A ‘Bomb Cyclone’ Storm is Hitting New York But What is It

Winter Storm Warnings are in effect from Florida to Maine, as a 'Bomb Cyclone' hits the east coast. But what is it and how will it affect central New York?

A 'bomb cyclone' or bombogenesis is basically a winter hurricane and "occurs when a midlatitude cyclone rapidly intensifies, dropping at least 24 millibars over 24 hours. A millibar measures atmospheric pressure. This can happen when a cold air mass collides with a warm air mass, such as air over warm ocean waters. The formation of this rapidly strengthening weather system is a process called bombogenesis, which creates what is known as a bomb cyclone," according to Noaa.gov.

WINTER STORM & WIND CHILL WATCH in CNY

In central New York there's a Winter Storm Watch from Thursday afternoon through Saturday afternoon. In addition to the dangerously cold wind chills, heavy lake effect snow could dump up to 15 inches in Wayne, Northern Cayuga, and Oswego counties.

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