Powerful nor’easter threatens upcoming weekend on East Coast with rain, high winds

A powerful area of low pressure is expected to develop along the East Coast this weekend and pack heavy rain and high winds.

The coastal storm will likely be of the nor’easter variety, meaning it will pack strong winds that blow from the northeast and heavy precipitation.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, computer models are in unusually strong agreement supporting the development of the system that remains several days away.

Anywhere from the Carolinas to southern New England is at risk of being impacted by the potentially strong coastal storm.

FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross said Tuesday that persistent wind gusts could be the biggest impact of this system.

“Very often, as we’ve seen, it’s those persistent winds that don’t allow essentially the high tide to come completely out,” said Norcross.

“That’s when we get the coastal problems.”

How far north the area of low pressure will make it up the coast remains an open question and will become clearer later in the week.

“We have a couple of vulnerable spots that we need to be mindful of here, one of which is the Outer Banks,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Kiyana Lewis said. “Yes, you are part of this story, that could see some significant surf, possibly some more beach erosion.”

While the term nor’easter conjures images of winter weather, cold air will not be in place during this storm. This means all the precipitation will be of the liquid variety along the heavily populated Interstate 95 corridor.

As the low-pressure system develops off the Southeast, heavy rain will create a flash flooding threat for the Carolinas and parts of Virginia this weekend.

Days of heavy rain, high winds, dangerous rip currents and high surf are likely if the storm develops as expected.

Details will become clearer in the days ahead.