bomb cyclone

noun

plural bomb cyclones

meteorology

: a powerful, rapidly intensifying storm associated with a sudden and significant drop in atmospheric pressure

Tens of thousands of utility workers were working over the weekend after the muscular storm—known as a "bomb cyclone" for its rapid pressure drop—battered neighborhoods from Virginia to Maine.—

Rick Jervis

As incoming air rises around the center of the storm, it gets carried off by the jet stream and that increases the speed of the incoming air. The faster the air moves, the faster the barometric pressure drops. In a really severe nor'easter, the pressure can drop 24 millibars in 24 hours. This is known as a "bomb cyclone."—

Clay Thompson

compare bombogenesis

Examples of bomb cyclone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Advertisement The result is blustery conditions converging on the center of bomb cyclones. —

Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2024 Fifteen minutes into the debut episode of Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s podcast, the power is knocked out by a bomb cyclone. —

Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024 Specifically, a storm must drop at least 24 millibars over a 24-hour period to qualify as a bomb cyclone, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. —

NBC News, 13 Jan. 2024 At least two bomb cyclone storms drubbed the Bay Area last year, including one in March that resulted in multiple deaths. —

Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2024 How a ‘bomb cyclone’ helped fuel California’s deadly storm. —

Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2024 The weather was part of a bomb cyclone that recently swept the nation, shutting down NFL games, freezing over oil plants, and turning Texas icey in its wake. —

Chloe Berger, Fortune, 17 Jan. 2024 Capitola was hit with a bomb cyclone that all but destroyed the pier. —

Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2024 How will the 'bomb cyclone' and polar vortex impact Cincinnati? —

Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 10 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bomb cyclone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.