Don’t hate me, but record-setting cold and snow are about to sweep across the U.S.

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It’s April. I know. Flowers should be blooming, outdoor lunches should be starting. 

But that springtime reality is a long way off for tens of millions of Americans. For people living across the Upper Midwest, Great lakes, Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic, and New England, an Arctic blast and series of storm systems will make it look and feel more like February during the next week. 

There are now three separate storms threatening to bring snow to parts of this swath of the country between April 4 and April 12, as bitterly cold air — courtesy of the polar vortex — blasts its way south and east to the Atlantic seaboard.  Read more…

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View More Don’t hate me, but record-setting cold and snow are about to sweep across the U.S.

Bus narrowly dodges car on snowy road in nerve-shredding dashcam footage

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If ever you need a reason not drive in snowy conditions unless it’s absolutely necessary, just remind yourself of the clip above.

Titled “Stay in people Red snow alert!!” and presumably filmed in Scotland (where the Met Office recently issued a Red warning, which means the risk to life is “likely”), the video shows dashcam footage of a bus swerving to avoid a car on a snow-covered road.

Props to the bus driver — he handles the whole incident like an absolute pro.

Meanwhile, the reaction of the guy in the car that’s filming pretty much says it all. Read more…

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View More Bus narrowly dodges car on snowy road in nerve-shredding dashcam footage

Save big with Amazon on wireless chargers, Bluetooth speakers, and more today

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If you’re upgrading to a new phone, odds are it probably h…

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Japanese swordsman absolutely destroys a few unlucky snowmen

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Tokyo saw its heaviest snow in four years on Monday, and on Tuesday morning Twitter user @kodomokyojin took the opportunity to play samurai. 

While using some very legit moves, he mows down Frosty’s entourage. His sword techniques are badass, but what’s especially impressive about this video is the attention to detail on the first three snowmen. 

They have entire necks, complete faces, and between three to five fingers per hand — all of which the samurai handily destroys.

It’s unclear whether @kodomokyojin made the snowmen himself or simply had the fun of destroying them, but either way the video is oddly satisfying to watch. Read more…

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We’ve never seen an East Coast winter storm intensify as fast as the ‘bomb cyclone’

The “bomb cyclone” that slammed the East Coast on Wednesday and Thursday exceeded weather forecasters’ expectations in nearly every way. It  dumped more than a foot of snow on the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, including 16 inches in Islip, Long Is…

View More We’ve never seen an East Coast winter storm intensify as fast as the ‘bomb cyclone’

What sparked the ‘bomb cyclone’? Huge temperature contrasts, jet stream energy

It all started innocently enough. 
Shortly before New Year’s celebrations kicked off in the Southeast, a record-cold air mass blew in from the north. This air had a direct connection to the Arctic, spilling out as if someone left the Northern He…

View More What sparked the ‘bomb cyclone’? Huge temperature contrasts, jet stream energy

A meteorological ‘bomb’ is set to go off along the East Coast, and dangerous cold will soon follow

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An unusually powerful storm is threatening the East Coast of the U.S. this week with heavy snow, high winds, and record-shattering cold not seen in some places since the early 20th Century — if at all. 

The storm will be the result of a combination of three strong pieces of atmospheric energy, known to meteorologists as shortwaves. 

Think of these shortwaves as protein bars for storm formation. This particular storm, which is already beginning to form off the coast of Florida, will devour enough of them to allow it to become so powerful that it will contain hurricane force winds by the time it moves off the Mid-Atlantic coast late Wednesday night.  Read more…

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View More A meteorological ‘bomb’ is set to go off along the East Coast, and dangerous cold will soon follow

There’s a ton of snow in Buffalo, and also a football game if you can see through it

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If you hadn’t heard, snow finally came to the Northeast this weekend. 

The wintry pounding continues in frigid Buffalo, New York, with intense lake effect snow bands — and even some lightning — hitting the area.

Image: Radarscope via Andrew Freedman

Such snow bands occur when cold air blows over the relatively warm water of a lake picking up moisture, and dumping it as snow in downwind areas (h/t to Mashable weather wizard Andrew Freedman). Buffalo, unsurprisingly, is one of the most lake effect prone cities in the U.S., due to to its proximity to Lake Erie.

But it’s Sunday, folks, and there’s football to be played. Read more…

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View More There’s a ton of snow in Buffalo, and also a football game if you can see through it