'Bomb cyclone' threatens eastern US

The eastern United States, from Tennessee to New York, is bracing for strong winds and heavy snow in what is likely to be the first bomb cyclone of the 2022 winter season in the region.

A bomb cyclone is an intense weather event in which the barometric pressure drops quickly, causing heavy precipitation and producing powerful winds.

The heaviest snow will move into Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee on Thursday night, with up to 7.5cm of snow expected in the nation's capital, its second snowstorm in a week.

New York City could see up to 15.25cm of snow on Friday, forecasting service AccuWeather said.

Winter storm warnings are in place along much of the northeast coast, according to the National Weather Service, with heavy snowfall expected as far north as Maine if the storm strengthens fast enough.

"The farther north you go, the bigger the snow accumulations," AccuWeather's Chief Video Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.

Earlier this week, a winter storm unleashed heavy snow and strong winds throughout much of the US southeast and mid-Atlantic states, forcing schools to close, grounding planes and knocking out power.

Thousands of motorists were stranded overnight on a snowed-in highway in Virginia as blizzards made the Interstate 95 to the nation's capital impassable.