Q: What is a Nor’easter? What are some of its effects on our area?
A: Nor’easter’s are defined as strong storms of coastal or continental origin that are capable of producing hurricane force wind gusts. As a result, beach erosion and high waves that occur can cause damage to coastal areas. The name comes from the Nor’easter continually producing northeasterly winds from the ocean out ahead of the storm or over coastal areas. These type of storms usually affect the Mid-Atlantic and New England states capable of dumping heavy snow, rain, and wind. The motion of these storms is typically south-north. Our blizzard in 2003 was a result of a strong Nor’easter.
