MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What is a “Bomb Cyclone”?

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What is a “Bomb Cyclone”?

With this crazy snow storm coming this weekend you’ve probably seen and heard this term a lot over the last week… Bomb Cyclone. But what is it?

A bomb cyclone is basically a winter hurricane. It is created by a process known as bombogenesis. Both really fun things to say… but not so fun to be in.

This is a lot of “weather speak” but A bomb cyclone occurs when a midlatitude cyclone rapidly intensifies, dropping at least 24 millibars (measurement they use for atmospheric pressure) over 24 hours. This tends to happen when a cold air mass collides with a warm air mass, such as air over warm ocean waters. That whole processes is called bombogenesis, which creates what is known as a “bomb cyclone”.

Good luck everyone. Bring on the snow!