What's a Bomb Cyclone?

Explosive cyclogenesis is the rapid deepening of an extratropical cyclonic low-pressure area. The change in pressure needed to classify something as explosive cyclogenesis is latitude dependent.

What is a cyclone bomb?

A "bomb cyclone" is headed for NSW over the next 48 hours, bringing with it a dangerous combination of heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, damaging winds and hazardous surf.

What happens during a bomb cyclone?

A bomb cyclone is simply a storm that intensifies very rapidly. Bomb cyclones form when air near Earth's surface rises quickly in the atmosphere, triggering a sudden drop in barometric pressure — at least 24 millibars within 24 hours. As the air rises, wind spirals in at the base of the storm.