It's recently become a weather buzzword, but is there any validity to the term, 'bomb cyclone?'

There are certain weather buzzwords that seemingly come out of nowhere.

In recent years, things like the polar vortex, atmospheric river and pineapple express have appeared in national weather headlines.

Most recently, the term "bomb cyclone" has exploded onto the scene.

Personally, I don't like the term. I think it's confusing to anyone without a meteorology degree at first.

(Those are just two of the questions I've gotten in recent years.)

A1. A cyclone is a technical term for a storm system.

A2. No, meteorologists don't put bombs in storms. I can barely get my laundry out of the dryer within 7-10 business days.

Basics of the "bomb"

A bomb cyclone is just an odd way of saying a storm is strengthening quickly.

When a storm strengthens, the wind around it tightens and the air rises more quickly.

When a storm undergoes "bombogenesis" or "explosive cyclogenesis," its central pressure drops by at least 24 millibars within 24 hours. This, in turn, creates stronger wind and heavier precipitation.

Is this new?

A storm undergoing rapid intensification is nothing new. The first paper about a storm "bombing out" was released in 1980.

The most recent example of a "bomb cyclone" was mid-to-late last week, in which a strong storm dumped feet of snow on parts of the Rockies, Cascades and Sierra Nevada.

Especially in the fall and winter, you'll get colder air masses that come in from Canada. Relatively speaking, the waters offshore are warmer.

That temperature difference generates instability, which allows storms to strengthen off our coast.

Oftentimes when you hear about Nor'Easters, those storms are in the process of "bombing out" off our coast. We'll most oftentimes get stronger winds as a result of a storm like that.