What is a Nor'easter?

3/23/2018 (Permalink)

A picture of the Storm from above!

For those of you who have not been watching the news lately (I know its hard), the east coast just experienced its FOURTH Nor'easter this season.  These storms cause heavy damage to the coast and can drop a ton of snow mixed with high winds. 

So what exactly is a Nor'Easter?

A Nor'easter is a macro-scale cyclone!  The winds travel northeast to southwest and typically will hit the states in New England and Mid-Atlantic states.  These storms can cause severe costal flooding, coastal erosion, hurricane force winds and even blizzard like conditions.  They will typically occur between October and March. 

The storms begin to form when warm Gulf stream current meets the cold Canadian air masses. When the two meet, it causes a massive drop in pressure, thus forming a massive cyclone.  These storms can have devastating effects on homes and businesses as well as transportation. 

Thankfully, we don't get those out here in Chicago!