Is a Bomb Cyclone Real or Just Media Hype?

You’ve probably seen the term splashed across headlines: “Bomb Cyclone Set to Slam East Coast” or “Explosive Weather Event Incoming!” But is the so-called “bomb cyclone” a legitimate meteorological threat — or just a scary name used to drum up clicks?

Despite its Hollywood-style name, the bomb cyclone is real, and meteorologists have been using the term for decades. Scientifically known as “bombogenesis,” it refers to a rapidly intensifying low-pressure weather system — where the central pressure drops at least 24 millibars in 24 hours.