A bomb cyclone can pack a powerful punch similar to a winter hurricane, bringing high winds, heavy snow, blizzard conditions, and widespread power outages across large areas.

As recovery from a historic ice storm continues across parts of the South, a new and potentially dangerous winter weather threat is set to unfold along the East Coast.

For New York, the primary concerns would be gusty coastal winds and the potential for light to moderate snow, depending on how close the storm tracks to shore — something that will become clearer over...