Nor'easter: Late-Season Winter Storm to Hit New England, Appalachians; Extreme Cold Weather Expected

Northeastern US is likely to face another late-season winter storm as US weather forecasters and meteorologists predicted that a Nor'easter will occur starting this week.

Long-range forecasts also said that such adverse weather events may continue until late April.

Nor'easter Weather Forecast

(Photo : Photo by KEREM YUCEL/AFP via Getty Images)

Meteorologists predicted that a coastal storm may transform into a strong Nor'easter by the evening of Monday, April 18, or the morning of Tuesday, April 19, bringing heavy rain in New Jersey and potentially heavy snow and icy conditions in New York State, New England, and Pennsylvania, as per NJ.com.

AccuWeather forecasters said that heavy rainfall is likely in the Northeast, hitting the cities of Boston, New York, Richmond, and Philadelphia.

In addition, strong winds in the region may result in coastal flooding due to high tides.

The winds caused by the storm can also lead to a storm surge with winds that pushes ocean waters into the mainland through the generation of large yet consecutive waves.

Also Read: Winter Storm: Blizzard Conditions Affects 100 Million People Across the US

What is a Nor'easter?

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - National Weather Service (NWS), a Nor'easter is a storm affecting the East Coast of North America, normally emerges from the western part of the northern Atlantic Ocean, and may occur at any time of the year.

The weather phenomenon's name was based on winds from the northeast that initially hits coastal areas in the region.

In the United States, the Northeast and the entire Eastern Seaboard are the areas first hit when a winter storm develops off the Atlantic waters.

The NOAA - NWS highlighted that Nor'easters are more frequent and intense between the months of September and April, even during the spring season.

They are reportedly responsible for widespread economic damage, including infrastructural damage worth billions of dollars and disruption to transport.

Notable Incidents

The US weather agency added that some of the most notable Nor'easter events in the country were from the snowstorms in Boston, Massachusetts, in January and February 2015.

Also called the North American blizzard, it dumped a record-breaking snowfall up to more than 20 inches in the said city.

Other related incidents included the "Superstorm" of March 1993, the New England Blizzard of February 1978, and the "Ash Wednesday" storm of March 1962.

Late-Season Winter Storm

The potential Nor'easter approaching the northeastern US comes almost a month since the Spring season started last March 20 and several days after a blast of heavy snowfall and cold temperatures struck the region during the Easter weekend, as per AccuWeather.

The weather last week replaced warm weather in areas such as New York City and Washington, DC, on April 14.

With the latest forecast, a large-scale blizzard accompanied by rainfall is likely to affect most areas near the East Coast from southern New England to the mid-Atlantic between Monday and Tuesday.

Moreover, thunderstorms and a few tornadoes are also likely to form along the coasts of North Carolina and South Carolina.

Other areas in the Eastern US are also at risk of flooding due to torrential rain.

Potential Disruption

Previous winter storms in the Northeast and its surrounding regions have experienced wide-scale disruption in the form of power outages, delayed or canceled flights, and halted public transport.

Blizzard conditions, including strong winds and snow, also bring life-threatening hazards for travelers.

In February, a winter storm left more than 300,000 people and brought icy roads across the US, with approximately more than 4,600 flights canceled nationwide, as per The New York Times.