Strong storm could 'bomb' out off the Northeast coast, unleashing powerful winds and dangerous seas

THE TAKEAWAY: 

A powerful storm is expected to rapidly intensify off the New England coast and move into the Atlantic toward Canada as a cold front sweeps across the Northeast, bringing significant wind gusts and potentially hazardous conditions to the region.

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The area of low pressure developing along the cold front, which is expected to end the record-setting heat and usher in a fall chill, will move across the Northeast before shifting over the open Atlantic.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, the low-pressure system could undergo a rapid strengthening process known as bombogenesis.

Bombogenesis occurs when a mid-latitude cyclone's central pressure drops by at least 24 millibars within a 24-hour period. This rapid deepening is often described as a storm "bombing out" and is typically driven by a steep temperature contrast combined with powerful upper-level jet stream dynamics.

Beginning Friday, the system's surface low is expected to move across the Northeast with a central pressure of around 1,000 millibars.

However, some forecast models suggest that once the center of the low moves offshore, its central pressure could rapidly drop from around 1,000 millibars into the 970s or even 960s over the open Atlantic.

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Although the storm is expected to strengthen over open water, parts of the Northeast and areas along the coast could still experience significant impacts.

Strong winds are forecast across portions of the region, while higher elevations could see snow.

Because the low-pressure system is expected to remain offshore, prevailing winds along much of the Eastern Seaboard will blow from land toward the ocean.

This westerly to northwesterly flow generally reduces the risk of significant storm surge and coastal flooding along east-facing beaches.

However, powerful offshore winds can still create dangerous conditions, particularly for mariners and coastal communities.

Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph are possible along parts of the New England coast, including Boston, Binghamton and New York City.  

The strongest winds are expected over the open Atlantic and toward Atlantic Canada, where gusts of 60 to more than 70 mph could generate large, steep seas and dangerous marine conditions near Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

As colder air wraps around the deepening low-pressure system, rain in the higher elevations could turn to snow across the White and Green Mountains of northern New England.

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Some areas, including the Adirondacks, northern New England and northern Maine, could see 1 to 3 inches of snow.