What makes a storm a Nor'easter?

Nor'easters are familiar to New Englanders, but what actually defines one? 22 News Storm Team Meteorologist Alexa Bianco explains the two most common types and how these storms form. Yes, thank you, Brian. When you hear nor'easter, you might picture a major snowstorm, but the name actually comes from the direction of the wind and these storms can bring much more than snow. A nor'easter is a low pressure system that develops along the east coast. Its name comes from the winds that typically blow from the northeast along the coastal areas. These storms can strengthen as cold air moving in from the north and west meets warmer air over the Atlantic. High pressure to the north can also create a tighter pressure gradient between the high in the storm, creating stronger winds. Depending on their strength and track, nor'easters Can bring heavy rain or snow, damaging winds, coastal flooding, and beach erosion. Pretty much it sums down to it's an area of low pressure that is rapidly strengthening and it has winds out of the northeast. It does come with a lot of precipitation, but nor'easters can be rain, they can be snow, they can be mixed. It doesn't matter the precipitation type. Nor'easters don't always have snow, but they can form in the fall, winter, and early spring season. There's also two common types of nor'easters we see here in New England, a Miller type A and a Miller type B. The Miller A is usually one that gets caught up in the subtropical jet stream and comes out of the south, typically moisture from the Gulf of Mexico or the South Atlantic. A Miller B is usually what would be a clipper system coming out of the west or Canada. And of course, the storm team will continue to keep a close eye on the storm as it approaches in the next few days. Working for you, storm team meteorologist Alexa Bianco.