at 7:07 AM by Tyler Smith

Nor’easter Impacting the East Coast

Weather terms can often be used inappropriately or without full understanding of the denotation of the word. The term Nor’easter (or Northeaster) is weather jargon to describe a large storm heading up the east coast. But what exactly is the criteria for a Nor’easter?

The American Meteorological Society defines a Nor’easter as:

“A cyclonic storm off the east coast of North America, so called because the winds over the coastal area are from the northeast. They may occur at any time of year but are most frequent and most violent between September and April. Northeast storms usually develop in lower–middle latitudes (30°–40°N) within 100 miles east or west of the coastline. They progress generally northward to northeastward and typically attain maximum intensity near New England and the Maritime Provinces. They nearly always bring precipitation, winds of gale force, rough seas, and, occasionally, coastal flooding to the affected regions.”

 

A large storm has been impacting the east coast for a number of days now, bringing heavy rain and flooding to parts of the East Coast. Here is the current infrared satellite view of the storm over the east coast, heading toward New England.

NASA Infrared Satellite
NASA Infrared Satellite