Atlantic Storms 
in the 
NorthEast










An overview of North Atlantic coastal weather patterns on the eastern seaboard 
of the United States.  From a Nor’easter to Hurricane, the unsettled weather of 
New England.



Jason Wright
T+TH 1-2:30




 This paper is intended to give a quick overview of some of the 
stormy weather patterns of the North Atlantic.  Focusing mostly on the effect it 
has on New England and the immediate surrounding weather.  These storms 
include:  Hurricanes (Summer) and Nor’Easters (Winter) which are a common 
enough occurrence in New England.  Every year the East coast of the United 
States is bombarded with both.  Just this past winter, it was a Nor’ easter 
which turned into the blizzard of 96’.  Being a resident in the Northeast for 20+ 
years has allowed me to grow accustomed to these storms and to be able to 
prepare for them adequately.  Some people have not had the pleasure of 
enduring some of these storms and have missed an experience well worth 
striving for.

 From the Mid-Atlantic Coast to the shores of New England, the 
classic storm is called a Nor’easter.  A low pressure area off the Carolina 
coast strengthens and moves north.  Wind-driven waves batter the coast from 
Virginia to Maine, causing flooding and severe beach erosion.  The storm taps 
the Atlantic’s moisture supply and dumps heavy snow over a densely 
populated area.  The snow and wind may combine into blizzard conditions and 
form deep drifts paralyzing the region. 


As the storm moves to the north, the counterclockwise winds push it back 
which creates the so called “tail” end of the storm.  In some cases, it is almost 
like the “eye” of a hurricane.  That is to say, that there is little activity or a 
shutdown of activity, and then it begins again as fierce as ever.  Ice Storms 
are also a problem.  Mountains, such as the Appalachians, act as a barrier to 
cold air trapping it in the valleys and adjacent low elevations.  Warm air and 
moisture moves over the cold, trapped air.  Rain falls from the warm layer onto 
a cold surface below becoming ice.

 Heavy snow can immobilize a region and paralyze a city, stranding 
commuters, stopping the flow of supplies, and disrupting emergency and 
medical services.  Accumulations of snow can collapse buildings and knock 
down trees, bringing down power lines.  In rural areas, homes and farms may 
be isolated for days and not have electricity.  Unprotected livestock may be 
lost, especially during spring calving.  In the mountains, heavy snow can lead 
to avalanches.  The cost of snow removal, repairing damages and loss of 
businesses can have large economic impacts on cities and towns.	Heavy 
accumulation of ice can bring down trees, electrical wires, telephone poles and 
lines, and communication towers.  
Power and other services can be disrupted for days while utility companies 
work to repair the extensive damage.  Storms near the coast can cause beach 
erosion and sink ships at sea.
 A hurricane is along the same kind of storm.  It does however have a 
much more destructive nature.  This is due to the different type of force that it 
brings.  A hurricane storm must include by definition, the following:     (1) Low 
level convergence strong enough to dissipate the normal trade winds 
inversion and lift the moist layer, (2) High level divergence to remove the 
accumulated air from the system and permit the pressure to fall at the surface, 
and (3) sufficient energy to maintain the circulation.

  Hurricanes are also known as “tropical cyclones”.   As calm moist air 
rises in the doldrums, numerous cumulonimbus clouds, widespread showers 
and thunderstorms develop.  The pressure then mystically begins to fall 
rapidly, and a cyclonic rotation of the storm begins to form.  The circulation 
continues to develop, until full intensity is achieved.  Several vortices appear, 
and usually it is the northernmost of these that is most dominant.  Scientists 
believe that this occurs for two reasons:  (1)  The Coriolis force is more 
important with latitude, and (2) A more dominant wind pattern is prevalent to 
the north.  This intensifying of the storm, allows the pressure to drop even 
farther.
 As of yet, the meteorological world has failed to explain the 
impressive fall in pressure at the surface.  However, the higher and lower 
levels may cause a fall in the pressure, simply by competing against each 
other.  Those of the scientific world also are not positive of what outside acts, 
that may influence the hurricane, to intensify the disturbance.

 It is also known for certain, that a hurricane that would be damaging 
to the North Atlantic coast  may not form if the following conditions are not met:	
(1) A great pressure drop from east to west, throughout the troposphere, (2)  
The path in front of the storm must be moist tropical air,  and (3) The storm 
must remain over the open sea all the way from the West Indies to where it 
makes landfall on the North American coastal line.  Along with this, is a pool of 
cold air which is strangely enough always available to intensify the storm.  It 
is widely believed, that in every major hurricane in New England these 
conditions have been present.  Usually, somewhere along the way, the 
hurricane does not reach the values that are need to continue.  They 
sometimes end up as tropical storms.  They must all reach their peak at the 
time in order to continue to become a hurricane.



 The Weather Bureau has undertaken studies of the possibility of 
man finding some way to modify hurricanes.  However, these studies have 
proven to be not feasible.  They have included nuclear bombs and increasing 
the water amount in the eye.  By saturating the middle of the storm it is 
believed that they may be able to neutralize it.  This is not a very likely 
scenario, as it would take a huge power of force to create the water necessary. 
 Unless the conditions described in the past paragraph are met, and the wind 
speed of the storm itself do not reach 40-45 mph than no major hurricane will 
strike the New England area.

 As time goes by there will certainly be more hurricanes, and 
Nor’easters in our area.  It is a fair guess that there will be some deaths and 
major inconveniences associated with these storms.  However, most of the 
media and the world outside of the classroom (Earth Science) have not looked 
at the effect that it is having on our earth.  Whether it be the erosion of the 
beaches or the flooding of the rivers, how much more can the New England 
area be prepared to take?  All this remains to be seen and will hopefully 
someday get noticed by the media and the rest of the country.