November 2012 Nor'easter

The November 2012 nor'easter was a powerful nor'easter that brought significant early season snow to the Northeastern United States. Many of the areas hit by the storm had been affected by Hurricane Sandy days before, which further complicated recovery efforts.

Meteorological history

A mid-level shortwave over the Midwestern United States was moving eastward on November 6, just four days after Hurricane Sandy dissipated, toward a trough over the Southeastern United States, and into an area with abundant moisture and favorable conditions from the jet stream. The combination was favorable for a nor'easter to form, and on November 7, a strong low pressure area developed along the coast of North Carolina. At the time, there was an area of cold air inland the Mid-Atlantic States and New England that would allow the precipitation to fall as snow. By November 8, the system drifting to the northeast, located about south-southeast of Boston, Massachusetts, with a front extending northeastward to Nova Scotia. Its large circulation dropped rain and snow across the northeastern United States.
Some areas within NYC, got close to a foot of snow across Western Long Island, including Eastern Queens County in a narrow snow band that set up because of the coastal front.

Preparation and Impact

Immediately after Hurricane Sandy made landfall, forecasters were already discussing the possibility of a nor'easter directly impacting New Jersey during the following week. In preparation for the storm, coastal areas of New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut were advised to evacuate, with parts of Islip, New York, were under a mandatory evacuation. Before the nor'easter struck, officials recommended residents in low-lying areas of New York City to evacuate, A portion of the Long Island Expressway was closed during the storm, and the Long Island Rail Road shut down. Airlines canceled over 1,300 flights in or out of New York airports. Parks in New York City were closed, and construction was halted. In Nassau County, New York, more than 140 trucks put sand and salt on roads. Schools were closed in Connecticut. Due to sufficiently cool air and steady snowfall, the National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning. The New York Red Bulls had to postpone a Major League Soccer tournament game due to the snow.

Across New Jersey and New York, the storm dropped rain and snow in areas that sustained significant damage from Hurricane Sandy about ten days prior. Snowfall spread from New Jersey to Maine, peaking at in Clintonville, Connecticut, and the highest associated rainfall total was near Kingston, Massachusetts. Snowfall in Central Park reached , which broke the daily record and also the record for the earliest date of more than at the location. A daily snowfall record was also broken in Newark, New Jersey

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