Northeast prepares for weekend nor'easter with warnings of rain, wind and coastal flooding
A powerful nor'easter is expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and high waves to the Northeast through the weekend, prompting emergency declarations and event cancellations.
A nor'easter moving up the Atlantic coast is forecast to deliver heavy rain, strong winds and high waves across the Northeastern United States from Friday through Sunday. State officials have issued warnings for coastal flooding and wind damage, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for New York City, Long Island and Westchester, urging residents to take the storm seriously.
Coastal flood alerts are active from North Carolina's Outer Banks to Maine, with some locations projected to see water levels up to three feet above normal. High wind warnings cover the Jersey Shore, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, where gusts could reach 60 mph, while New York City may experience 40-to-50 mph gusts. Waves of up to 12 feet are possible along the New Jersey shore through Saturday and along the New England coast through Sunday.
Rain is expected to begin Saturday morning, spreading from New Jersey to Massachusetts and peaking on Saturday before tapering off on Sunday. Forecasts call for 4-6 inches of rain in Boston, Rhode Island, coastal New Jersey and Long Island, with 2-4 inches across a broader area from Delaware to Maine. Isolated flash flooding is possible, though widespread flooding is unlikely due to the gradual accumulation of precipitation.
The storm has already led to the cancellation of several large events, including Ed Sheeran's concerts at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, the Global Citizen Festival in New York City and the Oceans Calling music festival in Ocean City, Maryland.