Information AboutNor'easter |
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A nor'easter (also '''northeaster'''; see below) is a macro-scale Storm whose Wind s come from the Northeast , especially in the coastal areas of the Northeastern United States and Atlantic Canada . More specifically, it describes a Low Pressure Area whose center of Rotation is just off the coast and whose leading winds in the left forward quadrant rotate onto land from the northeast. The precipitation pattern is similar to other Extratropical Storm s. They also can cause coastal Flooding , Coastal Erosion and Gale Force winds. CHARACTERISTICS Nor'easters are usually formed by an area of vorticity associated with an upper level disturbance or from a kink in a frontal surface that causes a surface low pressure area to develop. Such storms often move slowly in their latter, frequently intense, mature stage. Until the nor'easter passes, thick dark clouds often block out the sun. During a single storm, the precipitation can range from a torrential downpour to a fine mist. Low temperatures and wind gusts of up to 90 miles per hour are also associated with a nor'easter. On very rare occasions, such as the North American Blizzard Of 2006 , and a nor'easter in 1979, the center of the storm can even take on the circular shape more typical of a Hurricane and have a small Eye . Areas often affected The northeastern United States and Atlantic Canada, particularly the New Jersey and New England coast. And some times Nova Scotia see nor'easters each year, most often in the winter and early spring, but also sometimes during the autumn. These storms can leave inches of rain or several feet of snow on the region, and sometimes last for several days. The Atlantic coast, from northern Georgia northward up the coast, can suffer high winds, pounding surf and extremely heavy rains during these storms. Nor'easters cause a significant amount of severe beach erosion in these areas, as well as flooding in the associated low-lying areas. Beach residents in these areas may actually fear the repeated depredations of nor'easters over those of hurricanes, because they happen more frequently, and cause substantial damage to beach-front property and their dunes. Nor'easters are often mistaken for Euroclydon s, but these are two separate weather patterns. Euroclydons are in fact a tempestuous northeast wind which blows in the Mediterranean. "NOR'EASTER" USAGE AND ORIGINS The term "nor'easter" comes to American English by way of British English and the points of the compass and wind or sailing direction. According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (OED), the first recorded use in the English language of the term "nore" ("north") in association with the points of the compass and wind direction is by Dekker in 1612 ("How blowes the winde Syr?" "Wynde! is Nore-Nore-West."), with similar uses occurring in 1688 (". . . Nore and Nore-West . . .") and in 1718 (". . . Nore-west or Nore-nore-west."). These recorded uses are predated by use of the term "noreast," first recorded as used by Davis in 1594 ("Noreast by North raiseth a degree in sayling 24 leagues."). Thus, the manner of pronouncing from memory the 32 points of the compass, known in maritime training as "boxing the compass," is described by Ansted (''A Dictionary of Sea Terms'', Brown Son & Ferguson, Glasgow, 1933) with pronunciations "Nor'east (or west)," "Nor' Nor'-east (or west)," "Nor'east b' east (or west)," and so forth. According to the OED, the first recorded use of the term "nor'easter" occurs in 1836 in a translation of Aristophanes. The term "nor'easter" naturally developed from the historical spellings and pronunciations of the compass points and the direction of wind or sailing. As noted in a January 2006 editorial by William Sisson, editor of Soundings magazine, use of "nor'easter" to describe the storm system is common along the U.S. East Coast. Yet it has been asserted by some that "nor'easter" as a contraction for "northeaster" has no basis in regional New England dialect and is a "fake" word, which is a parochial view that neglects the little-known etymology and the historical maritime usage described above. According to a handful of 20th-century Maine-based authors, Downeast mariners historically pronounced the compass point "north northeast" as "no'nuth-east," and so on. For decades, Edgar Comee, of '', issue of 5 September 2005 . Despite the efforts of Mr. Comee and others, use of the term continues by the press. According to ''Boston Globe'' writer '', issue of 21 December 2003 . '', 25 January 2004 . FAMOUS NOR'EASTERS
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