A powerful early-season nor’easter is expected to stall off the Northeast coast this weekend, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and coastal flooding from the Mid-Atlantic to New England.
The storm will strengthen off the East Coast Friday and track north before stalling east of New Jersey and south of Long Island, according to the National Weather Service. Rain will spread inland Friday afternoon and continue through the weekend, with some areas potentially seeing several inches of rain.
How much rain could fall?
The heaviest rainfall is expected along the northern Mid-Atlantic coast and southern New England, according to the Weather Prediction Center.
- New Jersey to southern New England: Widespread rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are possible Saturday across parts of the region, according to the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center.
- Southern New England: Heavy rain could create flooding in urban and poor-drainage areas, with additional rainfall possible Sunday as the nor’easter lingers offshore.
- Eastern Massachusetts: The threat could last into Monday. The Weather Prediction Center expects the highest rainfall totals in this area Monday as the coastal low finally begins to pull away. The cumulative effect of several days of rain could lead to flooding in poor-drainage locations.
The exact location of the heaviest rain will depend on how far inland the storm moves. The Weather Prediction Center said Friday that the heaviest rainfall would remain offshore initially, with the threat increasing Saturday as the storm approaches and stalls.
What other impacts are nor’easter?
- Strong winds: Gusts could top 50 mph, especially along the coast, with the potential for power outages.
- Coastal flooding: Persistent onshore winds could push water toward the coast, leading to moderate to major coastal flooding in some areas.
- Rough surf: High surf, dangerous rip currents and beach erosion are possible along the coast.
- Lingering storm: The nor’easter is expected to weaken Sunday but could linger near the northern Mid-Atlantic coast into early next week before moving toward the Canadian Maritimes.
What is a Nor’easter?
A Nor’easter is a storm along the East Coast of North America that typically blow over coastal areas. These storms can occur at any time of year but are most frequent and most intense between September and April, according to the National Weather Service.
Nor’easters usually develop between Georgia and New Jersey, within about 100 miles of the coast, and generally move northeastward, reaching maximum intensity near New England and the Canadian Maritime Provinces. They often bring heavy precipitation — rain or snow — along with gale-force winds, rough seas and sometimes coastal flooding.
How do Nor’easters develop?
The U.S. East Coast provides an ideal environment for Nor’easters. In winter, the polar jet stream pushes cold Arctic air south across Canada and the U.S., then east toward the Atlantic Ocean, according to the National Weather Service. At the same time, warm air from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic moves northward. The contrast between the cold land air and relatively warm coastal waters — kept mild by the Gulf Stream — fuels these storms, creating the strong winds and precipitation that define a Nor’easter.
Why is it called Nor’easter?
It’s called a Nor’easter because of the direction of the prevailing winds during the storm. In these systems, the winds along the coast usually blow from the northeast.
How do Nor’easters differ from tropical storms or hurricanes?
Nor’easters are typically associated with colder seasons and form from a temperature contrast between cold Arctic air and relatively warm Atlantic waters.
Tropical storms and hurricanes form over warm tropical or subtropical waters, and predominantly develop in warmer months.
Nor’easters also have a larger wind field, while tropical storms have a well-defined eye with the strongest winds near the center.
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Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the nation as the Weather Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network and contributes to Texas Connect coverage across the state. She can be reached at baddison@usatodayco.com. Follow her on Facebook here.