nor'easter

[nawr-ee-ster]

noun

Meteorology.

1. an eastern North American storm that usually develops between the Georgia and New Jersey latitudes, progressing northeastward and typified by potentially violent northeast winds: most frequent and intense from September through April, nor’easters can develop within a hundred miles of the east coast and commonly bring heavy rain or snow and coastal damage.

   The nor’easter of 1992 breached the island and destroyed many homes.

Word History and Origins

Origin of nor'easter¹

First recorded in 1830–40; by shortening of northeaster

Example Sentences

"On the other hand, there is evidence that warming leads to more powerful, snowier nor'easters—something we've seen quite a bit of in the northeast in recent years."

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A nor'easter howled in from the Atlantic and smothered Salem in snowdrifts.

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"There is evidence that warming leads to more powerful, snowier nor'easters—something we've seen quite a bit of in the northeast in recent years."

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As Mann put it, they will use "high-resolution climate model simulations that better resolve the dynamics of powerful winter storms like nor'easters."

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