Huge Storm Blankets Much of Northern U.S.
January 6, 2015
A winter storm dubbed Gorgon, which formed over the northwestern United States on January 4, has in just 48 hours left a swath of snow more than 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) long from the Cascades and northern Rockies across the Midwest and into the East. Winter storm watches, warnings, and advisories have been issued for parts of 22 states, from Washington in the West to Washington, D.C., and New Jersey in the East. The storm is accompanied by brutally cold temperatures, which meteorologists predict will continue through tomorrow and Thursday.
Gorgon is largely driven by an energetic disturbance in the jet stream–the fast-moving ribbon of air some 30,000 feet (9,100 meters) above Earth, which usually blows in a general west-to-east direction across North America. The disturbance produced a low pressure system over the Northwest that zipped southeast across the Central Plains yesterday on its way toward the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic today. These systems are often referred to as “clippers.”
Additional World Book articles:
- Climate
- Weather
- Hot and Cold: Staying Healthy in All Weather (a special report)
- Weather Terms— Cloudy or Clear? (a special report)