There she blows: What is a nor’easter and what makes them so powerful?

Winter is here and so are nor’easters. 

A nor’easter is a powerful low-pressure system that forms along the East Coast of North America.

Named after the direction in which the strongest winds blow, this powerful coastal storm mainly impacts states along the Eastern Seaboard in New England, the Northeast and the mid-Atlantic.  

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC are especially vulnerable due to its proximity to the coast. 

Nor’easters are most frequent from September through April when the jet stream is at its strongest but can occur any time of the year.

They cause high wind gusts, snow, rain, rough surf and occasional coastal flooding. 

How does a nor’easter form? 

These powerful storms begin to form 100 miles off the coast between Georgia and New Jersey, which is the perfect spot.

There must be a dip