"Bomb cyclones" may sound rare, but they happen more often Than you might think, with occurrences logged as recently as 2004, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, and even 2017. This severe weather pattern may be brutal in the Winter but a "bombogenesis" can occur year-round ? and was seen in both 2004 and 2010. But It's worth noting that those "Bomb cyclones" can be devastating in Winter, since they bring blizzard-like conditions as a result of cold air from the North colliding with warm ocean temperatures from the Gulf.
What's most concerning about this particular winter weather "bomb" is that the longer duration and severity are being observed as a result of generally warmer climates worldwide. As the Associated Press (via ABC News) reports, the majority of the planet is warmer Than usual while the United States freezes, with many areas reaching record lows. The "Bomb cyclone" phenomena is yet another example of bad weather occurring over days as opposed to years long shifts in climate.