Bombogenesis

[jducoeur]

One of the things I most love about storms like this is that the weathercasters start using the word "bombogenesis". Which is, let's face it, simply a great word -- the "smock" of weather...

Comments

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

Yesterday's commentary at NOAA mentioned that this particular bombogenesis (which I had to look up: I knew cyclogenesis) was going to be close to a record: 24 points in 24 hours of barometric movement.

[baron-steffan.livejournal.com]

Is that made up to sound like an actual derivation (like "discombobulate" or "bodacious" or "cantankerous") or is there an actual Greek root "bombo-"? And if so, what does it mean?

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

Two partial answers:

1. Bombogenesis seems (as far as I can tell) from the earlier term "bomb" or "weather bomb".

2. The word "bomb" is "from French bombe, from Italian bomba, probably from Latin bombus a booming sound, from Greek bombos, of imitative origin; compare Old Norse bumba drum".