Bombogenesis on Central Coast?

A cool sounding weather term is making the rounds: Bombogenesis.

It’s a colloquialism for “meteorological bomb,” a phenomenon where a rapidly intensifying cyclone (or low pressure system) sees a pressure fall of 24 millibars in 24 hours, according to KION’s Chief Meteorologist Dann Cianca.

The American Meteorological Society glossary doesn’t officially recognize the term, most often used regarding strengthening storms over the North Atlantic.

Cianca says in our case, an extra-tropical cyclone (low pressure system) rapidly intensified overnight with a decrease in pressure of about 19 millibars. (From 1001mb to 982mb)

He also doesn’t expect it deepen further, staying between 984-986mb for the next six hours. That means this weather system doesn’t really qualify as a meteorological bomb (or bombogenesis).

While it may not have been bombogenesis, Cianca explains it was a rapidly intensifying cyclone, unusual for our area of the West Coast. The result was widespread wind damage and isolated bursts of hurricane-force winds.

One gust of 87 mph was recorded at Pacific Vista, just above Big Sur in the Santa Lucia Range. A tropical storm force gust of 71 mph was also recorded at the Salinas Airport.