The Nor'easters That Brought the Northeast to Its Knees

Nor'easters typically form when a low-pressure system develops over the Atlantic Ocean and moves toward land, generating powerful winds out of the northeast. These storms frequently bring coastal flooding, heavy precipitation, and in some cases, record-breaking snowfall.

One of the most challenging aspects of nor'easters is how rapidly they can develop. Forecasters often have difficulty predicting exactly where and how hard a storm will strike. The following storms stand as some of the most unforgettable in American history.

Great White Hurricane of 1888

The Great White Hurricane struck from March 11 to 14, 1888, paralyzing the East Coast from the Chesapeake Bay to Maine. Temperatures plummeted rapidly as the storm took hold, and snowfall in some regions reached up to 58 inches. Sustained winds topped 45 miles per hour, with gusts surpassing 80 miles per hour in some areas, driving snow into drifts that exceeded 50 feet tall.