What is a bomb cyclone? What to know about the weather phenomenon

A rare bomb cyclone could possibly form this week as a massive winter storm wallops most of the central and eastern U.S. with heavy snow, high winds and dangerous wind chill temperatures, affecting millions of Americans in its path. Meanwhile, flooding is threatening the northeast. The storm is already snarling holiday travel plans and prompting warnings from officials to remain vigilant.

Whenever the weather phenomenon known as a bomb cyclone is mentioned by meteorologists, Google searches for the phrase start to spike — and we're seeing the same trend this week.

Here's everything you need to know about bomb cyclones, and how you can prepare for them.