Topic: Oct 08 Northeast storm misnomer?

[Sigdigit]

Why are the weather websites (specifically Accuweather) referring to this storm as a Nor'easter?  I always thought a Nor'easter is a storm moving up the East coast accompanied by strong Northeast winds.  These winds are Northwest.  Who is right?????????

[tweatherman]

The wind direction depends on where the center of the low pressure is located at. If the center of low pressure is to the se of a location the winds will be out of the nw. Wind direction is counter clockwise around a low pressure system.

Tim

[George Richardson]

Well, to show my ignorance and the fact that I'm not from New England, I thought a Nor'eastern was a storm that blew out of the North Atlantic and down across New England. While not rare, not common either and usually a fierce storm.

JMO

George

[Sigdigit]

Well, I can vouch for fierce.  Even though my highest gust was only 25 mph, combined with the wet snow it knocked my power, cable, and phone service out for 28 hours!  Glad I broke down last year and finally got a generator, it was worth the investment.  Thanks for clarifying the definition.  I always thought a Northeast wind was one of the defining characteristics.  Makes sense about the counter-clockwise direction of circulation around a low.

[NiceBill]

There is a very simple definition of a Nor-Easter as I remember it.

When we lived in Up State N.Y., we had a two story New England type home. Five bedrooms on the second floor.  Often during the winter months we would get up and some day light would be noticeable.
Upon getting ready for the day and then going down stares for breakfast, and it was dark, you defiantly knew you had a Nor-Easter.

Additionally, generally the rode to town was eight mi.  After a Nor-Easter it was thirty five mi. to go around the hills.

Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[Sigdigit]

That about sounds like how we had it in Northern NJ Bill!  I was very surprised by this one, first time in my memory such a storm has struck so early in the season.  My town got about 1-2 inches of slushy wet stuff and over 3 inches of rain, while the next town over got 11" of snow!  I was lucky, I had the day off, it was nice to just sit around feeding the wood stove instead of running the gauntlet of wires and trees down all over the place.