Is the 'bomb cyclone' in the US an anomaly or the new normal?

There is never going to be a good time for a massive polar blast to make its way across North America. But the timing of this 'once-in-a-generation' storm could not be worse, as millions of people get ready to travel for the holidays.
The icy storm is disrupting transportation, causing power outages and putting huge pressure on homeless shelters. Over half of the United States is estimated to be under a weather warning, with the huge storm stretching from coast to coast.