What is a nor'easter?
Most people across the eastern United States have heard the term nor'easter many times on the news and generally associate the term with bad weather and a storm. But what makes up a nor'easter?
It is true that some nor'easters bring snow and blizzard conditions, but that is not a criteria for this type of storm. Nor is there a requirement of high winds.
A nor'easter is any large storm that brings northeasterly winds along the Atlantic coast of North America, according to the National Weather Service.
Nor'easters tend to strengthen as they move northeastward along a strong temperature contrast zone, or a cold front, in the eastern U.S. Further strengthening can occur if the storm rams into high pressure sitting over southeastern Canada.
The word 'nor'easter' morphed from the word 'northeaster' used by New Englanders, and it became increasingly popular during the latter part of the 20th Century, according to Boston.com's Alan Wirzbicki.
The term 'northeaster' may have originated back in England and not New England during the 1700s.
Long before social media era, nor'easter became a go-to term to raise awareness to explain storm severity, similar to the more recent viral catch phrases such as 'superstorm' and 'snowmageddon.'
A man walks under heavy snow during a spring nor'easter, Wednesday, March 21, 2018, in Manville, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
AccuWeather meteorologists will generally not use the term unless significant impact to lives, travel and property are expected.
Such storms can occur during any month of the year but are much more common, and occasionally severe, from September to April.
Severe nor'easters can bring flooding rainfall, tremendous snowfall, blizzard conditions, damaging winds, rough seas and coastal flooding.
Examples of the most severe nor'easters are the Blizzard of 1888, Thanksgiving Storm of 1950, Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962, Blizzard of 1978, Halloween storm of 1991, Blizzard of 1993 which is also known as Storm of the Century, Blizzard of 1996, storm of mid-April 2007 and late-October nor'easter of 2011.
The remains of a shore front road lay on the beach near homes destroyed by a severe nor'easter that lashed the East Coast, Tuesday, April 17, 2007, in the Ferry Beach section of Saco, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Some nor'easters may fail to bring much adverse conditions well inland, such as over the Appalachians. These more compact versions may have significant impact limited to the immediate coast.
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