US braces for 'bomb cyclone', heavy snow expected

Boston

A RARE type of winter storm hit the US South-east on Wednesday, dumping snow on Florida's capital for the first time in three decades and snarling travel, while New England braced for a "bombogenesis" blizzard forecast to bring heavy accumulations on Thursday.

Bombogenesis, also known as a bomb cyclone, occurs when a storm's barometric pressure drops by 24 millibars in 24 hours, greatly strengthening the storm.

The governors of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia declared states of emergency, warning residents to expect icy roads and freezing temperatures. In the north-east, work crews loaded trucks with road salt in advance of the storm.

The New York City Department of Education said it would close public schools on Thursday because of severe weather. The National Weather Service predicted New York could see 13-20cm of snow and …