Winds from the Nor'Easter

[Mikebe]

Well, the Nor'Easter is gone. I went out and checked my boat today and all is well.

BTW, it's called a Nor'Easter because the track of the storm is to the north east. Really has nothing to do with the wind direction, just the path of the storm. These things barrel up the east coast from the gulf every winter, all winter long, colliding with the jet stream which is bringing in cold canadian air from the north. Most of them are just considered normal winter weather and are unremarkable, but occasionally you get one like this last one that makes everyone take notice. If it were summer, it would be the equivalent of a big tropical storm blowing up from the gulf.

[Timm Miller]

Similar to a hurricane a nor'easter is counter-clock wise turning cyclone (a storm system circulating around a center). Nor'easters are spawned by a very curvy Jet Stream that dips far south allowing cold arctic air to meet warm air. The warm air rises over the cold, creating instability up high and an area of low pressure below. Larger temperature differences create greater turbulence. Once the system is formed, the earths rotation causes the air to circle around the center (similar to when you drain the water out of your bath-tub). This creates the northeast wind, hence it's name nor'easter. They typically form near the Bahamas or north of Cuba, along the Appalachians or off Cape Hatteras. The Jet Stream plays a very important role also in the strengthening of the storm. As the incoming air rises around the center, the Jet Stream whisks it away further increasing the speed of the incoming air. The faster the air moves the faster the barometric pressure drops. Weather forecasters call a 24 millibar drop in 24 hours "The Bomb". Normal Jet Stream winter pattern is to follow the coast and consequently drags the storm northeast ward. Some time a High further north blocks its path and so it churns over the ocean for a long time sending beach-eating waves onshore. During the October to April nor'easter season February is the busiest month. Researchers say the biggest ones occur in October, January and March. What nor'easter don't achieve in wind-speed as compared with hurricanes, they achieve in duration (up to a week) and size (up to 1000 miles or more in diameter).

[beene]

A lot of what was said there does not make much sense to me, but then again, I have only studied Met and been reading weather patterns for almost 20 years, so I could be wrong.

[Mikebe]

I think Timm pretty much nailed it, at least as far as I understand Nor'easters. It is at least consistent with how the the local meterological folks around here explain it...

[kmclemore]

OK. Let's see if we can put this to rest....

The official definition, from the American Meteorological Society's Glossary of Meteorology, Second Edition; Todd Glickman, Managing Editor (ISBN 1-878220-34-9, approx. 850 pp., hardbound):

Northeast Storm - (Also called northeaster, nor'easter.) A cyclonic storm of 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.

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

I thought a Nor'Easter was a hat.

[kmclemore]

I thought a Nor'Easter was a hat.

Indeed.

Sou'wester:


Nor'easter:

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

I thought a Nor'Easter was a hat.

Indeed.

Sou'wester: Northern Hemisphere


Nor'easter: Southern Hemisphere

[Catigale]

[Chip Hindes]

I think you got them reversed.

[KayakDan]

Now that's a Sou'wester!

It was my first choice,but I went with a 26M instead.

[beene]

Hi Mikebe

It was mostly this statement...

This creates the northeast wind, hence it's name nor'easter.

.... that through me off the most. To say that ANY system based on a low pressure center creates only a northeast wind did not seem right to me. The wind it generates and the direction of its flow is determined by your location in relation to the low as I said in my earlier post.

Thanks KM for the info. It does seem strange to me that Met folks would say that the winds over the coastal area are from the NE because that all depends on where you are on the coast. It would seem the definition is based purely on one geographic location and its effect on it. Which would make sense for the local forecasters to say that the winds will be out of the Northeast, because it will be, for them, but not for those who live north of the system.

I like the hat description better. Where can I get one? Do I have to go to the Northeast, or just the local Canadian Tire?

[Mikebe]

Well, the met folks I've heard on the local news said it was called a nor'easter because of the track of the storm...to the northeast. Makes sense to me. If the wind is in a circular pattern, wind direction depends on where you are relative to the center, but the net wind direction would be the track of the storm....

[Catigale]

Ill take a stab at this - the winds change direction several times during these storms, but the winds associated with the most rain/snow come from the NE - picking up moisture from the Atlantic and dumping into the coastal regions..

I suspect thats where the name comes from, although the track of the storms is also NE of course.

[beene]

That's all fine and dandy, but where can I get one of those hats