Ask the Meteorologist: What's the difference between a nor'easter and a tropical storm?
THAN 7,000 DELAYS YESTERDAY
FROM THE WEATHER.
AND THIS NOR-EASTER HAS FELT
LIKE A TROPICAL STORM FOR A LOT
OF PEOPLE ALONG THE COAST TO
METEOROLOGIST CHRIS MICHAELS
SHOWS US HOW AND SHOWS US THE
KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE
2, CHRIS. SO NOR'EASTERS ARE
PRETTY TYPICAL THIS TIME OF
YEAR, ESPECIALLY BETWEEN
SEPTEMBER.
>> AND IN APRIL, ALL THEY ARE
AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE STORM
SYSTEMS THAT RIDE THE EAST
COAST AND THE WIND AROUND THEM
COMES FROM THE NORTHEAST.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THE 2 IS THAT NOR'EASTER HAS A
COLD CORE AND IS ATTACHED TO
A FRONT. WHERE IS A TROPICAL
SYSTEM HAS A WARM CENTER AND IT
BEHAVES ON ITS OWN. OTHERWISE
IT KIND OF FEELS THE SAME NOW,
ESPECIALLY IN GEORGETOWN, SOUTH
CAROLINA, WHERE THEY HAD 8 TO
12 INCHES OF RAIN. HE WOULD
EXPECT THAT OUT OF A TROPICAL
SYSTEM, RIGHT? BUT IT CAN
HAPPEN DURING A NOR'EASTER.
AND THEN ALL UP AND DOWN THE
EAST COAST. THERE WERE WIND
GUSTS OF 40 TO 60 MILES AN
HOUR. SOME BUOYS OFF OUR
COASTLINE SHOWED WIND GUSTS
OF 60 TO 65 MILES PER HOUR.
AND EVEN HERE AT HOME, WE HAD
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS.
IRWIN HAD A 39 MILE AN HOUR
GUSTS AND A RALLY HAD A 40 MILE
AN HOUR GUST AND WE DID HAVE
SOME OF THOSE POWER OUTAGES.
NOW WE TALK ABOUT HOW THE STORM
SYSTEMS ARE SIMILAR AND WHY
THEY PRODUCE THIS KIND OF WIND
RIGHT NOW ON ASK THE