A significant nor’easter persisted in affecting parts of the East Coast on Sunday. It began earlier in the weekend, bringing a severe combination of heavy rain, strong winds, and dangerous waves across multiple states in its path.
Areas in coastal New York and New Jersey experienced such severe flooding that residents resorted to paddling through their neighborhoods in kayaks and canoes. Cars were nearly submerged in rising floodwaters. Authorities maintained flood warnings over extensive coastal stretches, as meteorologists cautioned that the worst impacts might still be ahead for some communities.
Ted Friedli kayaks through a flooded Long Branch, New Jersey, navigating streets made impassable by the nor’easter.
The nor’easter has already claimed a life in Brooklyn, New York. A tree fatally struck Leighton Brown, a 56-year-old employee of the New York City Housing Department. Additionally, New York State Police are searching for another individual missing from a Fire Island beach since Saturday afternoon.
As of Sunday morning, the storm left tens of thousands without power across the Northeast. According to PowerOutage.us, over 40,000 people in New York and around 30,000 in Connecticut were affected.
Intensifying Conditions Forecasted
Forecasts indicated worsening conditions on Sunday as the storm, positioned offshore, was expected to make landfall over New Jersey. Governors Kathy Hochul of New York and Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey declared emergency states for regions facing the severest effects.
The National Weather Service predicted additional rain in mid-Atlantic and northeastern states through Monday night, raising concerns of more flooding. Rough surf and rip currents posed dangers extending southward to the Carolinas. Wind gusts might reach up to 50 mph from New Jersey to Long Island.
The nor’easter’s strong winds risk further power line failures and tree toppling. The weather service warned of potential flooding in New Jersey through New England. Rainfall may predominantly cause flash flooding, particularly in urban areas, roads, small streams, and canyons.
Preparations and Impact
The weather service advised coastal residents to prepare for significant coastal damage, warning of continuous flooding during the weekend, especially at high tide. They issued advisories for immediate preparations in low-lying coastal areas, cautioning about roads submerged under water and impacts on homes and businesses.
Between Friday and Saturday, numerous reports of river, creek, stream, and coastal flooding, along with wind damage, emerged from North Carolina to New York. Wind gusts parallel to a low-grade hurricane, touching 75 mph, were recorded in Surf City, New Jersey, and Astoria, Pennsylvania.
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