Nor'easter of 2007 peaks in intensity, continues pounding New England

The Nor'easter of 2007 continues to pound the Northeast U.S. today with flooding rains, high winds, and severe coastal storm surges. The storm peaked in intensity at about 8am EDT with a central pressure of 967 mb--a pressure similar to what one finds in a Category 2 hurricane. However, the nor'easter is not as tightly wound as a hurricane, and the highest winds were were 61 mph gusting to 70mph at 8am EDT on the Maine coast at Matinicus Rock. Winds were 60 mph gusting to 64 mph at the Isle of Shoals C-MAN station on the coast of New Hampshire at 7am EDT this morning.

Huge rains in New York and New Jersey
Central Park in New York City recorded 7.57 inches of rain yesterday, the most ever from a Nor'easter, and their second highest daily rainfall ever measured. The record was set on September 23rd 1882, when 8.28 inches fell during a slow-moving tropical storm. Rainfall total of 5-9 inches were common over much of New Jersey and the New York City area over the past 36 hours (Figure 1), bringing the worst flooding since Tropical Storm Floyd in 1999. Rivervale, NJ has had the most rain I could find thus far--9.3 inches.

Today's running of the Boston Marathon will be a cold, wet one, as 3-5 inches of rain have already fallen over the area, and another 1-2 inches could fall today. The heaviest rains today will affect coastal New Hampshire and Maine, where 5-8 inches are expected.


Figure 1. Total precipitation estimated by radar for the Nor'easter of 2007.

Coastal flooding
Winds from the 2007 Nor'easter pushed a 2.5 foot storm surge on top of an unusually high "Spring Tide" into the New York City area during this morning's high tide (Figure 2), and a 4-5 foot surge along the western shores of Long Island Sound (Figure 3). The coastal flooding situation may be most serious along the coast north of Boston, where a storm surge of 3-4 feet is occurring during this morning's high tide, and huge waves are battering the coast. Wave heights up to 25 feet were observed just offshore this morning. Coastal flooding is expected all along the Maine and New Hampshire coasts, and downtown Portland, Maine will see water along Commercial Street during high tide today. Waves heights up to 29 feet have been observed this morning off the coast of Maine.


Figure 2. Tidal levels observed at The Battery in New York City.


Figure 2. Tidal levels observed at King's Point in western Long Island Sound on April 15, 2007.

Mount Washington weather
Winds this morning on top of New Hampshire's Mount Washington were 108 mph, gusting to 138. I don't think they'll be painting the railings today! Check out their web site--the current observer comments are particularly interesting!

I'll post an update late this afternoon.
Jeff Masters