1200856470

Huge waves crash against the sea wall at Porthcawl, south Wales as Storm Dennis hits the country on February 15, 2020. - As Storm Dennis sweeps in, the country is bracing itself for widespread weather disruption for the second weekend in a row. Experts have warned that conditions amount to a "perfect storm", with hundreds of homes at risk of flooding. (Photo by GEOFF CADDICK / AFP) (Photo by GEOFF CADDICK/AFP via Getty Images)

Photo by: GEOFF CADDICK

GEOFF CADDICK

Storm Dennis, When 2 Become 1 Menacing Bomb Cyclone

By: Dominique Vu

What is a bomb cyclone? And what’s up with Storm Dennis being such a menace in the UK?

February 15, 2020

We hear a lot of scary weather terms like polar vortex, stormquakes, and bomb cyclone. And right now, it’s all about Storm Dennis which crashes into the UK just days after Storm Ciara finished her wrath of heavy rain and extreme wind gusts.

Named by the U.K. Met Office, Storm Dennis has rapidly intensified into a bomb cyclone that is merging with another intense storm near Iceland and Greenland, resulting in blizzard conditions and powerful winds across Iceland and the UK over the weekend.

If it continues to rage on as predicted, it’s poised to rank as one of the most intense North Atlantic storms on record, according to Weather Underground weather historian Christopher Burt and British weather historian Stephen Burt.

According to Accuweather, “Storm Dennis exploded into a bomb cyclone on Thursday after its central pressure plummeted 1.38 inches of mercury (46 mb) in 24 hours. This incredible drop in pressure is almost two times greater than what is needed to be considered a "bomb cyclone," which is defined by meteorologists as a pressure drop of 0.71 of an inch of mercury (24 mb) over a 24-hour period.”

1200856470

Photo by: GEOFF CADDICK

GEOFF CADDICK

But let’s take a step back. What is a bomb cyclone?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines bomb cyclones as being formed by a process called bombogenesis, "a popular term used by meteorologists, occurs when a midlatitude cyclone rapidly intensifies, dropping at least 24 millibars over 24 hours. A millibar measures atmospheric pressure. This can happen when a cold air mass collides with a warm air mass, such as air over warm ocean waters. The formation of this rapidly strengthening weather system is a process called bombogenesis, which creates what is known as a bomb cyclone.”

Stormquakes: A Seismic Discovery

Two cataclysms become one.

Storm Research: Studying the Role of Extreme Weather in Our Planet's Climate

Storms seem to be getting bigger and badder every year.

The Science Behind Hurricanes

Hurricane season is back. Here’s what you need to know about these violent storms.

It looks like Storm Dennis is well on its way to making it mark in storm history and is set to run its course through the U.K. this Valentine’s Day weekend. Those in the North Atlantic, be prepared for extreme weather conditions and be safe.

You can follow the official Met Office Twitter for #StormDennis updates and precautions.

Next Up

Digital Twin Cities Can Shrink the Impact of Planet’s Largest Polluters

Cities are the planet’s largest emitters of greenhouse gas emissions, so they offer the greatest opportunity to tackle climate change. Hitting net zero emissions by 2050, a target set at the COP26 summit, could be achieved more quickly using city digital twins – working virtual replicas – that help track, manage and reduce environmental damage rapidly.

Global Meltdown: Scientists Race to Gather Crucial Climate Data from Glaciers

Glaciers store a vast amount of important climate data within their frozen rivers of snow and ice. But many of the world’’s 220,000 glaciers are under threat from global warming and are melting at an accelerating rate. Now scientists are in a race to gather long-frozen records of Earth’s past climate from the ice.

London’s River Thames Has Risen From the Dead

Now teeming with life, this once ‘biologically dead’ river is home to sharks, porpoises, and seals.

How a Lizard Loses Its Tail (and More Importantly, Keeps it Attached)

Thanks to a complex internal structure, lizards can shed a tail in a pinch… yet keep their tails attached when they need them.

Strange Flat-Faced Dinosaur Fossil is Discovered in Egypt

Scientists in Egypt have uncovered an odd-looking dinosaur with smaller teeth, stumpy arms, and a squashed face similar to a bulldog.

Ancient DNA Reveals New Evidence, Changing What We Know About Human Evolution

New DNA evidence found in sediment from Denisova Cave in Siberia reveal that it may have been a common meeting place that overlapped with Neanderthal, Denisova, and Homo sapiens. Could this have altered our evolution as modern humans?

Dolphin Doctors Appointments: The Future of 3D Scanning Marine Mammals

Drones, satellite tracking, and underwater acoustic devices have made a huge difference in understanding more about the lives of whales and dolphins. Now researchers are turning to 3D laser scanning to get more accurate data about their size, shape, and general health.

A 400-Year-Old Coral Offers Hope for the Great Barrier Reef

An incredibly resilient species of coral has weathered hundreds of years of coral bleaching and survived. What can this teach scientists about conservation?

How a Whale Song is Helping Scientists Map the Seafloor

The echoes of fin whale vocalizations are so powerful they can penetrate volcanic rock and sediment on the ocean floor. Scientists are using these seismic waves to learn more about the deep sea.

Biophilic Design is a Natural Recipe for Better Buildings and Healthier People

Large towns and cities are not always designed with green space and natural biodiversity in mind. But using biophilic design in outdoor and interior spaces means people can get more of the health and wellbeing benefits of interacting with nature right on their doorstep.