Forecasters are tracking a storm that could cause flooding along the Massachusetts coast and heavy rain and gusty winds throughout the state at the end of the week.
Though nor’easters are often associated with heavy snow, meteorologists define a nor’easter as any coastal low pressure system with northeast winds, according to National Weather Service forecaster Torry Dooley. Instead of pummeling Massachusetts with snow, this storm could bring a downpour.
The weather system is expected to develop in the Atlantic on Tuesday, then head toward Southeastern New England, Dooley said. As of Monday, forecasters are uncertain of the storm’s track and strength, and these factors will determine whether Massachusetts will be greatly impacted.
“The forecast challenge here is that we have an anomalous high pressure system that’s sitting up in Southern Quebec, and that high pressure system kind of works as a defense mechanism,” he said. “It’s going to try to keep it (the nor’easter) as far offshore as possible. So those two weather systems are kind of competing against each other.”
As of Monday, the storm is expected to near the Massachusetts coast late Friday, Dooley said. If it comes close to shore, the nor’easter could cause flooding along the eastern coast.
Periods of moderate to heavy rain and gusty winds are also possible late Friday into Saturday, Dooley said. The Eastern Massachusetts coast is most at risk of experiencing power outages and other types of wind damage.
“If it went further out to sea, we’ll probably still have some blustery conditions even inland, but nothing severe,” he said.
Forecasters are more confident that, regardless of the track the nor’easter ultimately takes, boaters who venture out into the ocean during that time will battle dangerous high seas and winds, Dooley said.
Given the level of uncertainty about the storm’s impacts, Dooley advised Massachusetts residents to keep monitoring forecasts as the week continues.
“Right now, don’t focus on any single (weather) model or model run,” he said. “We’re evaluating a range of possible outcomes, and forecast confidence will continue to improve as we get closer to the event.”
—
Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
