Northeast lashed by nor'easter, with rain, wind and flooding

A powerful nor'easter swept across the Northeast on Sunday, inundating coastal towns and leaving an estimated 100,000 homes and businesses without electricity as forecasters warned of further high tide flooding. The slow-moving storm, which claimed a New York City worker when a tree fell earlier in the week, was anticipated to linger through Sunday with torrential rain, gusty winds, and rough surf from New Jersey to New England.

As of Sunday morning, the storm was south of Long Island and east of northern New Jersey, poised to circle the region for approximately 24 more hours, according to Bob Oravec, a National Weather Service forecaster in Maryland. The heaviest rainfall was projected for Sunday, affecting areas stretching from northern New Jersey to New York City and Long Island into southern New England.

Although the storm was gradually weakening, the risk of tidal flooding would persist during high-tide periods on Sunday morning and evening. Oravec emphasized that the most severe aspects of the storm would likely be strong winds and tidal flooding. Over 100,000 customers were without power in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region on Sunday morning, with over 40,000 in New York, 31,000 in Connecticut, 21,000 in New Jersey, and 11,000 in Massachusetts, as reported by PowerOutage.us.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency activated response coordination centers in affected areas on enhanced alert status, with standby teams in New England prepared for potential widespread outages. On Saturday, some residents in New Jersey and New York kayaked through flooded streets while others flocked to beaches to surf the elevated waves.

In Sea Bright, New Jersey, emergency crews rescued a woman and her dog after their vehicle was swept away by floodwaters. In Surf City, New Jersey, rising water submerged equipment in a marina, and owner Kenny Formica reported boats and Jet Skis missing or toppled from lifts. In Norfolk, Virginia, floodwaters propelled cars into motion through certain streets.

The storm also disrupted travel across the region, with hundreds of flights canceled at Boston Logan International Airport. Flooding obstructed access to North Carolina’s Hatteras Island, leaving visitors stranded and forcing a couple to hastily relocate their wedding, as their approximately 45 guests were unable to reach the island in time.