West Coast 'bomb cyclone,' Thanksgiving travel, Toys R Us' comeback: 5 things to know Wednesday

Editors, USA TODAY

Bombogenesis: 'Unprecedented' bomb cyclone to blast Northwest

A rare West Coast “bomb cyclone” is forecast to sweep into southern Oregon and northern California into Wednesday, bringing 100-mph wind gusts to the coast and multiple feet of snow to the mountains. "This is an unprecedented storm given the track and strength and will bring very dangerous conditions to the area," the National Weather Service in Medford, Oregon, said. As it approaches the coast, the storm is forecast to undergo what's known as bombogenesis, which is said to occur when a storm's central barometric pressure drops at least 24 millibars in 24 hours. The lower the pressure, the more powerful the storm. The weather service said this storm could rival some of the most intense storms on record for that part of the country.

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Wednesday afternoon is the worst time to drive for Thanksgiving

If you're driving for the Thanksgiving holiday, you should get going: The worst time to hit the road is Wednesday afternoon, according to INRIX, a global transportation analytics company that partners with the American Automobile Association to compile holiday travel data. If you plan on driving in the late afternoon or early evening (5 to 7:30 p.m.) around Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, Boston or Houston, your trip could take up to 3½ times longer than usual. The traffic jams start early in San Francisco (2-4 p.m.) and Washington (3-5 p.m.). AAA predicts record-breaking numbers on the road and in the air this year.

It's Turkey Wednesday. Also known as Black Friday for grocery stores

Supermarkets have their own big shopping day, one that sees store traffic often double in volume. Not surprisingly, it is the day before Thanksgiving, or what data analytics firm Placer.ai calls Turkey Wednesday. According to the company, "there may not be a bigger day for grocers." Whole Foods, Albertsons, Kroger, Publix, Safeway, Stop & Shop and Giant all see huge traffic surges the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Although most consumers have likely already purchased a turkey by then to celebrate the holiday, there always seem to be some side dishes, fixings, or condiments that get forgotten until the last minute.

Some call it 'Black Wednesday,' others 'Drinksgiving': Please be safe!

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is often a time when people reconnect with friends and family, but it has also become a night of binge drinking for many. Some bars have embraced the holiday with drink specials, but Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) recognizes it as one of the most dangerous days of the year because of an increased number of drunk drivers on the road.

Toys R Us is back in business with first store

Seventeen months after Toys R Us shuttered its last U.S. stores, the iconic toy brand’s comeback resumes Wednesday as new parent company Tru Kids Brands opens its first retail Toys R Us store at Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey. “These stores are fundamentally different from the Toys R Us stores that you’ll remember from the past,” Tru Kids Brands CEO Richard Barry told USA TODAY in October. “They are smaller, very immersive, experimental as well.” The new company also opened two “toy wonderlands” called Toys R Us Adventure in Chicago and Atlanta last month and rolled out a new e-commerce website and partnership with Target.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Thanksgiving travel, 'bomb cyclone': 5 things to know Wednesday