SCARBOROUGH, Maine (AP) — An unusual May nor’easter soaked New England on Thursday and threatened to bring snow to higher elevations as the states prepared for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Nor’easters usually arrive in the end of fall and winter and bring high winds, rough seas and precipitation in the form of rain or snow. This week’s nor’easter could bring wind gusts over 40 mph (64 kph) and more than 2 inches (5 centimeters) of rain in some areas. Forecasters said snow was possible in the mountains of Maine and New Hampshire.
The storm brought dark skies to New England during a time of year usually reserved for sunshine and cookouts. It was also unseasonably cold, with temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) in Portland, Maine; Providence, Rhode Island; and Montpelier, Vermont. The storm was expected to linger into Friday.
What is a nor’easter?
A nor’easter is an East Coast storm that is so named because winds over the coastal area are typically from the northeast, according to the National Weather Service. The storms can happen at any time of the year, but they are at their most frequent and strongest between September and April, according to the service.
The storms have caused billions of dollars in damage in the past. They usually reach the height of their strength in New England and eastern Canada. The storms often disrupt traffic and power grids and can cause severe damage to homes and businesses.
“We have a stronger jet stream, which is helping intensify a low pressure system that just happens to be coming up the coast. And so that’s how it got the nor’easter name,” said Kyle Pederson, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Boston.
Rain arrives, and snow could follow
The storm hit Boston with heavy rains and stiff wind starting Thursday morning. Southern Massachusetts was also dealing with heavy rains that made for a messy morning commute.
The heaviest rain was expected to fall in…
