Nor'easter Bringing Heavy Snow, Rain, High Winds To Parts Of US

Parts of the Northeast of the United States are currently being battered by a nor'easter, which is bringing with it heavy snow, rain, destructive winds, and coastal flooding.

A significant portion of the Northeast and New England have so far had an exceptionally quiet winter. But this situation is changing now. The leading edge of the latest Pacific storm swept into northern California and was expected to intensify late Monday night through Tuesday as it spread through central and southern parts of the state still sodden from weekend flooding.

Emergency crews are preparing for the season's 11th "atmospheric river," an airborne current laden with dense tropical moisture from the ocean, renewed sand-bag operations, and round-the-clock patrols of levees and rain-swollen riverbanks.

Mandatory evacuation orders remained in effect for residents in 10 California counties, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The National Weather Service (NWS) posted flood watches for much of the state, along with warnings for gale-force winds and extensive uprootings of trees.

"With the ground already saturated from the previous storm and river levels well above average, another round of major and life-threatening flooding is likely" along California's coast, the Sierra Nevada foothills, and the state's vast Central Valley farm region, the NWS said.

Some of the heaviest rain, as much as 10 inches (25 cm), could fall in the Santa Barbara and San Bernardino mountains of southern California, state climatologist Michael Anderson told reporters on Monday.

"With the ground already saturated from the previous storm and river levels well above average, another round of major and life-threatening flooding is likely" along California's coast, the Sierra Nevada foothills, and the state's vast Central Valley farm region, the NWS said.

Some of the heaviest rain, as much as 10 inches (25 cm), could fall in the Santa Barbara and San Bernardino mountains of southern California, state climatologist Michael Anderson told reporters on Monday.

What is a nor'easter?

According to a CNN article, a nor'easter is a storm that travels along the US East Coast and typically has coastal winds out of the northeast.

"Nor'easters usually develop in the latitudes between Georgia and New Jersey, within 100 miles east or west of the East Coast," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says.

They typically form between September and April and are strongest during the winter months.

(With inputs from agencies)