'Bomb cyclone' forces DoorDash to pause food deliveries in multiple US cities. The company says more shutdowns are coming and New York City could be next.

• Winter Storm Elliot is intensifying into a "bomb cyclone," according to The Weather Channel.  
• DoorDash said it is pausing food deliveries in Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, and Indiana.
• Rolling shutdowns are expected in other cities as the storm intensifies, DoorDash said. 

Winter Storm Elliot is intensifying into a "bomb cyclone," forcing DoorDash to pause food deliveries in various parts of the Midwest and East Coast.

DoorDash, the nation's No. 1 delivery operator, is suspending operations in multiple cities in Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, and Indiana. Rolling shutdowns are expected over the next few days as the storm intensifies in other parts of the US, with New York City "teetering on the edge" of a possible pause in food deliveries, the company told Insider late Thursday night.

"We have activated our Severe Weather Protocol in response to Winter Storm Elliot," the company said. Major cities impacted include Grand Rapids, Minnesota; Des Moines, Iowa; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Rochester, Minnesota; St. Cloud, Minnesota; Ames, Iowa; Waterloo, Iowa, and Kalamazoo, Michigan.

According to The Weather Channel, Winter Storm Elliot is intensifying in the Plains, Midwest, and Great Lakes. The National Weather Service reports that "over 200 million people, or roughly 60% of the U.S. population, are
under some form of winter weather warnings or advisories across the U.S."

As the storm hits other cities, DoorDash said consumers can expect more food-delivery shutdowns. 

"We will be suspending operations in more locations depending on the conditions and local warnings over the coming days," DoorDash told Insider in a statement. "We have activated the protocol throughout the year due to various events, including hurricanes and blizzards."

The company said it is standard procedure to temporarily shut down food delivery services during hurricanes and severe blizzards to keep drivers safe.

"This is a significant winter storm which risks making travel extremely hazardous and in some cases impossible," DoorDash spokesperson Julian Crowley told Insider. "We are closely monitoring the difficult conditions on the ground and will resume operations as soon as it is safe to do so. Our thoughts are with local Dashers, merchants, and customers and we thank all of them for their understanding."