The odd collection of weather words used in the media—such as "polar vortex"—are actually advanced technical terminologies for specific weather conditions. "Polar vortex" describes a wind pattern over the North and South Poles. "Bombogenesis" is a slang word used by meteorologists to describe a winter storm that forms quickly.
媒
體常會用一些奇怪的詞匯來描述天氣，但其實這些詞匯都是用來形容某種特殊天氣狀況的高級專業(yè)術(shù)語。比如，“極地渦旋”指的是在南極和北極出現(xiàn)的一種氣流?！罢◤椛伞北粴庀髮W(xué)家用來形容快速形成的一種冬季暴風(fēng)雪。
如何巧記這三個單詞？詞匯專家袁新民老師通過詞根詞綴，讓你舉一反三：袁老師幫你背單詞之冬天來了。

Why haven't we heard these words before? According to Chris Vaccaro, a spokesperson for the National Weather Service, meteorologists are using these terms to describe weather conditions in areas that don't typically see such events; the use of these words is then accelerated through social media.
那么為什么我們以前沒有聽到過這些詞呢？據(jù)美國國家氣象局的發(fā)言人克里斯·瓦卡羅稱，氣象學(xué)家們用這些詞匯來描述那些罕見地區(qū)的罕見天氣狀況，隨后這些詞通過媒體得到迅速傳播。

Here are three winter weather terms that are particularly apropos this winter.
以下三個天氣詞匯是最適合用來描述今年冬天天氣的三個新詞。

Polar Vortex
極地渦旋

詞匯專家袁新民老師說：
vortex/?v??teks;ˋv?rt?ks/ 是vertex的變體。即vort=vert轉(zhuǎn),-ex名詞后綴；風(fēng)、水等旋轉(zhuǎn)得很快形成的。

A polar vortex, also known as a circumpolar vortex, is a wind current that circulates above the North and South Poles. The currents sit like spinning hats above the Poles.
極地渦旋，又叫環(huán)極渦旋，是環(huán)繞在南極和北極上空的一股氣流，它就像一頂在極地上空不停旋轉(zhuǎn)的草帽一樣。

During the winter season, the northern polar vortex typically increases in strength as it is blanketed in 24 hours of darkness. Heat from the surface rises into the atmosphere and creates an area of low pressure above each Pole. The warm air becomes colder because of the lack of sunlight and is contained over the polar region by a jet stream.
冬天的時候，北極由于全天24小時被黑暗籠罩，因此極地渦旋的力度更強。陸地表面的熱量上升到大氣層中并在極地上空形成低氣壓。由于缺乏光照熱空氣變冷被高速氣流包裹在極地地區(qū)上空。

When the jet stream—a result of colder air over the polar region pushing up against warmer air—is strong, the air stays trapped in the vortex above the polar region. But when the jet stream is weak, undulations or kinks in the jet stream cause polar air streams to travel farther south, an arm of cold air breaking out of an icy circle.
當由于極地地區(qū)上空的冷空氣推動熱空氣造成的高速氣流很強的時候，空氣會被困在極地地區(qū)上空的渦旋中。而當高速氣流較弱時，來回波動糾結(jié)的高速氣流會導(dǎo)致極地空氣氣流向南快速移動，于是一股冷空氣就形成了。

The polar vortex itself is nothing new. It has existed for many years, and "it will continue to be there," says Vaccaro. The term "has appeared in meteorologist glossaries dating back to at least the 1950s.
"極地渦旋本身并不是一個新的現(xiàn)象，它已經(jīng)存在好幾年了，而且“還會繼續(xù)存在”，克里斯說。這個詞出現(xiàn)在氣象學(xué)詞匯的時間可以至少追溯到二十世紀五十年代。

Bombogenesis“炸彈生成”

詞匯專家袁新民老師說：
bomb屬于擬聲詞。
詞根gene或gen表示“生，產(chǎn)生”，作為后綴的-sis表示“過程，活動，狀態(tài)”。
作為整體構(gòu)詞成分，-genesis 表示“起源”， “形成”，“發(fā)源”，“創(chuàng)造”，“演變”。

