Nor'easter to pound East Coast with rain, snow

Flood watches are in effect across the Northeast, as far south as Delaware. Two to four inches of rain could flood roads. The Weather Channel's Kelly Cass reports.

Heavy rains and snow will pound the eastern United States into Monday, possibly leading to downed trees, power outages and flight delays as a low pressure system from the Gulf of Mexico moves through the region.

Intense precipitation from the Nor'easter storm started Sunday morning, with two to four inches of downpour expected along the Mid-Atlantic Coast, which will make for soggy conditions in New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

As for snow, "the areas of concern are western New York, western Pennsylvania, extreme eastern Ohio, parts of northern West Virginia and extreme western Maryland," weather.com reported. Buffalo and Pittsburgh could see six inches or so, while more than a foot is possible in higher elevations.


"It's going to a very, very intense Nor'easter," said Michael Eckert, senior branch forecaster with the National Weather Service based in Camp Springs, Md.

"Snowfall rates may exceed 1" per hour Sunday night into early Monday, accompanied by thunder and lightning," weather.com added.

"The weather will be going downhill during the day on Sunday," Eckert said.

On Sunday night, the inland side of the weather system will see an influx of cold air, as falling rain morphs into heavy snow that will blanket western parts of New York state and Pennsylvania, as well as West Virginia, he said.

Heavy snow could lead to downed branches and even trees. As a result, forecasters expect broken power lines and widespread outages in some areas.

PhotoBlog: Spring Nor'easter to soak Mid-Atlantic states

With the storm came a spate of disruptions. Pro baseball games were postponed in New York and Washington. The space shuttle Enterprise's scheduled arrival in New York City was pushed back. An Earth Day celebration at a park in Virginia Beach, Va., was canceled.

This weather pattern would produce a blizzard if it had come in January, but because the spring air is warmer the storm is not expected to be as severe, Eckert said.

Nevertheless, airports in New York, Boston and Philadelphia could see flight delays on Monday due to the storm, said Eckert.

On Saturday, Minnesota had a few small tornadoes that struck in the western half of the state, the National Weather Service said. They caused no injuries but damaged barns near the town of Milan and to a flower shop in Lucan, said Weather Service meteorologist Bryon Paulson. 

"We had everything, rain, nickel-sized hail, small tornadoes and snow," he said. 

The town of Chisholm in northeast Minnesota received nearly 6 inches of snow, after getting a foot a week ago. That followed a mild winter with little snow, he said. 

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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I made sure I mowed my lawn Saturday as the heavy rain forecast in Baltimore Sunday would have grown it to pain-to-cut levels by the time it dries out Tues or Wed.

  • 6 votes
Reply#1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:06 AM EDT

But, 7 billion plus people can't possibly be effecting the climate. Right climate change deniers?

The CO2 footprint of hamburgers per year in the US alone is greater than all the SUV's CO2 emitted in America in that same year. THAT is just in burgers.

  • 2 votes
#1.1 - Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:39 AM EDT

Global warming is a misnomer. It should be called "destructive global climate change".

We are using up all our resources and polluting and ruining the whole planet at the same time because of "o-v-e-r-p-o-p-u-l-a-t-i-o-n" caused by religion and it's policies of: anti-abortion, anti-condom, anti-gay, right to life, be fruitful and multiply, etc, etc...

We are on a disastrous head-on collision course with nature because of religion. The Dark Ages never ended. There are still tons of religious people in power and control on the planet.

Either we wipe out religion or get ready for a full blown "Dark Ages 2", to fall upon humanity.

  • 1 vote
#1.2 - Fri Apr 27, 2012 3:44 AM EDT

@Bill in Mill Creek.

But how can we get people to understand what we're saying and take action before it's too late???

  • 1 vote
#1.3 - Fri Apr 27, 2012 3:54 AM EDT
Reply

So, I thought a Nor'easter came from the NORTH EAST, not the South or West or Gulf of Mexico.

