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
Rick JervisAs 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
Clay ThompsonExamples of bomb cyclone in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Snowfall and wind gusts are forecast to be strongest in North Carolina, where forecasters have warned a bomb cyclone will cause dangerous conditions.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
The storm may develop into a bomb cyclone—the term for a weather event in which atmospheric pressure drops sharply over a short period, causing high winds and snow.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 31 Jan. 2026
At the same time, a powerful bomb cyclone is expected to bring heavy snow, hurricane-force winds and coastal flooding to the Southeast.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
It is popularly referred to as a bomb cyclone.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bomb cyclone
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Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
The storm may develop into a bomb cyclone—the term for a weather event in which atmospheric pressure drops sharply over a short period, causing high winds and snow.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 31 Jan. 2026
At the same time, a powerful bomb cyclone is expected to bring heavy snow, hurricane-force winds and coastal flooding to the Southeast.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
It is popularly referred to as a bomb cyclone.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bomb cyclone
Cite this Entry
“Bomb cyclone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bomb%20cyclone. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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