Bombogenesis is meteorological slang that describes a rapidly developing storm system as noted by the raid fall of its central pressure. The word originates from "cyclogenesis." Bombogenesis is a form of cyclogenesis. "The so-called 'bomb' is when the barometric pressure drops sharply," said Vaccaro. The lower the barometric pressure, the stronger the storm.
“炸彈生產(chǎn)”是用來描述一種迅速發(fā)展的暴風(fēng)雪，它的特點是其中心氣壓的快速突襲。該詞起源于詞匯“氣旋生成”?！罢◤椛伞笔菤庑傻囊环N。“所謂的‘炸彈’就是指大氣壓迅速下降的時候?！笨死锼拐f。大氣壓越低，風(fēng)暴越強。

This type of storm is common on the East Coast. For instance, many nor'easters are created through bombogenesis.
這種類型的暴風(fēng)雪在東海岸很常見。比如許多東北風(fēng)都是由它形成的。

Meteorologist John Bolaris at was the first to use the term "bombogenesis" to describe the large, fast-moving snowstorm that was heading toward the East Coast. NPR journalist Mark Memmott noticed the unusual word and wrote his own article called "What Is This Bombogenesis And Why Is It Dumping Snow On Us?" Memmott's story went viral and brought national attention to the word.
氣象學(xué)家約翰?博拉瑞斯在Philly網(wǎng)站上首次使用“炸彈生成”來描述當時正在向東海岸移動的劇烈、迅猛的暴風(fēng)雪。美國國家公共廣播之聲的記者馬克?麥默特注意到了這個特別的詞并撰寫了一篇文章名為《“炸彈生成”是什么以及它為什么會帶來大雪》。馬克的這篇文章像病毒一樣迅速傳播，引起了大家對這個新詞的關(guān)注。

Williwaw
火地島重力風(fēng)

詞匯專家袁新民老師說：
williwaw的詞源不確定，一種可能是willy-willy即whirly（旋轉(zhuǎn)的）,whirlwind（旋風(fēng)）的縮略變體。

"Williwaw" describes a violent windstorm created when gravity pulls high-density cold air down from a mountain to the sea. Williwaw is a colloquial word for a katabatic wind in Alaska, where the strong winds can be dangerous for local fishermen.
火地島重力風(fēng)指的是由于重力的緣故形成的攜帶稠密空氣的劇烈風(fēng)暴。它是一個口語詞匯，用來指阿拉斯加的一種重力風(fēng)，這種強風(fēng)對當?shù)氐臐O民非常危險。

The origin of the word "williwaw" is unknown; the Oxford Dictionary dates the use of the word back to the middle of the 19th century. And if you want to impress your friends, you should also learn the term "katabatic winds." That's a term meteorologists use to describe gusts of wind associated with the buildup of dense air. And such winds aren't confined to cold areas.
這個詞的起源并不清楚。牛津詞典上該詞的使用可以追溯到二十世紀中期。如果你想在你的朋友面前酷一把，那你還得知道“重力風(fēng)”這個詞。這是氣象學(xué)家們常用來形容集結(jié)了稠密空氣的陣風(fēng)。這種風(fēng)并不局限在寒冷地區(qū)。

Another famous katabatic wind is known as a Santa Ana, which blows over southern California in autumn and winter. Santa Anas are warm, dry winds created when air is compressed as it moves down a mountain range. These dry katabatic winds are associated with spreading wildfires.
另外一種有名的重力風(fēng)是桑塔阿那風(fēng)，它出現(xiàn)在加州南部的秋天和冬天。桑塔阿那風(fēng)是溫暖、干燥的風(fēng)，是空氣在向山脈移動的過程中被壓縮而形成的。這種干燥的重力風(fēng)常會導(dǎo)致野火蔓延。

Now to try using these new words in a sentence.
好啦，現(xiàn)在你就可以開始秀這三個新詞啦。