Nor'easter Floods Northeast, Leaves Over 130,000 Without Power

A powerful nor'easter continued its assault on the Northeast on Sunday, causing widespread flooding in coastal communities and leaving more than 130,000 customers without electricity. Forecasters warned of persistent tidal flooding as the slow-moving storm lingered.

The storm, which had already been responsible for the death of a New York City housing authority worker on Saturday due to a falling tree, was expected to remain in the area for another 24 hours, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and dangerous surf from New Jersey to New England. The National Weather Service indicated that the most significant impacts would come from high winds and tidal flooding.

More than 130,000 customers across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic lost power, according to PowerOutage.us. The New Jersey shore, New York's Long Island, and coastal Connecticut counties experienced the most widespread outages. Toppled trees damaged homes and cars, blocked streets, and downed numerous utility lines on Long Island.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency stated that its response coordination centers in affected regions were operating in an enhanced posture, with teams on standby in New England to address potential widespread outages.

Residents in some areas experienced significant disruption, with reports of people kayaking down flooded streets in New Jersey and New York. Emergency crews in Sea Bright, New Jersey, rescued a woman and her dog from a vehicle trapped in floodwaters. In Surf City, New Jersey, rising water inside a marina led to missing boats and jet skis.

The storm also disrupted travel, leading to hundreds of flight cancellations at Boston Logan International Airport. On North Carolina’s Hatteras Island, flooding cut off highway access, stranding visitors and forcing a couple to relocate their wedding after many guests were unable to reach the island.

The storm's intensity has drawn comparisons to Superstorm Sandy in 2012, though its impact has been less severe. Experts suggest that the current weather pattern could be influenced by the El Niño climate pattern, potentially leading to additional storms along the East Coast this fall.