'Bomb Cyclone' In Pennsylvania: Latest Updates

A powerful winter storm arrived to the Philadelphia area Thursday morning, bringing snow, whipping winds and frigid temperatures. Snow began falling at a steady pace in the morning and got heavier into the afternoon. Several main roadways closed due to crashes and police from across the area warned people to stay home if possible.

Between 4 and 7 inches was expected to fall in the Philadelphia region when all is said and done, the National Weather Service predicts. Some snow totals have been announced, but as of 3:50 p.m., the totals are still being measured.

Click here to see the current snow totals for Pennsylvania.

A Winter Storm Warning is in place through 7 p.m.

Many area school districts have already announced plans to close Friday, including Philadelphia School District.

Here are the latest incidents and updates:

• Fiery Crash In Snowstorm In Franconia
• Crash Closes Swamp Road In Newtown
• Crash Closes Northeast Extension From Quakertown To Lansdale
• Heavy Traffic On 202 From West Chester To King Of Prussia
• Hundreds Of Flights Canceled At Philadelphia Airport

According to the National Weather Service, the combination of heavier snow and gusty winds will result in considerable blowing and drifting snow and untreated roads will be treacherous throughout the day and overnight.

Local police departments reported poor road conditions Thursday. Several crashes and accidents were reported across the region. Click here for updates.

Luckily, few power outages have been reported. (More on power outages here.)

Hundreds of flights out of Philadelphia International Airport have been canceled. A FAA ground stop was announced for flights on the ground waiting to depart for PHL from other airports due to weather, the airport announced. Travelers should check with their carrier before heading to the airport.

SEPTA is reporting some delays and cancelations. Check here for updates.

A "bomb cyclone" can happen when a cold air mass collides with a warm air mass, such as air over warm ocean waters, according to the National Weather Service. "All storms are cyclones, and genesis means the creation or beginning," AccuWeather says. "In this case, bomb refers to explosive development. Altogether the term means explosive storm strengthening."

If you'd like to see what it looks like on satellite imagery, click here.

We will be updating this post throughout the day to bring you the latest updates. Please check back.

Also See: What Is A Bomb Cyclone?

Main image: windy.com