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Dodi Schultz
April 14th, 2007, 11:53 PM
As I write this, a storm is reportedly moving toward the New York / New
Jersey / Pennsylvania / New England area from the southwest.

Many of the media are referring to it as a "nor'easter." Can anyone
explain?

--Dodi

Tony Abell
April 15th, 2007, 01:51 AM
A nor'easter is a storm that tracks up the Eastern Seaboard just along or off
the coast, bringing heavy precipitation and strong northeast winds at the
surface. The winds increase the height of the tides and waves and often cause
extensive beach erosion. Nor'easters can bring rain or snow or both, depending
on the prevailing temperatures and the proximity of cold air to the northwest.

------------------------------------------
On 2007-04-15 at 00:53 Dodi Schultz wrote:

DS> As I write this, a storm is reportedly moving toward the New York / New
DS> Jersey / Pennsylvania / New England area from the southwest.

DS> Many of the media are referring to it as a "nor'easter." Can anyone
DS> explain?

DS> --Dodi

Paul Keating
April 15th, 2007, 03:22 AM
I suspect it's because it's a nice juicy word and much more interesting than
"storm". In Cape Town some people call any gale force wind a southeaster,
irrespective of direction.

Also, you'd be surprised at the number of people who don't know that a wind
is named for the direction it's coming from rather than the direction it's
going to.

--
Paul Keating
The Hague

Judy G. Russell
April 15th, 2007, 09:31 AM
As I write this, a storm is reportedly moving toward the New York / New Jersey / Pennsylvania / New England area from the southwest. Many of the media are referring to it as a "nor'easter." Can anyone
explain?

There's a good explanation of Nor'easters here: http://science.howstuffworks.com/question595.htm

Dodi Schultz
April 15th, 2007, 02:55 PM
>> A nor'easter is a storm that tracks up the Eastern Seaboard just
>> along or off the coast...

Tony, in all of my dictionaries, a nor'easter is a storm that comes from
the northeast--NOT one that's heading in that direction from the southwest,
as this one is.

I'm confused.

--Dodi

Dodi Schultz
April 15th, 2007, 02:55 PM
>> I suspect it's because it's a nice juicy word and much more
>> interesting than "storm". In Cape Town some people call any gale
>> force wind a southeaster, irrespective of direction.

Ah, that's interesting; just the opposite of what seems to be happening
here.

>> Also, you'd be surprised at the number of people who don't know that
>> a wind is named for the direction it's coming from rather than the
>> direction it's going to.

Thank you, Paul!

--Dodi

Dodi Schultz
April 15th, 2007, 02:55 PM
I agree with Paul, Judy: It's not a nor'easter. If anything, it's a
sou'wester.

--Dodi

Guerri Stevens
April 15th, 2007, 04:34 PM
It's not where the storm comes from, it's the direction of the wind when
it arrives. The wind will be blowing from the northeast.
Guerri

Dodi Schultz wrote:
> Tony, in all of my dictionaries, a nor'easter is a storm that comes from
> the northeast--NOT one that's heading in that direction from the southwest,
> as this one is.
>
> I'm confused.

Dodi Schultz
April 15th, 2007, 05:38 PM
>> It's not where the storm comes from, it's the direction of the wind
>> when it arrives. The wind will be blowing from the northeast.

Guerri,

According to dictionaries on my shelf, a nor'easter (= northeaster), is a
storm (or gale) from the northeast--although, confusingly, "northeasterly"
can mean either coming from or moving toward that direction.

I think I'm going to abandon my weathercasterly ambitions. ;-)

--Dodi

Christopher Carson
April 15th, 2007, 06:02 PM
Dodi,

This would be a good one for World Wide Words to trace the origins. Doesn't the term 'nor'easter' date back to the 19th and possibly the late 18th century, therefore predating satellite pictures and radar? At that time, with the winds blowing fiercely from the northeast, it would appear to those caught in it that the storm was coming from the northeast.

Just a thought.

Chris




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Dodi Schultz
April 15th, 2007, 11:55 PM
>> This would be a good one for World Wide Words to trace the origins.

