Nor'easter Brings Strong Winds, Coastal Flooding to East Coast
An early-season nor'easter is delivering strong winds, heavy rain, and coastal flooding to much of the East Coast, with significant impacts expected through the weekend.
An early-season nor'easter is bringing strong winds, coastal flooding, and high waves to the East Coast. The storm, situated east of the Delmarva Peninsula, is slowly moving north and is expected to impact areas from eastern Virginia through southern Maine.
Late Friday night, Surf City, New Jersey, recorded a wind gust of 74 mph, with other stations along the Jersey Shore reporting gusts of 60 mph or more. Waves of 16 feet or more have been observed off the Jersey Shore and southern New England.
Coastal flood alerts are in effect for numerous cities, including Virginia Beach, Philadelphia, New York City, New London, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island, and Boston. Moderate to major coastal flooding is possible during high tide on Saturday morning, particularly from the southern Chesapeake Bay to the Jersey Shore and up to Raritan Bay. Minor to moderate flooding is anticipated further up the Chesapeake Bay into the Delaware River, as well as for parts of southern coastal New England.
Storm Impacts and Timeline
Saturday morning is expected to bring very strong winds, with gusts of 50 to 60 mph or more, from the Jersey Shore to southeastern New England. Heavy rain will also fall from Maryland to New Jersey and southern New York. The Saturday morning high tide could result in moderate to major coastal flooding along a significant stretch of the coast.
By Saturday afternoon and evening, heavy rain and strong wind gusts will continue across Maryland, southern New York, and begin impacting southern New England. Another high tide cycle around 9 p.m. may bring moderate coastal flooding, with isolated instances of major flooding possible.
Overnight into Sunday morning, the storm is forecast to continue producing heavy rain and strong winds from Maryland to southern New England, with a possibility of isolated inland flash flooding. The nor'easter is expected to weaken and break up on Sunday, with lighter winds and rain, though some lingering impacts may persist into Monday.
Rainfall totals are anticipated to range from 2 to 4 inches across the Northeast, with some areas potentially receiving up to 6 inches, particularly from New Jersey to Boston. While inland flash flooding is a possibility, especially in areas with poor drainage, the primary threat is expected to be wind-driven rain, which could lead to power outages.