  • 6 votes
Reply#2 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:09 AM EDT

you are obviously mislead. The reason they are called "Nor'Easters" is because as they pass just off the coast they draw in WINDS FROM THE NORTHEAST. It has nothing to do with where they come from, although it does somewhat have to do with where they impact. Typically only those who from the Mid Atlantic on northward would call a storm a Nor'Easter - but most of the major Nor'Easters do in fact originate from the south, that's where they get much of there moisture.

Very seldom do ANY storms come FROM the Northeast, that would be implying they move from Northeast to Southwest which is something storms usually don't do

  • 13 votes
#2.1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:46 AM EDT

Northeast is the direction the storms head. Just like wind directions.

  • 2 votes
#2.2 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:06 PM EDT

Very true Chris. Honestly Nor'Easters are pretty infrequent in the scheme of storms, and typically mean they need extra care for the people in the path of it. Every time we know a Nor'Easter is coming it requires more caution then most 'normal' storms. Still nothing terrible but large just the same.

  • 2 votes
#2.3 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:10 PM EDT

Kevin...This is not a Nor'easter, as mostly all storms come from the west and head east. This is just a rainstorm heading east, northeast. Nor'easters head up the coast line, bringing warm air from the south.

    #2.4 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:23 PM EDT

    After 2 very dry weeks here in New England (with wild fires quite uncommon here igniting due to the intense dryness), I am glad that mother nature has remembered "April showers bring May Flowers" .... I planted many bulbs and flowers, not to mention puttting in some grass seed on the bare spots ... and then bam, a dry spell that almost wiped them out. Now the much needed H2O can replenish them and give them a fighting chance to grow, flourish and bloom in May, June, July etc.

    • 4 votes
    #2.5 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 3:11 PM EDT

    ya we really need it bad up here in southwestern NH,we've been red-flagged off and on for about a month now and the rivers & streams have been dryin up.Rain just in time,the leaves are just poking out up here and its really been a dry winter,we're about 6 uinches below normal so far

    • 3 votes
    #2.6 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 3:48 PM EDT

    AWAC what do you mean? The low pressure is tracking right up the East Coast in a north-northeasterly fashion.... in fact the storm is expected to curve inland around southern New England and move northwest into New York as an upper level low captures it. It's definitely a Nor'Easter by every definition. Whether it draws warm air up or not is not involved in making a storm a Nor'Easter.... because every storm is going to draw warm air on its eastern side and draw down cold air on the western side... due to the rotation of low pressure areas.

    • 2 votes
    #2.7 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:28 PM EDT

    They were calling it a southeaster' in the media. either way, one screwy season so far.

      #2.8 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:05 PM EDT

      Who put their shovel away ?

      • 2 votes
      #2.9 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:42 PM EDT

      I call it a south west north eastern!

        #2.10 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:27 PM EDT

        You can call it Nor'Easter, Southern'Easter or what ever you want to call it. It's late April and I call snow at this time at that location NUTS.

        • 2 votes
        #2.11 - Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:42 AM EDT
        Reply

        Had some pretty intense thunderstorms last night in NE FLA. Windows rattled, cats freaked. Loads of fun at 3:00am!

        • 3 votes
        Reply#3 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:12 AM EDT

        All set for it. Generator full of gas and rechargeable lights all full of juice.

        • 4 votes
        Reply#4 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:14 AM EDT

        Wish this could've waited a few days so we could see the meteor shower last night

        • 4 votes
        Reply#5 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:16 AM EDT

        I wish this could've waited until after my mini-vacation in NYC. Balls.

          #5.1 - Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:18 AM EDT
          Reply

          Snow in April??? I would hate to live through that.

          • 1 vote
          Reply#6 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:16 AM EDT

          I guess you missed that freak blizzard snow storm we had back on May 10, 1977 - almost a foot of very wet snow. It took down many trees which has already gone into blossoming/sprouting new leaves as well as power lines and the such.

          Snow happens and when it damn well feels like it .... like rain. Mother nature never gave us her stamp of approval on any of the calendars we humans have utilized over our recorded and unrecorded history, regardless of whether a pope or the Myans created it or not.

