With five nor'easters in the last month and more possible in the coming weeks, southeastern Connecticut might feel as if it's caught in a perpetual winter whirlpool of high winds and snow blowing in off the North Atlantic.

The region will likely get a short reprieve from the pattern today as the 1 to 4 inches of snow that is predicted to fall before noon is only expected to be accompanied by winds of up to 9 mph, according to the National Weather Service. The frigid temperatures, which caused a number of broken water pipes in the region including the Stonington borough fire department and the The Crossings East Health & Rehabilitation Center in New London, are expected to moderate into the upper 20s today,

With a name derived from the compass direction of the incoming winds, nor'easters of varying intensity are part of most every late fall and winter in the Northeast, sometimes bringing rain instead of snow. But they tend to hit New England and the Canadian Maritime Provinces hardest, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Satellite images of the recent storms show a huge counterclockwise swirl of precipitation virtually identical to a hurricane stalking the coast, but the two systems have different characteristics.

"Nor'easters are cold core storms. Hurricanes have a warm core center," said Gary Lessor, meteorologist with The Weather Center at Western Connecticut State University. Hurricanes have wind speeds of 74 mph or higher, and the gale-force winds of nor'easters are not as strong, rarely exceeding 60 mph.

Tim Morrin, observation program leader at the National Weather Service in Upton, N.Y., said nor'easters form as cold air moves in from the west and collides with warmer air over the Atlantic, anywhere between Florida and New Jersey, and a low pressure area forms. Water vapor from the ocean gets sucked up into the system.

"It's a rapidly developing type of storm," he said. "They can bring abnormally high tides and beach erosion. The beach erosion and damage from overwash can be worse from a nor'easter than from a Category 1 hurricane."

With much of the 43 inches of snow from the succession of storms still piled high, the extent of erosion at many of the region's beaches isn't yet visible. Others look to have been spared so far. Both Hawk's Nest Beach in Old Lyme, which was badly damaged in Superstorm Sandy in 2012, and Old Lyme Shores beach have escaped heavy pounding of waves from the recent nor'easters, said beach association leaders there.

"We haven't had any of the rip-roaring waves," said Paul Rowean, president of the Old Lyme Shores Beach Association.

For at least one local resident, the nor'easters have had an upside.

James O'Donnell, executive director of the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation, placed six directional wave sensors in the waters of Long Island Sound off New Haven and Old Saybrook in November. The sensors, funded by a federal grant, are measuring wave intensity to help predict erosion and inform strategies to protect vulnerable areas, he said. The year-old institute, based at the Avery Point campus of the University of Connecticut in Groton, is charged with guiding coastal communities and businesses in adapting to rising sea levels, increasing storm intensity and other effects of climate change.

O'Donnell said through the quiet start of winter, with no major storms in December and most of January, the sensors weren't collecting much valuable data. The last four nor'easters, though, have made up for the early lull.

"Now we're catching up," he said. "It's been good for us, for scientific purposes."

Water from a broken sprinkler system pipe late Monday afternoon damaged the Rite Aid Pharmacy in the Pawcatuck Shopping Center. No one was injured, but collapsed ceiling tiles could be seen in the front of the Route 1 store, which had to temporarily close. Employees and customers were also evacuated.

A broken sprinkler system pipe also flooded the second floor of the Stonington borough firehouse with several inches of water late Monday afternoon. Borough Warden Jeffrey Callahan said water had leaked down into the truck bays and then flowed outside, where it froze. He said sections of wall board would have to be replaced while rugs on the second floor were soaked. The problem has forced the Board of Warden and Burgesses to move tonight's meeting at the firehouse to Borough Hall. Last March, a pipe burst in the firehouse kitchen causing water damage.

Waterford-East Lyme Animal Control planned to transfer a dog and cat from its shelter to shelters in New London and Old Lyme Monday after discovering that pipes had frozen, according to Waterford Police Lt. Brett Mahoney.

A second dog was expected to be picked up by its owner.

Mahoney explained that it appears the main water line used by the Waterford shelter is the one that has frozen.

The heating system is still functional, and the animal control officer is still working despite the frozen water line, so animals can still be brought there, according to Mahoney. He said the shelter is still suitable to take animals in but not able to care long term for them.

Mahoney said those seeking lost animals that may be at the Waterford shelter should call the shelter before checking the New London facility. Waterford East Lyme Animal Control can be reached at (860) 442-9451.

In New London a broken water pipe at The Crossings East Health & Rehabilitation Center forced staff to move some patients out of one wing of the building into another Monday afternoon.

The pipe break occurred shortly after 2 p.m. and caused the sprinkler system and the building's fire alarm to activate, said Keith Nichols, New London Fire Department battalion chief. Fire department crews responded to the Viets Street facility and shut off the alarm and the sprinkler system, he said. Stephen Mansfield, deputy director of health for the Ledge Light Health District, said the leak did not impact the food service area and that a "small number" of patients had to be moved. The state Department of Public Health, which regulates nursing homes, has been notified, he said. Officials at the nursing home could not be reached to comment. Broken pipes were also reported in homes across the region.

j.benson@theday.com

Twitter: @BensonJudy