The powerful nor’easter dumping snow across several states will likely escalate into a bomb cyclone and pour even more precipitation across the region just in time for the evening commute.

Millions were under winter weather alerts from Ohio through Maine as the storm system moved in early Tuesday morning, with some inland areas already seeing an inch of snow per hour.

And the storm could intensify into a bomb cyclone if pressure continues to drop as it approaches the coast  – potentially bringing strong winds and intensifying rain and snowfall, CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam reported.

Bomb cyclones form when a low pressure system storm drops by 24 millibars within a 24 hour period.

Winds can blow up to 50 mph during bomb cyclones – strong enough to topple conditions – and could lead to white-out conditions in the thick of accompanying snowfall, according Weather.com.

The coasts inside of I-95 are expected to see only rain even if the storm develops, but a swath of territory from Albany to Maine could see upwards of 8 inches falling before the storm is out.

Around the Lower Hudson Valley, about 3 inches were forecast to accumulate.

New York City, most of New Jersey, and coastal cities along the northeast are in the territories expected to be spared the snow and see just rain.

Though the morning commute in the metro area was largely spared the worst of the storm, the nasty weather is expected to continue well into the evening – likely leading to a messy and dangerous evening commute.