What Is 'Bombogenesis' And Will It Affect The Hudson Valley?

There is a major storm expected to hit the Northeast on Thursday, Jan. 4, but what's up with its crazy name? Besides the wild name, a big concern is if the storm will hit the Hudson Valley.

Well, for starters, 'bombogenesis' or 'bomb cyclone' is an extreme drop in atmospheric pressure, that produces heavy snow, blizzard conditions, high-speed winds and coastal flooding, according to Weather.com.

Winter Storm Grayson, which is the true name of the storm, is expected to drop 45 millibars in pressure in less than 24 hours, getting as low as 950 millibars. For reference, and for the average person who has no clue what that means, winter storms 'Nemo' and 'Stella' had pressures in the 970 millibar region.

A climate lecturer at Colombia University expects this storm to cause Hurricane Sandy level damage, according to Fox 5. The National Weather Service has already posted winter storm watches from Florida to Maine.

As of now, it doesn't look like the Bomb Cyclone Grayson will affect the Hudson Valley area. Weather.com reports that Poughkeepsie is expected to get only 1-3 inches of snow from the storm.

Check back for updates of the Bombogenesis Grayson and any closings and delays at our Storm Center.