          • 3 votes
          #6.1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:16 PM EDT

          That was a sweet week off from school...

          • 1 vote
          #6.2 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:53 PM EDT
          Reply

          Spitting snow at this time. Western NY south of Buffalo at 2100 ft elevation. And I mowed my lawn Friday when it was 76 degrees.

          • 4 votes
          Reply#7 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:16 AM EDT

          2200 ft here a few miles out from Youngsville, PA. Was going to come up to Buffalo today but decided to get generator ready and cover the rhubarb.

          What happened to all the lake effect this winter? Was really disappointed.

          Was snowing this morning but just light stuff. Waiting for the big pile up tonight..

          Too bad for the apple blossoms.

            #7.1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:30 PM EDT
            Reply

            85 in March and 16" of snow in late April. just another one of those meaningless anomalies, right naysayers? Idiots think we are taking about climate change when in reality it is all about weather amplification due to warmer oceans due to a much smaller ice cap due to soot by Man being deposited there 24/7 as opposed to only occasionally by the rest of Mother Nature. Try and keep up

            And while anomalies do not mean squat when it comes to climate change, they make for very interesting weather amplification events when the bridges start washing out more frequently

            • 8 votes
            Reply#8 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:18 AM EDT

            this is actually not totally an anomaly. Looking back at the records, this same exact scenario has occurred over a dozen times in the past 115 years.

            • 12 votes
            #8.1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:48 AM EDT

            The oceans are not any warmer David...it you really believe that provide a link. And nowhere in climate change theory is there any mechanism to cause storms to amplify

            • 2 votes
            #8.2 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:16 PM EDT

            You can't do an internet search, Wally? http://scrippsnews.ucsd.edu/Releases/?releaseID=1258

            Warmer waters lead to increased evaporation which amplifies storms by putting more energy in the atmosphere. You haven't read much climate science, have you?

            • 5 votes
            #8.3 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:20 PM EDT

            climate.nasa.gov/evidence

            I think this speaks for itself.

            • 2 votes
            #8.4 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:55 PM EDT

            AG99. I love it when posters are always asked to post a link. Like anyone who uses the internet doesn't know how to google.

            Thanks for your post.

            • 4 votes
            #8.5 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:56 PM EDT
            Reply

            Wowww what a suprise. Every year at this time in the northeast there is always some bad weather hanging on before the warmer condition takes hold. You would think the people who report this would quit trying to make more out it it then need be. Plus the population living there is use to these conditions an realize this may happen just before the warmer weather sets in. I guess the people who follow and perdict weather have to do something for the ratings. I live in a warm weather climate and believe me they couldn't perdict it getting dark. Maybe I'll become a weather man and make some easy money pretending I know what mother nature will do next..

            • 9 votes
            Reply#9 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:31 AM EDT
            Comment author avatarDawn Sommerfeldtvia Facebook

            I live smack in between Buffalo and Rochester. While the wind will produce low visibility, our weather alerts predict a snowfall of less than an inch during the entire 'storm'. The weather has to have some hype, always. We're used to it. The only change it'll make for my day is I'll leave for work a little earlier :]

            • 6 votes
            #9.1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:17 PM EDT
            Reply

            If this was 6 weeks later, this would likely form into a major tropical depression or even a hurricane. Since it has been so warm, one could say this is the first tropical depression of the season, since it did form in the Gulf and is dropping copious amounts of rain along with fairly strong winds

              Reply#10 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:32 AM EDT

              It's all about you Jesus, all about you.

