Bomb cyclones occur when the atmospheric pressure at the center of the cyclone starts to drop at a rapid rate. That is if the pressure drops at the rate of 1 millibar or more at the center of the cyclone every hour for 24 hours then it becomes a bomb cyclone.
These fast-developing storms are also known as bombogenesis. This happens when the warm air mass collides with cold air mass according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The name bomb cyclone is used because of the quick rate at which low pressure develops. These usually occur during the cold season.
The damage that a bomb cyclone causes can depend on the location and also the speed of the storm.
Now according to NOAA, the cyclone can cause blizzards, heavy snow winds, and even heavy rainfall due to the heavy precipitation.
Traveling can be pretty difficult during these times as they would affect both visibility and movement. There can be extreme winds and intense snowfall.
Flights would be canceled as it is risky to fly. Also, these extreme weather conditions can cause interruptions in the power supply.
The massive storm has been named Elliott and has affected areas over 2000 miles. This is from the Great Lakes near Canada to the Rio Grande near the Mexican border.