A powerful nor’easter is sweept up the East Coast this weekend, putting millions of residents on alert as damaging winds, heavy rain, and coastal flooding continue to impact several states. The storm system has already battered parts of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey, and reached Boston and much of southern New England by late Sunday.
The system strengthened on Sunday, triggering travel disruptions and coastal warnings across several states. Airports from Washington, D.C., to Boston began reporting flight delays and cancellations, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issuing ground delays at Boston Logan International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport due to the poor weather. Flights were experiencing delays ranging from about 25 minutes to more than an hour. FlightAware.com reported that nearly 80 flights at Boston Logan had been canceled and another 80 delayed, as travelers faced widespread disruptions along the storm’s path.
NJ Governor Phil Murphy declared a State of Emergency, a measure that will allow the state’s emergency response teams to mobilize as needed. The order is expected to remain in effect through at least Monday, due to predictions of major flooding, strong winds, and 1 to 3 inches of rainfall. Wind gusts between 50 and 60 mph (80–97 kph) are forecast along the New Jersey and Delaware coasts, which could cause power outages and minor structural damage, according to the NWS office in Mount Holly, New Jersey.
The National Weather Service also placed New York City under both a coastal flood warning and a wind advisory through Monday afternoon, including coastal flood warnings for Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island through Monday. Water levels could climb 1.5 to 2.5 feet above ground, threatening to flood low-lying roads and properties and worsen erosion along vulnerable shorelines. The NWS cautioned that “residents should avoid driving or walking through floodwaters. Just six inches of moving water can knock a person off their feet, and one foot of rushing water can sweep away a vehicle. Floodwaters may also contain debris, pollutants, or other hidden dangers.”
Long Island’s shoreline could experience flooding, along with as much as three inches (about 8 centimeters) of rain and strong gusts. Meteorologist Bob Oravec with the National Weather Service said that “The biggest concern is coastal flooding, particularly from northeastern North Carolina up through much of the New Jersey shoreline.”
Forecasters warn that some areas of the state could see moderate to major coastal flooding, inland flash floods, and wind gusts reaching up to 60 mph (97 kph). Rainfall totals may climb to five inches (about 13 centimeters), accompanied by rough surf and beach erosion. In some coastal communities, residents and volunteers spent the weekend stacking sandbags to prepare for the high tides.
Showers from the nor’easter are likely to persist into Monday; travelers and residents along the East Coast are urged to remain cautious before the storm begins to move farther out to sea on Tuesday.
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