The bomb cyclone winter storm wreaking havoc in California has brought forth heavy rains, damaging winds and substantial amounts of snowfall to large swaths of the Golden State and left two people dead.
According to Axios, the atmospherics of the powerful storm knocked approximately 162,000 California residents out of electrical power. There have also been a slew of flight delays and cancellations at major airports, including San Francisco.
A bomb cyclone is a fast-moving storm that develops when the atmospheric pressure drops at least 24 millibars over a 24-hour period, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
"A bomb cyclone occurs when atmospheric pressure at the center of the cyclone drops rapidly. In order to approximately qualify, the pressure needs to drop about 1 [millibar], or more, every hour over a 24-hour period," John Moore, a public affairs specialist and meteorologist for the National Weather Service, recently told CBS News.
The NOAA echoed that sentiment in a recent statement: "This can happen when a cold air mass collides with a warm air mass, such as air over warm ocean waters."
Deaths have already resulted from the chaotic California storm.
A 19-year-old driver's vehicle reportedly hydroplaned on a slippery road, resulting in a fatal collision with a utility pole in the town of Fairfield.
And in Sonoma County, there are reports of a toddler dying after a tree fell onto a mobile home, crushing it.
The National Weather Service reports that many regions of California have been affected by the bomb cyclone, which includes major flood warnings for coastal and inland areas, along with winter storm warnings in places of higher elevation.
In northern California, the city of Kirkwood Meadows reported hurricane-like wind gusts of 119 mph; and the cities of Grapevine Peak and Pulga both experienced gusts exceeding 100 mph, according to the NWS.
In all, the National Weather Service speculates that certain parts of California could see as much as 10 inches of rain or 4 feet of snow in the coming days.
The National Weather Service has been all over the storm coverage on social media.
A Twitter post from Thursday morning articulated the ominous forecast for California: "The atmospheric river event in California continues today with flash flood risks from northern to southern CA, heavy snow for the Sierra and northern and southern CA mountains, and high wind warnings/advisories remain in effect for much of the state."
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