What makes a storm a nor'easter?

While many in the Northeast associate nor'easters with snow, winter is not the only time these storms can happen.

A nor'easter is a low pressure system that starts in the Southeast and intensifies as it moves to the Northeast, AccuWeather explains. Warm air from the system clashes with cold air as it moves to the northeast. They are called nor'easters because of the direction of the winds.

Nor'easters can cause crippling snow storms, heavy rain, gale force winds and beach erosion. They are strongest and most common between September and April.