Only 1% of Nor’easters Happen in September and One Is Hitting Us Now

The MGM Show tracked down 12 News Meteorologist T.J. Del Santo as he was trying to enjoy his weekend getaway in Vermont Friday morning. As the SouthCoast braced for a powerful nor'easter, Del Santo checked in from his log cabin. T.J. was pouring maple syrup on his pancakes as we chatted about the approaching storm. It was the calm before the storm.

When Will the Nor'easter Hit the SouthCoast?

The storm was already churning off the North Carolina coastline Friday morning, and was set to work northward through the day. Del Santo said winds around the SouthCoast and eastern Massachusetts would pick up through Friday, gusting to around 45 miles an hour, before strengthening overnight.

"The winds will get even stronger tonight and especially through the daytime tomorrow, with gusts possibly reaching 60 miles an hour," he said.

How Much Rain Will the SouthCoast Get?

A few scattered showers were expected Friday afternoon, but the bulk of the rain arrives Friday night and sticks around much of Saturday and Sunday, coming in waves with some breaks in between. Del Santo put the weekend rainfall total anywhere between two and five inches. "The good news is the timing," he said. "Unlike the downpour a couple of weeks ago that dumped everything in three hours, this rain stretches across 48 to 72 hours. Street flooding is still on the table."

Wind Is the Real Story This Weekend

High wind warnings are in effect for the SouthCoast and all of the Cape and Islands, with gusts of 50 to 60 miles an hour possible. Del Santo warned that the leaves are still on the trees and will act like sails. As tree branches come down more easily, scattered power outages become more likely.

When Will the Most Intense Part of the Storm Hit the SouthCoast

Del Santo suggested settling in for the storm no later than 8 p.m. Friday and through Saturday morning. The storm will linger into Sunday, but Friday night into Saturday appears to be the strongest period.

Why September Nor'easters Are So Rare

Del Santo does not expect this system to get a name, though it may take on "tropical characteristics" as it rides the warm Gulf Stream, making it what forecasters call a hybrid storm. Only 1% of all nor'easters in recorded history have impacted New England in the month of September.