An intense nor’easter storm commenced its onslaught on the East Coast early Saturday, resulting in widespread power outages, flight cancellations, and strong winds across the region. The storm’s path stretches from the Mid-Atlantic to Maine.
The National Weather Service has forecasted coastal flooding, heavy rain, and strong winds over the weekend due to this rare September nor’easter. By Saturday morning, nearly 100,000 people across New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts were without power. The storm is expected to gain strength and progress slowly northward throughout the day.
Michael Mangan, the mayor of Manasquan, New Jersey, declared a state of emergency on Friday, urging residents to stock up on water and food as many coastal roads may become impassable due to flooding.
States of emergency were also declared in New Jersey and New York, including areas in New York City. Videos on social media depicted streets flooded in New Jersey and massive waves assaulting the coast. In New York City, some individuals were seen kayaking through flooded streets.
Francis Tarasiewicz, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Boston, noted that wind gusts along the coast could reach up to 60 miles per hour. Typically, nor’easters occur from October through May and are brief, he said. However, this storm is expected to exert strong winds of 35 to 40 miles per hour for about 48 hours.
A concern raised is the strain on full, leafy trees that may lead to more widespread power outages. The most significant risk is predicted for southern Rhode Island, eastern Massachusetts, and the Cape and Islands region.
FlightAware data showed hundreds of flights were canceled on Saturday, with thousands more delayed. Ferry services on Cape Cod and in Rhode Island were disrupted, and Amtrak canceled several trains due to the adverse weather and downed wires.
The nor’easter also affected several events planned for the weekend. Maryland’s largest music festival, Oceans Calling, was canceled. The Red Sox rescheduled their games against the Chicago Cubs, and Ed Sheeran canceled his show at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Forecasts predict the storm will move northeast across Cape Cod from Monday night into Tuesday, easing by Wednesday night. Nor’easters derive their name from the northeast winds they typically generate, and are common in the fall and winter months.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Hawaii is under a hurricane watch as Hurricane Polo approaches the Baja California peninsula. These storms are influenced by a super El Niño climate pattern impacting the environment this year.