On Friday, during the early stages of a nor’easter storm, John Garrisi and Gaige Graf moved an outdoor table away from the shorefront to prevent damage. The storm has been affecting tens of millions along the coast from the mid-Atlantic to Maine, bringing significant coastal flooding, heavy rain, and high winds this weekend.
Talia Manno, a resident of Atlantic City, N.J., reported waves reaching her front steps. “It got up to my fifth step,” she said. This heightened compared to her experiences during Hurricane Sandy, making her concerned about the rising waters. Nearly 80,000 residents across New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Massachusetts faced power outages as of Saturday evening, according to PowerOutage.com.
The National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts that the storm will continue impacting areas like the Jersey Shore, New York City, and Eastern Massachusetts into Sunday. Social media was filled with videos of flooded streets in New Jersey and the powerful waves pounding the coast.
States of emergency were declared in counties of New Jersey and New York, including New York City. Francis Tarasiewicz, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Massachusetts, highlighted that wind gusts could reach up to 60 miles per hour along the coast. “Many nor’easters are a quick punch of strong winds and heavy snow or rain,” he explained. However, this particular storm is expected to last about 48 hours with winds over 35 to 40 miles per hour.
The storm is causing significant travel disruptions. More than 1,000 flights were canceled with additional delays, according to FlightAware. Ferry services on Cape Cod and in Rhode Island stopped running, and Amtrak canceled several trains due to weather conditions and downed wires.
Jessica Lisboa, experiencing rough seas on a Bermuda-bound cruise from New York, prepared with green apples, ginger ale, and an acupressure anti-nausea bracelet. She described the turbulent experience as a roller coaster but still viewed it as worthwhile.
The nor’easter has led to the cancellation of numerous events. In Maryland, the Oceans Calling music festival was canceled. An AC/DC concert scheduled in New Jersey was postponed. The Boston Red Sox moved their game against the Chicago Cubs.
Some residents adapted creatively. Olga Ostrovetsky originally planned for a serene fall wedding in Wallkill, N.Y., but faced strong winds during the ceremony. “It’s kind of fitting,” she remarked, noting the weather similarity to the day she and her fiancé first met.
In contrast, Talia Manno decided to spend the night with family away from the coast, reflecting on potential relocation due to increasing flood incidences. “As the years pass, it seems like it’s just getting more and more flooding,” she noted.