A powerful storm has ravaged the US Pacific Northwest, leaving destruction in its wake.
Starting Tuesday, the storm, dubbed a “bomb cyclone,” unleashed devastating winds, heavy rain, and widespread power outages, impacting millions in Washington, British Columbia, and northern California.
The Weather Prediction Center issued severe warnings, with hurricane-force winds and excessive rainfall causing chaos across the region.
In Washington state alone, crews worked tirelessly to restore power to over 650,000 people. As the storm system intensified, more than 100,000 people in British Columbia were also without power.
The storm’s strength, with winds consistent with a category 4 hurricane, caused trees to fall, damaging homes and infrastructure.
In western Washington, the deadly force of the storm claimed the lives of two women, one killed by a falling tree in a homeless encampment in Lynnwood, and another in Bellevue when a tree crushed her home.
Severe weather events like the Pacific Northwest storm highlight the growing threat of climate change.Blizzard and avalanche warnings have been issued in the mountainous regions, as the atmospheric river—an intense plume of moisture—delivers relentless snow, rain, and powerful winds.
These “rivers in the sky” can bring destructive flooding and drought relief.
As this storm moves southward, rainfall could reach up to 20 inches in parts of Oregon and northern California by Friday.
Meanwhile, New York City is facing its first drought warning on the East Coast in over 20 years, with reservoirs at dangerously low levels. Despite some rain expected to fall through Friday, it is unlikely to alleviate the drought conditions.
New York City’s fire risk remains high, with wildfires already affecting thousands of acres of land in New Jersey and New York.
As scientists warn that climate change is intensifying extreme weather events, the Pacific Northwest’s latest storm serves as a stark reminder of nature’s destructive power.
The storm’s path, combined with rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns, underscores the urgency to address climate change and its environmental impacts.