              • 1 vote
              #10.1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 2:36 PM EDT

              I'll go with what the NWS people say about what to call a storm

                #10.2 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:17 PM EDT
                Reply

                Naysayers go on and on about how the Earth has natural warming and cooling cycles, yet even with today's technology they cannot tell us WHAT natural occurrence caused the Arctic Ice Cap to shrink so dramatically in the last 10 years

                But back in the 1970s scientists proposed the possibility of PREVENTING a new ice age from occurring by simply dumping a lot of black soot on the Arctic ice cap to melt it. Well guess what? We DID dump a whole bunch of soot on it via our many tens of thousands of flights into the stratosphere daily. And guess what else? They were RIGHT! It DID melt

                • 7 votes
                Reply#11 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:39 AM EDT

                When was the last time you looked at these melting ice caps of which you speak? Have you noticed that for the last six weeks the Arctic sea ice has been within 1 standard deviation of the 1979-2010 average. And, currently, it is very close to being out of 1 sigma ON THE HIGH SIDE? Not to even discuss that Antarctic ice is GROWING and has been essentially since satellite records have been available? Data available at NSIDC or That is, if you'd like to check the facts, but based on your comments, I doubt you do.

                • 2 votes
                #11.1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 3:02 PM EDT

                David doesn't let things like scientific fact stand in the way of his confused way of thinking.

                • 2 votes
                #11.2 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:20 PM EDT
                Reply

                We are due for another ice age David calm down our extinction is coming.

                • 7 votes
                Reply#12 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:44 AM EDT

                an ice age would not cause our extinction.

                • 3 votes
                #12.1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:49 AM EDT

                Chris, maybe not, but it sure would make it hard to grow crops and keep animals alive....not to mention the humans!

                • 2 votes
                #12.2 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:59 AM EDT

                Never said it would it might move the population to mexico though. Neither will global warming might move us all to Canada. One way or the other one day we will be extinct Unless the mother ship comes and picks us up before that day comes LOL!!!!

                • 1 vote
                #12.3 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:01 PM EDT

                I hope so, it is time

                  #12.4 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:22 PM EDT
                  Reply

                  "Nothing to see here folks, just move along". Jellyfish blooming as never seen before, coral dying all over the world, Polar caps melting at an alarming rate and outrageous weather every where. Something is happening and it ain't good.

                  • 8 votes
                  Reply#13 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:46 AM EDT

                  Ain't our fault, either.

                  • 2 votes
                  #13.1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 2:09 PM EDT

                  It is human fuel consumption that is causing climate change. It is our fault. If you want comfort only watch Fox.

                  • 2 votes
                  #13.2 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 10:28 PM EDT

                  Don't watch cable at all actually, sorry.

                  • 1 vote
                  #13.3 - Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:00 PM EDT
                  Reply

                  Has or has there not been a whole bunch more soot dumped into our atmosphere during the last 20 years as Asia's growing prosperity, and thus Asia's hydrocarbon burning, increased dramatically over what it was previously. Europe and North Americas contribution increased a bunch as well as their populations grew and economies grew robustly as well by selling to and buying from a growing Asia

                  Soooo if there are going to be any effects from that, they should be manifesting themselves right about now. Are they?

                  • 2 votes
                  Reply#14 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:55 AM EDT

                  Well, if that manifestation is an inhibition of the dreaded global warming, then maybe. You see, despite the fearmongering by the likes of you, there has been no statistically significant global warming since about 1998. Here's the reference. Live in the data, not in the hype.

                  icecap.us/index.php/go/political-climate/no_global_warming_for_15_years/

                  • 2 votes
                  #14.1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 3:12 PM EDT
                  Reply

                  I would kill for a big storm right now, I live in Phoenix the temp yesterday was 105 today its going to be 101 and its only April ugh.

                  • 5 votes
                  Reply#15 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:58 AM EDT

                  HELP! Call Al Gore quick. Maybe he will be able to warm things up a bit.

                  • 4 votes
                  Reply#16 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:00 PM EDT

                  yes - finally, an Al Gore joke. Buddy, he was talking about climate change - doesn't mean it has to be warming up in the hole you live.....

                  • 2 votes
                  #16.1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 5:00 PM EDT

                  Quick, where's Al Gore's speaking engagement? When ever he speaks they have unusally cold weather.

