|
|
Hurricane |
Nor'easter |
|
Temperature |
"Warm-core" |
Usually cold air
in it's core |
|
Size |
200-300 miles
across |
Can reach 1000
miles across |
|
Shape |
Symmetrical with
often clearly defined center |
Irregular Shape.
Sometimes hard to find center |
|
Duration |
Hurricanes pass
a location usually in 6-8 hrs. |
Can last a week |
|
Frequency |
Less frequent
north of the Carolinas |
100% chance. 20
to 30 form each year. Three will develop into a
significant storm |
|
Intensity |
74 knots and
higher |
35-50 knots
onshore. Higher over the ocean |
|
Season |
June to November |
October through
April |
|
Tracking |
Easily spotted
by satellites and path can be calculated with reasonable accuracy |
Can spring up
out of various conditions. Once formed usually take a northeast course |
|
Damage |
Can virtually
level an area, but limited in size. |
Spreads damage
around a greater area. Three times as many people died in the
March 1993 nor'easter than
in Hugo and Andrew combined |
|
Geography |
Typically more
to the south |
Typically more
to the north. |
|
Seas |
Wind Speed,
duration, and fetch (distance of wind traveled over water) determine
wave severity |
Nor'easter are
generally larger systems giving wind more time and distance to create
large waves. |
|
Names |
Only hurricanes
are officially names. Female and male gender since the early nineties |
People generally
tie the occurrence of a hurricane to some date like "The
Halloween Storm" Or the National Weather Service uses superlatives
like "The Superstorm of March
1993" |
|
Press Coverage |
Extensive
coverage in the media. From weather channels to TV and newspaper |
Everybody has
heard about Nor'easter, but have a hard time defining them |