You're a subscriber too, eh, Chris? Great stuff. At the moment, I am
in-between on some alterations/additions to my system (don't ask) and I
can't navigate around Michael's site, so don't know if it's been mentioned.

>> Doesn't the term 'nor'easter' date back to the 19th and possibly the
>> late 18th century, therefore predating satellite picturees and
>> radar?

Good call! According to Random House: "northeaster" dates from around 1770,
the elided form "nor'easter" from the 1830s.

>> At that time, with the winds blowing fiercely from the northeast, it
>> would appear to those caught in it that the storm was coming from
>> the northeast.

Very possible!

--Dodi

Lindsey
April 16th, 2007, 01:07 AM
I agree with Paul, Judy: It's not a nor'easter. If anything, it's a sou'wester.
As the page Judy linked to explained:

A Nor'easter is named for the winds that blow in from the northeast and drive the storm up the east coast along the Gulf Stream, a band of warm water that lies off the Atlantic coast.

There are two main components to a Nor'easter:


Gulf Stream low-pressure system - (counter-clockwise winds) These systems generate off the coast of Florida. The air above the Gulf Stream warms and spawns a low-pressure system. This low circulates off the southeastern U.S. coast, gathering warm air and moisture from the Atlantic. Strong northeasterly winds at the leading edge of the storm pull it up the east coast.
Arctic high-pressure system - (clockwise winds) As the strong northeasterly winds pull the storm up the east coast, it meets with cold, Arctic air blowing down from Canada. When the two systems collide, the moisture and cold air produce a mix of precipitation.


Doesn't surprise me that it's an old word -- it has the flavor of New England mariners of the 18th and 19th centuries.

--Lindsey
(possibly a descendent of an early Long Island whaler)

Tim Bourne
April 16th, 2007, 03:17 AM
> Doesn't the term 'nor'easter' date back to the 19th and possibly the late 18th century,
therefore predating satellite pictures and radar?
>
As a child I remember a waterproof hat, similar to those used by fishermen and seen in
pictures, being called a "sou'wester", presumably because in England that's where the
winds are usually blowing from when it rains.

Best wishes,

Tim B

Guerri Stevens
April 16th, 2007, 05:22 AM
My dictionary says "wind or gale", not "storm or gale". The winds are
counterclockwise, and will come from the northeast. My New England
experience is that the use of the term "northeaster" implies "BAAAD storm".

If you go out in it, wear your sou'wester <g>.

Guerri

Dodi Schultz wrote:
> According to dictionaries on my shelf, a nor'easter (= northeaster), is a
> storm (or gale) from the northeast--although, confusingly, "northeasterly"
> can mean either coming from or moving toward that direction.

Dodi Schultz
April 16th, 2007, 10:06 AM
Opinions seem to differ, Lindsey.

At this point, I'm sorry I brought it up!

P.S.: We had (depending on which weather reports you hear) six or eight
inches of rain here in Manhattan!

--Dodi

Dodi Schultz
April 16th, 2007, 10:06 AM
>> If you go out in it, wear your sou'wester <g>.

Guerri, THAT, says American Heritage 4, is "a storm or gale blowing from
the southwest." Secondarily, "a waterproof hat." I don't think the latter
would have been sufficient yesterday. ;-)

--Dodi

Guerri Stevens
April 16th, 2007, 04:07 PM
I assumed you would wear something in addition to the hat <g>.

Guerri

Dodi Schultz wrote:
> Guerri, THAT, says American Heritage 4, is "a storm or gale blowing from
> the southwest." Secondarily, "a waterproof hat." I don't think the latter
> would have been sufficient yesterday. ;-)

Dodi Schultz
April 16th, 2007, 05:10 PM
>> I assumed you would wear something in addition to the hat <g>.

You can get in deep trouble that way, Guerri. A PR guy I once knew kept a
large sign in his office reading, ASSUME NOTHING. Words to live by, an
admonition I have frequently ignored to my rueful regret.

--Dodi