Following a rare and slow-moving Nor’easter storm that unleashed its full fury on Saturday, the East Coast of the United States is facing one of the most severe weather challenges in recent years. This storm has a wide-reaching impact, spanning from the Mid-Atlantic region to New England in the U.S.
After New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency on Friday, the storm officially engulfed the Tri-State area on Saturday, with historic high tides, severe widespread flooding, and power outages reported in many areas.
Meteorologists have warned that this prolonged storm could bring the most serious coastal flooding since the Superstorm Sandy in 2012. The core threat of the storm lies in its strong and persistent onshore winds, continuously pushing Atlantic seawater inland, exacerbated by the astronomical high tide coinciding with the full moon on Saturday.
In Surf City, New Jersey, hurricane-force gusts of up to 74 miles per hour were observed, with seawater flooding streets and inundating some residents’ homes. In low-lying communities like Manasquan, roads have been completely submerged underwater, with officials warning that the street flooding will persist for a long time.
New York City and Long Island have also been severely impacted, with areas like the southern Queens, Rockaways, Jamaica Bay, and many parts of the southern coastline of Long Island experiencing significant tidal surges, with flood depths reaching several feet.
In addition to New York and New Jersey, New England has also been devastated by the storm. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has activated the state’s Emergency Operations Center for round-the-clock monitoring.
The National Weather Service has issued coastal flood warnings for the Connecticut coast, indicating that the storm will push large amounts of seawater into coastal low-lying areas. Fairfield County and New Haven County have reported road flooding, with thousands of households experiencing power outages due to fallen trees on power lines.
In Massachusetts, reporters from FOX Weather stationed in the coastal town of Hull have reported rapid escalation of gusts and huge waves, threatening the coastal communities with backflow of seawater and facing intense gusts of up to 60 to 65 miles per hour on islands and coastal areas.
The strong winds and continuous heavy rainfall have caused significant damage to the infrastructure on the East Coast. With many trees still bearing leaves in early autumn, the strong winds have led to massive branches breaking and bringing down power lines. According to Poweroutage.us, over 70,000 households in the East Coast are without power, with about 27,000 affected in New Jersey, over 20,000 in New York, and thousands more in Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Sea and air transportation have been severely disrupted. Major airports like New York’s JFK and LGA, and Boston Logan International Airport in Massachusetts have experienced widespread cancellations and delays, with airlines offering travel waivers for passengers to reschedule their flights free of charge.
Due to massive waves of 15 to 22 feet, all public ferry services connecting Long Island, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket have been suspended.
The storm has also directly impacted entertainment and events, with adjustments made to Boston Red Sox home games, two major concerts by singer Ed Sheeran at Gillette Stadium, and numerous outdoor events in New York and New Jersey being canceled or postponed due to the storm.
FOX Weather expert Bryan Norcross has analyzed that the most hazardous aspect of this storm is its “stalling” feature. The storm system has stalled along the mid-Atlantic coast, subjecting a 750-mile stretch of coastline to sustained strong winds and pushing seawater inland with consecutive high tide cycles. Accumulated rainfall over the entire weekend is expected to reach 3 to 5 inches, with severe urban flooding in localized areas.
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey are urging residents to stay indoors, evacuate if necessary, and be prepared with emergency supplies and backup power. With the compounded high tides, state governments have activated emergency response mechanisms, working tirelessly to repair power and rescue stranded individuals, preparing for the extreme weather test set to last until Sunday.