Bomb Cyclone Dissipating but Not Before Unleashing Heavy Snow and Other Disruptions

The bomb cyclone that exploded across parts of the East Coast over the weekend began to ease up by late Sunday. However, not before causing significant disruptions for millions of Americans already tired of the persistent winter weather. Read on for a look at the latest winter storm to unleash across the eastern U.S.

Record Snow Recorded in Parts of the Carolinas

A historic winter storm buried parts of the Carolinas in snow this weekend, snarling travel and bringing life to a halt for a part of the country not used to seeing this type of weather. Snow was observed as far south as Tampa, speaking to the rarity of this event.

The core of the storm focused on the Carolinas, with near-blizzard conditions reported in some parts of the region. The flakes coated several beaches in the Southeast before loosening their grip by early Sunday.

Widespread snowfall accumulations of 12 to 16 inches were reported in a zone from Charlotte to High Point, North Carolina. The mountain town of Faust notched 22.5 inches of snow out of this system. Other notable snow measurements included 19.5 inches in Peletier and 17.7 inches in Longwood. In addition to North Carolina, the hardest-hit areas of Tennessee, Virginia, and South Carolina also reported over a foot of snow.

Charlotte recorded 11 inches of snow, good enough to make it the fourth-highest 1-day snowfall total in the city's history. The coastal community of Wilmington picked up 5.8 inches. Nearby Morehead City recorded 11.4 inches, coming in as the highest-ranking snowstorm since this area's National Weather Service (NWS) office began keeping records in 1996.

The weekend storm ignited less than one week after a major ice storm triggered over 1 million power outages across the South. Over 100,000 customers are still in the dark across parts of Mississippi and Tennessee over one week later.

The snow from the latest system began to fall late Friday across the Southeast, intensifying as the system went through the process of bombogenesis. Conditions began to deteriorate quickly as crews struggled to keep the roads clear. High winds did not help the situation on the roads, creating blowing and drifting snow.

NC 12, the primary road connecting the Outer Banks, was forced to close due to the conditions. The heavy snow and winds were blamed for over 1,000 vehicular crashes in North Carolina and another 300 in Virginia. A crash involving over 100 vehicles shut down a stretchof Interstate 85 in Kannapolis, North Carolina. The National Guard was called up to help in clearing the highway.