Meteorologists sometimes warn of a winter storm that could “bomb out” or become a bomb cyclone. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this happens when a storm's central pressure drops at least 24 millibars in 24 hours.

Millions of residents across multiple states in the U.S. have been warned to brace for a possible bomb cyclone, forecast to hit from Monday, December 29, through to the weekend, bringing heavy winds and wintry conditions, prompting the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue storm warnings and advise drivers not to travel unless it’s an emergency.

A drastic temperature fluctuation, severe winds, and chance of snow could make for a challenging week in the Washington, DC region.

While hurricanes are fueled by warm ocean waters, bomb cyclones are "cold-core" systems. They are typically triggered when a cold air mass from the north collides with a warm, moist air mass, creating a sharp temperature gradient that provides the energy for the storm to deepen quickly.

A High Wind Warning is in effect for all of southeast Michigan through the day Monday. These winds are strong enough to make travel difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles, and power outages are increasingly likely as the morning wears on.

A "bomb cyclone" is intensifying severe winter weather for millions of people across the U.S. The system is expected to knock out power and disrupt holiday travel.

A blizzard warning is in effect for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as a bomb cyclone — a rapidly intensifying winter storm — crosses the Great Lakes.

In Iowa, blizzard conditions eased but high winds were still blowing fallen snow across roadways, keeping more than 200 miles of Interstate 35 closed Monday morning. State troopers reported 193 calls for service from Sunday morning to Monday morning.

As the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region faces heavy snow and strong winds, thousands remain without power in Michigan.