The storm system that raked the Midwest with tornadoes and dropped heavy snow across the Great Lakes region will move off the Atlantic Coast today, creating a classic Nor'Easter as its counterclockwise winds pull in copious moisture from the ocean. Up to two feet of snow is expected from New Jersey to Boston and the high winds will produce blizzard conditions.
February is the peak month for Nor'Easters as gyrations in the jet stream trigger the fickle and rapidly changing weather of early spring. The exact track of the storm determines the impact on coastal cities and the current forecast indicates that this one may be devastating, perhaps shutting down travel throughout the region.
Then again, all the snow and misery will fuel the conviction of the uninformed (and politically motivated) that global warming is a hoax, ignoring the fact that powerful storms and an energized jet stream are fueled by heat.
