Nor'easter looming off East Coast could be worst wind storm since Hurricane Sandy

A "life and death" storm is set to plow into the East Coast on Friday and Saturday, bringing with it dangerous coastal flooding, winds that could match Hurricane Sandy's, and heavy snow, The Washington Post reports.

The coast is where the most damage is expected, since the storm will hit in conjunction with a full moon, when tides are at their most extreme. "Shoreline roads will be flooded — some with more than three feet of water — and largely impassable," warns the Post. "Large debris will be washed ashore. Basements will flood, sea walls could be damaged, and beaches will be severely eroded, the National Weather Service predicts." The storm surge in Massachusetts could potentially be the biggest since 1978.

Winds could reach 70 miles per hour in gusts across the Northeast, particularly in southeast Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and eastern Long Island. Gusts of 60 miles per hour are expected from southern Maine to the Mid-Atlantic states, Weather.com reports. "Hurricane Sandy brought 61 mph wind gusts to [Virginia's Reagan National Airport] and we could see something similar Friday," said Storm Team 4's Doug Kammerer.

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Snow is also expected, although it is not the primary danger of the storm. As much as a foot could pile up in upstate New York.