What is a bomb cyclone? Bombogenesis can happen in New Jersey
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What is a bomb cyclone? Bombogenesis can happen in New Jersey

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The The West Coast was hit of a “bomb cyclone” that brought deadly high winds, torrential rain and heavy snow that left hundreds of thousands without power.

The terms “bomb cyclone” or a storm undergoing “bombogenesis” may make you wonder what these scary sounding words mean and if it can happen in the Northeast.

Here’s what the winter weather phenomenon is and whether New Jersey should be worried about it.

What is a bomb cyclone?

A bomb cyclone is a potent cold-season coastal storm so named because of its explosive strength. Sometimes called a winter hurricane, it most commonly occurss October to March.

These storms grow stronger very quickly, when the storm’s barometric pressure drops very low, very quickly. That process is known as bombogenesisaccording to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

“This can happen when a cold air mass collides with a warm air mass, such as air over warm ocean waters,” NOAA said. “The formation of this rapidly strengthening weather system is a process called bombogenesis, which creates what is called a bomb cyclone.”

The resulting storms are strong and dangerous, packed with high winds and strong gusts, and saturated with precipitation that can produce torrential or blizzard-deep.

Where do bomb cyclones happen?

Bomb cyclones are common off the US East Coast during the winter months, although they can happen anywhere at any time.

In the northeast, bombogenesis is often triggered by cold continental air blowing into warmer ocean air, according to Weather channel. “Above that temperature contrast, a powerful, intensifying jet stream disturbance forces the air to rise, initiating the bombogenesis process.”

Nor’easters often qualified as bomb cyclones, where cold air coming south from Canada combines with the warm ocean water of the Gulf Stream.

Is the bomb cyclone coming to New Jersey?

New Jersey last saw a bomb cyclone in early 2022, when a powerful nor’easter dumped up to two feet of snow right after the new year. Delaware, Maryland and parts of Pennsylvania also felt the consequences.

Four years earlier, a historic bomb cyclone carried a blizzard that blanketed large parts of the Northeast in heavy snow.

None of the current forecasts or predictions indicate that the West Coast bomb cyclone could affect the Mid-Atlantic region, but the nor’easter season is just starting to ramp up and – despite current dry and mild conditions – winter is coming.

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