- Thousands were without power on the U.S. East Coast on Friday night as roads flooded in some coastal New Jersey communities, the first major signs of a powerful nor’easter expected to create dangerous conditions through the weekend.
- Roads flooded in Surf City and Manasquan, inundating some homes, with Mayor Mike Mangan expecting "a lot of water in the streets for a long time."
- Governors declared states of emergency in New York and New Jersey, while Connecticut activated its emergency operations center.
- NWS placed parts of Connecticut, Long Island, NYC, and Atlantic coasts of NJ and Delaware under coastal flood warnings.
- Peak wind gusts are expected to reach 60-65 mph on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket.
- Over 24,000 customers in New Jersey were without power as of 5 a.m. Saturday, with most blackouts centered around Cumberland, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties.
- The worst of the storm is expected late Saturday morning with high winds, powerful rain, and the harvest moon creating perfect conditions for coastal flooding.
- Flights, concerts, and sporting events have been canceled or rescheduled across the region due to the storm.
- Officials expect flooding to start Saturday and worsen by midday, with dangerous conditions anticipated along the Mid-Atlantic coast, particularly near New Jersey and Delaware.
- Wind gusts as strong as 60 mph and high surf could cause major coastal flooding throughout the weekend.
- Officials have cautioned about tree damage, dangerous rip currents, and beach erosion in certain areas.
A powerful nor'easter is wreaking havoc on the East Coast, with thousands left without power and significant flooding reported in coastal New Jersey. As of Saturday morning, over 24,000 customers in New Jersey and 16,000 in New York were without electricity, primarily in coastal areas.
In Surf City, NJ, streets were inundated, with Mayor Brian Kelly warning of winds up to 50 mph and flooding potentially reaching 6 feet. He described the situation as likely to be “closer to an Irene-scale flooding event,” referencing the devastating storm of 2011.
The National Weather Service has issued coastal flood warnings for parts of Connecticut, Long Island, New York City, and the Atlantic coast of New Jersey and Delaware. NY Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for several counties, urging residents to take the storm seriously and avoid unnecessary travel.
As the storm progresses, officials expect conditions to worsen, with peak wind gusts reaching 60 to 65 mph in some areas. Concerts and flights have been canceled, and evacuations are underway in low-lying regions.813
The worst impacts are anticipated late Saturday morning, coinciding with high tides and the harvest moon, creating perfect conditions for coastal flooding.
“It’s definitely going to be a case of the closer to the coast you are, the more impacts from the storm you’re likely to see,” said meteorologist Matthew Belk.
“Over 24,000 customers in New Jersey were without power by Saturday morning, with most outages in Cumberland, Monmouth, and Ocean counties. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for Nassau, Suffolk, New York City, and Westchester, warning of dangerous coastal flooding and strong winds.”
WRAL
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