A nor'easter is developing off the North Carolina coastline, and its impacts will stretch from the Outer Banks to New England the rest of the week.
We'll break down what a nor'easter is, how it forms, when it forms and what this one means for the Outer Banks.
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What is a nor'easter?
A nor'easter is a storm system that's common along the East Coast - mostly between September and April. The wind around the storm comes from the northeast, hence the name "nor'easter."
Storm systems will often form along lingering frontal boundaries near the coast.
The temperature difference between the cooler air mass onland and the relatively warm ocean waters will spark what's called "baroclinic instability," which is why this region of the world is favored for more frequent storm systems in the fall, winter and spring months.
What's the difference between a tropical storm and a nor'easter?
Although a tropical storm and nor'easter may behave the same way at ground level, they have one key difference.
At the core of nor'easters, storms that form along fronts and storms over land, the air is cold. At the core of a tropical storm/hurricane, the air is warm.
Both are low pressure systems.
Low pressure leads to rising air and better chances of rain.
At the same time, the air tries to rush toward the center of low pressure to fill the void. The stronger the low, the stronger the wind - regardless of if it's tropical or not.
What this week's nor'easter means for the Outer Banks
Coastal food alerts stretch from the Outer Banks all the way up to the New Jersey coastline.
Inundation of one-to-four feet will be possible along the Outer Banks, and surf zone wave heights could peak between ten and 15 feet.
Tropical storm force (39 mph or greater) wind gusts will be felt along the Outer Banks too, and that threat extends up toward the coasts of Massachusetts and Maine this coming weekend.
