Tens of thousands of homes in Washington state lost power Tuesday and downed wires or trees locked some highways as Northern California and the Pacific Northwest started feeling the effects of a powerful atmospheric river event,

Over a month’s worth of rain, hurricane-force wind gusts and feet of mountain snow are coming to parts of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California.

As an atmospheric river is expected to bring heavy rain and mountain snow to California, many are turning to Google to search the term "bomb cyclone." But what is that? In short, it's a rapidly intensifying storm system.