Huge ‘bomb cyclone’ storm hits US with life-threatening cold as holidays begin

More than 60% of US faces winter weather warnings, with temperatures drastically below normal in many places

A wild winter storm continued to envelop much of the US on Saturday, bringing blinding blizzards, freezing rain, flooding and intense cold close to record lows in some areas. More than a dozen deaths were attributed to the storm, if not confirmed, and holiday travel and utility services stood disrupted for millions.

Forecasters said the weather system, called a “bomb cyclone” or “bombogenesis”, was caused by a volatile collision of cold, dry air from the north and a warm, moist airmass from the south.