WHOSE KNOCKING ON MY BACKDOOR?

Written By: Scott Hetsko

During the spring and summer months, you may hear the term backdoor cold front used by meteorologists in our area. Most cold fronts arrive from the northwest, but some come in from the northeast they are the backdoor cold fronts. Every so often, a high pressure area will develop over New England or off the coast of the Northeast. Since winds blow clockwise around high pressure areas in the northern hemisphere, the wind will blow out of the northeast around the high pressure area. The air will pass over the chilly water off the coast of the Northeast and Northern Mid-Atlantic States. As this cooler air moves down the coast, it produces a cold front which can drop temperatures drastically due to the still cold water temperatures in the spring. Since the fronts come in from the northeast and not the northwest, the term backdoor is used.