What is Bombogenesis?

By By Kristen Rodman, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

January 24, 2014, 12:21:57 AM EST

Only a few weeks after the polar vortex surged through portions of the United States, yet another wintry weather phenomena is mounting concerns across the nation: bombogenesis.

As a snowstorm bears down on regions from the mid-Atlantic up through New England, the term bombogenesis has come to the forefront, but what is bombogenesis?

"It's a rapidly intensifying storm that is usually over the water," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said.

In order for the storm to develop, a warm and a cold air mass must clash, causing the storm to strengthen in a very short amount of time.

While this scenario is not necessarily uncommon during the winter months, in order to be classified as a bombogenesis the central pressure of the storm must drop 24 millibars in just 24 hours, according to Anderson.

The impacts of a bombogenesis can include rapidly strengthening winds and high precipitation rates, as well as thundersnow.

Have questions, comments, or a story to share? Email Kristen Rodman at Kristen.Rodman@accuweather.com, follow her on Twitter @Accu_Kristen or Google+. Follow us @breakingweather, or on Facebook and Google+.

Report a Typo

Weather News

Comments

Comments that don't add to the conversation may be automatically or manually removed by Facebook or AccuWeather. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.

More Weather News

Delta plane hit by lightning, forced to make emergency landing

Weather News - February 19, 2019, 9:36:45 PM EST

A plane bound for Atlanta was forced to make an emergency landing after it was struck by lightning on Tuesday night.
Live updates: Schools cancel classes in preparation for monster winter storm

Weather News - February 20, 2019, 2:18:18 AM EST

More than 200 million Americans, roughly 60 percent of the U.S. population, will be impacted by a major storm that is set to bring snow, rain, ice or a wintry mix to every state east of the Mississippi River.
Back-to-back storms to blast Plains to Upper Midwest with heavy snow through Sunday

Weather News - February 20, 2019, 3:14:55 AM EST

As the punches from Old Man Winter keep coming, two storms will unload heavy snow from the southern High Plains to the Upper Midwest through Sunday.
Tropical system to become a typhoon, may threaten Guam this weekend

Weather News - February 20, 2019, 3:00:57 AM EST

While the western Pacific Ocean has been quiet since Tropical Storm Pabuk struck southern Thailand in early January, a new tropical threat has taken shape.
Flu season peaks with widespread cases in US but falls short of last season's intensity

Weather News - February 19, 2019, 11:18:46 AM EST

Following a recording-breaking flu season of 2017-18, this flu season is currently not showing the same type of intensity at its secondary peak.
Over a dozen left dangling over water after winds cause gondola ride to malfunction at SeaWorld San Diego

Weather News - February 19, 2019, 11:23:32 AM EST

Firefighters performed a daring rescue Monday night after winds caused a gondola ride to malfunction at SeaWorld San Diego.
How are weather-related school delays, closures determined?

Weather News

Winter weather may bring road and driving conditions that can delay or cancel school operations, but who makes the decisions and how do they make the final call?
Tropical Cyclone Oma to batter New Caledonia into midweek, New Zealand and Australia on alert

Weather News - February 19, 2019, 11:25:01 AM EST

After battering parts of Vanuatu with heavy rain and gusty winds last week, Tropical Cyclone Oma will unleash dangerous weather on New Caledonia into Wednesday.