‘Bomb cyclone’ term not alarmist, says meteorologist [Video]

The use of terms including “atmospheric rivers” and “bomb cyclones” to describe weather phenomena has moved out of scientific journals and into the mainstream in recent years, but meteorologist Cindy Day says there’s nothing alarmist about the language.

Day said that when used appropriately, such scientific language was necessary and could help people better prepare for the impact of extreme weather events.

Her comments came as Environment Canada warned much of coastal and interior British Columbia to brace for intense winds brought by a bomb cyclone, a non-tropical storm system caused by a rapid drop in atmospheric pressure at its centre.

Environment Canada said it could bring gusts of 120 km/h to the central and north coasts, with winds of 100 km/h or more elsewhere on the coast and Vancouver Island.

It said the winds were expected to peak Tuesday night with severe weather likely to continue into Wednesday.

“Some …