I'm sure you have seen the term all over the web and social media. While this term sounds may sound scary, it really is not. In simple terms, it is just a very strong area of low pressure.
It receives the name "bomb" because it went through a strengthening phase called "bombogenesis." That is a meteorological term that means an area of low pressure rapidly intensifies by dropping 24 mb in 24 hours. This "bombcyclone" did just that over Colorado, but in an impressive 12 hours. Another phrase meteorologists use is that the low has "bombed out." This low is producing 80 mph winds and blizzard conditions across the Upper Plains and Front Range.
ypically, we see areas of low pressure "bomb out" off the coast of North Carolina and then become a Nor' Easter as the race up the U.S. East Coast.
There have been a few of these impressive areas of low pressure across the Plains and Great Lakes. The strongest was back on March 26, 1950 according to NOAA NCDC climate data records. The pressure back then dropped into the 960s mb!
Also, this is NOT a hurricane over land - some web stories called it that since the pressure was down to 970 mb. This low is over land, so therefore NOT a hurricane. It is also a cold-core low, not a warm-core like a hurricane.
This strong area of low pressure is also the reason why it has been so windy across SE Louisiana and New Orleans today. Winds have been sustained around 15-20 mph here with gusts to 30+ mph.
So there you have it...that is your Weather 101 by Dave Nussbaum for the day!