Is "Bomb Cyclone" Click Bait?
John Gyakum, along with the revered late Massachusetts Institute of Technology meteorologist Fred Sanders, first coined the term in a paper they published in 1980. They used the phrase to describe powerful cyclones that get their energy from rapid drops in pressure caused by hot and cold temperatures colliding. Huff Post reports "Bomb cyclone” surged in popularity after The Washington Post published an article Tuesday afternoon comparing the storm to a winter hurricane, warning that winds could reach 70 mph in some parts of New England.
As a marketer and media consultant, I can't help but think this is a creative reach back for news organizations to grab those hard to reach and sustain eyeballs. As news orgs amp up competition for clicks and channel switching, the headlines have certainly become more provocative. For example, would a "Strong Winter Storm" really be as effective in grabbing our attention...in Winter? No. But a bomb? Yes! However, I think this borders on falling within the current considerations surrounding "fake news" and irresponsible journalism. In this media climate, I wouldn't recommend news orgs use it and I'm not alone. “In terms of trying to convey meteorological features to the general population, putting in words like that could confuse people more, or, for some people, alarm them,” National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini told HuffPost. Think about it, any mention of a bomb in today's society evokes extreme fear. While it may be officially correct, I am concerned to see news organizations using it if they thought for an instant this was something that would generate engagement. I would suggest we stick to "storms", "blizzard", "extreme winter wind and snow", or other terms that don't require a google search to fully understand. While it may capture our attention, I think most viewers are snickering and leaving with a chunk of integrity removed from the news source forever.
There is, however, one positive purpose for the term "Bomb Cyclone". It certainly has me googling "Who created Bomb Cyclone" and "What is a bomb Cyclone?" and...now...I...know. And, so do those who took the time to read my post.
Good Day!