Polar Vortex, Explosive Cyclogenesis, Wait…Isn’t it Just Called Winter !!!!

As we get set for another round of winter weather...(run out get the bread and milk...hurry)...better get used to the new high tech lingo !!!!

I've always been amazed on how these storms are covered by the mass media. If you watch any of the local TV coverage of these storms you would think we were on the verge of Armageddon, or The End of Days. Stories of snow plows lined up and ready to roll on command, people rushing the local Home Depot or Lowes to purchase sand, salt and shovels, and reporters embedded in the worst of the storm just so we all know how bad it is...(not)....these have always been a staple of the coverage, but now we've entered a new dimension....a dimension not of sight or sound, but of meteorological vocabulary. 

Polar Vortex, Cyclogenesis or Weather Bomb, just a few of the ways our basic snow events are now being refereed to. What the heck is going on here ???? I'm heading for the nearest underground bunker !!!!

I needed some answers so I spoke with our Kicks 105.5 meteorologist Bill Jacquemin from The Ct. Weather Center to shed some light on this new found weather vocabulary. "These are terms that have been around forever and always used by the meteorologist's", Bill said, "What happens is one person refers to the Polar Vortex in a forecast, not for any reason but to try and educate the viewers on specific weather events, someone picks up on it, and all of a sudden the term spreads all over the internet"...."It's a product of social media".

So in order to avoid mass hysteria the next time you hear the term Polar Vortex, or Bombogenesis to describe a weather system, impress your friends with this new found vocabulary. There's no need to text and tweet till your fingers bleed. These are weather terms and events that schooled meteorologist's have been using and dealing with since the dawn of time, there's nothing new going on here. Go back to your homes, relax, throw a few logs on the fire and face the fact that winter weather is winter weather no matter what name you call it.