A historically powerful bomb cyclone devastated the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, killing at least two people and causing massive power outages that could last for days. The storm, which unleashed hurricane-force winds, toppled trees, and disrupted energy infrastructure, is now combining with an atmospheric river to bring life-threatening flooding across parts of the West Coast.

By Wednesday afternoon, over 290,000 homes and businesses in Washington were without power, with more than 70,000 outages reported in British Columbia. The storm’s destructive winds, which reached gusts of up to 77 mph, caused significant damage, including fallen trees, blocked roads, and mudslides. Emergency crews faced challenges accessing affected areas.

The impacts have been severe:

  • In Bellevue, Washington, a woman was killed when a tree fell on her home, while her husband was evacuated for safety.
  • Another woman died in Lynnwood when a tree fell on a homeless encampment.
  • Two people were hospitalized after a tree crushed their trailer in Maple Valley.

Tuesday night also saw an Amtrak train collide with a fallen tree, though no injuries were reported. In Seattle, Puget Sound Energy described the outages as a “mass event” that may take days to resolve.

The bomb cyclone, described as a once-in-a-decade event, underwent rapid intensification through “bombogenesis.” It set records for its intensity, with gusts over 100 mph off the coast and waves nearing 34 feet in the Pacific. While winds have begun to subside, the worst is not over.

The storm is now merging with a potent atmospheric river, bringing torrential rains that could cause catastrophic flooding, particularly in Northern California. Up to 16 inches of rain are expected in some areas, with significant urban flooding and landslides anticipated. In higher elevations, heavy snow is making travel treacherous, with major highways experiencing closures and restrictions.

As this system persists, another potential bomb cyclone is forecast to develop by Friday, threatening renewed heavy rain, strong winds, and further disruption.