                    #16.2 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 10:06 PM EDT
                    Reply

                    I don't mean to open a can of worms here, but I will! Maybe Gov. Brewer can veto bad weather or pass legislation that only good weather is allowed!!

                    • 1 vote
                    Reply#17 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:05 PM EDT

                    Except for the wind, and the cooler temps, we really need the rain here in NE Pa. It's been dry for some time now, and we only had about 7 inches snow this winter, so the rivers, etc are low.

                    So, with umbrella in hand, I'm off to the store.

                    • 4 votes
                    Reply#18 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:10 PM EDT

                    Jerry - don't forget the essential whites: milk, eggs, bread and toilet paper!

                    • 7 votes
                    #18.1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:18 PM EDT

                    lol

                      #18.2 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:27 PM EDT
                      Reply

                      ole liberal hoax is at it again.

                      • 4 votes
                      Reply#19 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:33 PM EDT

                      How do they fake those droughts and rainstorms? Clever liberal bastards.

                      • 6 votes
                      #19.1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:37 PM EDT

                      and on earth day too! what a coincidence eh?

                      • 1 vote
                      #19.2 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:00 PM EDT
                      Reply

                      Perhaps those 7,000 homeless vets would fare better off in a socialist state.

                      • 2 votes
                      Reply#20 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:48 PM EDT

                      how come socialism is only ok for the congress, supreme cout and the military?

                      • 3 votes
                      #20.1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:01 PM EDT

                      The Vets were not overseas fighting and dieing for Socialism

                        #20.2 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:16 PM EDT

                        Careful Joe, they no like smart ass free spirits who question the order of things. Watch "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" to see what your fate may be if you keep it up!

                        • 3 votes
                        #20.3 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:21 PM EDT

                        Can we all vote to lock you guys in a storm cellar together for the rest of the day and let you duke this out?

                        • 2 votes
                        #20.4 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 2:11 PM EDT

                        Where do you get your figures from,your ass!

                          #20.5 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 3:44 PM EDT

                          mayhap you visit our vets homeless shelter and we beat ur ass, as we were trainined to do. A shipmate stands to aid a shipmate, same as a soldier.

                            #20.6 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:22 PM EDT

                            david-Im a former Marine, a lobotomy would have no affect.

                              #20.7 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:14 PM EDT
                              Reply

                              Most of the Liberal New England States already have there hands out for Government Aid

                              • 2 votes
                              Reply#21 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:14 PM EDT
                              Reply

                              anybody else having troubles with the video?

                                Reply#22 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:19 PM EDT

                                The forces of nature are finally rebelling from all of the decades of abuse under this capitalistic-system! And I'm including all of those nuclear tests done on the ground, under the ground, under water and the constant rising pollution!

                                I don't need to take sides in the so-called global warming debate...it doesn't matter when golf-ball sized hail is falling from coast to coast, not to mention tornadoes gone wild!!

                                • 2 votes
                                Reply#23 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:32 PM EDT

                                And the communist societies of Russia and now China and Viet Nam are doing or did better than our system? Think not! There is already more pollution in the air over China than we ever had over America.The less fortunate communist countries liks Viet Nam and Cuba don't have the resouces or industry to pollute! Their populations are starving or bout doing verl well financially! Capitalism has at least made efforts to clean up its' mess unlike other forms of governments!

                                  #23.1 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 3:49 PM EDT
                                  Reply

                                  Just light, steady rain here, and we need it.

                                  • 1 vote
                                  Reply#24 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 2:01 PM EDT

                                  It's all about you Jesus, all about you.

                                    Reply#25 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 2:39 PM EDT

                                    Did you know my sister made a $4702 profit off her body hooking on the web oh yeah she posted she was a 62 year old virgin and only had seven kids oh yeah, anybody that would believe this would believe this spammer higginsjulianne, all i can say is prove it spammer. Todd must be her pimp right toad.

                                      #25.2 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:27 PM EDT

                                      seek help asap.

                                        #25.3 - Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:15 PM EDT
                                        Reply
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