Photos show how a 'bomb cyclone' is pummeling New York City with snow and ice

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A woman photographs a frozen fountain in Bryant Park, January 3, 2018 in New York City.

Early Thursday morning, a powerful winter storm hit New York City. The Nor'easter is expected to threaten the area with heavy snow, fast winds, and close-to-zero temperatures until Sunday, when it will make its way to Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Maine.

Meteorologists say that the storm is experiencing "bombogenesis," meaning rapid atmospheric pressure has fallen below 24 millibars in less than 24 hours. In other words, the low air pressure is creating an especially strong storm.

Take a look at how New York City is coping.