Question: Was the recent big storm technically a "nor'easter" or "Ida?" I have heard it referred to as both. I know it was formed from Ida's remnants, but was is still Ida as defined by a tropical system?

Answer: The answer is a bit complex, but to boil it down to a reasonably short answer, Ida rapidly lost its tropical characteristics shortly after moving ashore near the Gulf coast, and then the low-level circulation drifted slowly east and weakened, while parts of its mid-level circulation and large amounts of associated moisture were swept northeastward, becoming incorporated in a deepening upper level trough (approaching from the northwest) that ended up becoming a closed low. As this was occurring, a new surface low developed along an intensifying surface front just off the southeast coast. On November 11th, this new surface low began to deepen just offshore near the NC/SC border, while the remnant surface low from Ida drifted east into the Atlantic off the southern GA coast. By this time, and through a good portion of the storm, with its heavy rains, strong northeast winds and chilly inland temperatures, the system that remained was much more a typical nor'easter than anything tropical. So, it was not Ida, but Ida certainly played a role in the entire sequence of events.