still threatens to bring severe storms, flash flooding, dense fog and possible tornadoes as it treks across the central part of the country. 00:52 - Source: CNN Just what exactly is a 'bomb cyclone'? Flooding leads to evacuations in Iowa, Nebraska The storm’s heavy rainfall has caused major flooding and damaged many roads and bridges in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri. All residents of Hornick, Iowa, were evacuated after a levee broke due to the heavy rains in the region, the county’s emergency management agency tweeted. Hornick is about 25 miles southeast of Sioux City. Numerous creeks and streams were out of their banks and caused widespread flooding, the National Weather Service office in Des Moines said. Water Rescue going on at Horseshoe Lake. Posted by Mead Fire Department on Thursday, March 14, 2019 Nebraska has also been hammered by high water. Game and Parks Commission employees used a fan boat to rescue residents in Gretna, while the Mead Fire Department was rescuing folks near Horseshoe Lake, and the Columbus Police Department warned residents to stay away from the Black Bridge. The flooding was widespread in areas along the Platte, Elkhorn and Missouri rivers. Tornadoes and hurricane-force winds A tornado just missed the National Weather Service’s office in West Paducah, Kentucky, early Thursday, the service said. Several barns were destroyed and mobile homes were damaged in Daviess County, Kentucky, but no injuries were reported, emergency management officials said. Tornado watches were issued in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. Winds of more than 100 mph have slammed into San Augustin Pass, New Mexico, and Pine Springs, Texas. 45 inches of snow in southern Colorado Several Colorado cities, including Denver, were hit the hardest. The storm left thousands in the dark, prompted school closures and forced thousands of flight cancellations. About 175,000 people are without power, most of them in Colorado and Texas. Several Colorado school districts closed Wednesday and Thursday, with Denver Public Schools citing “severe storm, power outages across the city and poor road conditions.” David Zalubowski/AP A string of wrecked vehicles sit on an overpass Wednesday over Interstate 70 in Aurora, Colorado. At some point, all runways at the Denver International Airport were closed Wednesday and employees offered blankets to passengers stranded because of icy conditions and extremely poor visibility. Keep up with the world’s extreme weather In Wolf Creek Pass, near the New Mexico border, has recorded 45 inches of snow. Blizzard and avalanche warnings have been issued across Colorado. As the storm headed north into Canada, snow will keep falling over the Dakotas and western Minnesota, with some areas seeing as much as a foot of the white stuff. Parts of South Dakota have already gotten 15 inches of snow. Wyoming closed state offices in Cheyenne, while South Dakota’s governor ordered state offices closed in 39 central and western counties because of the storm. Drivers waiting hours to be rescued The Colorado National Guard announced it had rescued 93 people and two dogs after inspecting about 250 vehicles. It urged residents to stay off the road “as it’s easy to get stuck out there.” Some drivers have been waiting hours to be rescued from roadways in central Colorado. About 150 vehicles were stuck midday Thursday in El Paso County, said Jacqueline Kirby, a sheriff’s office spokeswoman. The department had reports of 1,100 stranded cars early Thursday, she said, and emergency crews were conducting searches amid snowdrifts as high as their SUVs, she said. 01:32 - Source: CNN 'Bomb cyclone' moves into Midwest “We’ve had a variety of calls. We have diabetic individuals. We have people with children. We have a pregnant woman,” she said earlier Thursday.