We ventured outside during New York City’s ‘bomb cyclone’ — and saw some of the city’s iconic landmarks covered in snow

New York City was hit on Thursday with a bomb – a coldbomb, that is.

Meteorologists call it a “bomb cyclone.”

It basically means a storm occurring outside of the tropics, whose central pressure falls at least 24 millibars over a 24-hour period. If it happens in the Northern Hemisphere – like New York City – the storm usually takes place between 30 and 60 degrees latitude.

While the temperature hovered in the 20s, the wind chill was below zero and wind gusts reached 48 mph. By 2 p.m., Central Park had received nearly 8 inches of snow.

Given such abnormal weather conditions, we ventured out into the streets to see how the city and its famously stoic people were handling it.

Here's what we saw:

When I walked out of the Business Insider office on 5th Avenue, the cold wind smacked me in the face and I noticed how empty the streets and sidewalks were.

There were few people out near the Flatiron building too.

And the line at in Shake Shack's original Madison Square Park location, which is normally really long, was non-existent.

Here's Time Square. It was really dark and desolate too. A lot of the lights were off.

Without many lights on, along with the sharp wind and dark haze that hung in the air, it was hard to see far ahead. The tower in the distant is where the New Year's ball is dropped.

The Empire State Building was practically camouflaged.

And here's the Plaza Hotel.

I then ventured into Central Park.

Here's the Plaza from a distance, veiled in a white haze.

While many people on the sidewalks looked frigid and uncomfortable, those in Central Park seemed to be having a blast.

A lot of kids and even adults were making snow angels.

Some, though, were huddled under the Inscope Arch.

Here's 5th Avenue just south of Central Park, which is filled with designer stores — but there weren't many shoppers out.

Nor were there any protesters outside Trump Tower.

Just a few pedestrians and people shoveling snow.

The Subways were empty as well, and some were using it to hunker down. An average of 15 people die between October and April every year in New York City from hypothermia or exposure to cold.

Souce: NYC Health

Here's a shot of one of the main subway terminals in Union Square, which is usually packed with people filing in and out.

Few people were in the park as well.

Just city workers shoveling and clearing snow.