Nor'easter
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Nor'easter is a colloquial term for a storm whose winds come from the northeast, especially in the coastal areas of the northeastern United States.
More specifically it describes storms whose center of rotation is just off the coast and whose leading winds rotate on-land from the northeast. The resulting warm (relative to over-land temperatures) humid air moves onshore where the moisture precipitates out due to the drop in temperature. This produces heavy, cold coastal rains in the warmer months, and winter blizzards that affect the northeastern United States. They also can cause coastal flooding, coastal erosion and gale force winds.
Nor'easters are usually formed by Canadian (or Arctic) cold fronts mixing with warm air (and Low Pressure) fronts from the Gulf Coast that are pulled up the east coast by the northeast winds.
Such storms often move slowly and are frequently of significant intensity.
The Northeast United States, particularly New England, are usually hit with several Nor'easters each spring. These storms can dump inches of rain on the region, and often last for several days. Until the nor'easter passes, thick dark clouds block out the sun and cast a wet, gloomy shadow over the land. During a single storm the precipitation can range from a torrential downpour to a fine mist, but it does not stop. Low temperatures and wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour add to the general misery associated with a nor'easter.