The term "bomb cyclone" sounds scary, but truth be told, they occur about once a year off the east coast during the winter months.

Winter's harsh hold on the eastern U.S. shows no sign of easing up, with "dangerously cold temperatures" expected to persist.

A bomb cyclone, also known as bombogenesis, happens when a mid-latitude storm system strengthens very quickly, usually over the course of about 24 hours. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this rapid shift is marked by a sharp drop in air pressure.

When turbulent weather with whipping winds and heavy snow is in the forecast, meteorologists sometimes warn that a storm could “bomb out” or become a bomb cyclone. But what exactly does this mean? According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric ...