Nor'easter Floods New Jersey Streets and Homes as Storm Batters Northeast

The National Weather Service warned on Saturday that the storm is expected to bring major coastal flooding to the Mid-Atlantic coast over multiple high tide cycles through the weekend. Residents in low-lying areas near the shore were urged to prepare immediately for significant inundation, including roads underwater and impacts to homes and businesses. Dangerous flooding is expected particularly near New Jersey and Delaware.

A powerful nor'easter left more than 70,000 customers without power across the U.S. Northeast on Saturday, September 26, bringing dangerous coastal flooding, gale-force winds and heavy rain to a region of tens of millions of people.

In the coastal New Jersey borough of Surf City, streets were submerged with waves rippling along the floodwater's surface, and some homes were inundated. About 34 miles (54.7 kilometers) up the coast in Manasquan, where roads were also flooding, Mayor Mike Mangan said he expected a lot of water in the streets for a long time. A voluntary evacuation order had been issued earlier for some low-lying parts of that community.

New Jersey communities brace for major flooding

Brian Kelly, mayor of the small New Jersey beach community of Sea Bright, said the borough is preparing for winds of up to 50 mph (80 kph) and flooding that could reach as high as 6 feet (1.8 meters) on some streets. Officials expect flooding to begin Saturday and intensify by midday. Kelly said the town's recreation center would be opened for evacuees, and he hoped hundreds of residents in low-lying areas would consider leaving.

Kelly described the anticipated flooding as worse than average, noting that the community typically sees one or two flooding events a year. "I think this one will be closer to an Irene-scale flooding event," he said, referring to the 2011 storm that caused major flooding across the Northeast. "I hope I'm wrong, but that's my gut feeling."

Damaging winds expected along coast and inland

Peak wind gusts could approach 60 to 65 mph (97 to 105 kph) on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket on Friday night and Saturday, with gusts of around 50 to 55 mph (80 to 89 kph) near Boston and 35 to 40 mph (56 to 64 kph) farther inland, according to Matthew Belk, a meteorologist with the NWS in Norton, Massachusetts. Along the New Jersey and Delaware Atlantic coasts, gusts could reach 60 mph (96.6 kph), and southeastern Connecticut and eastern Long Island could see nearly as high.

Belk noted that nor'easters are not unusual as New England heads into fall, but said one particular concern this early in the season is that leaves are still on the trees, creating greater wind resistance. That raises the risk of downed limbs, which can trigger power outages and leave debris on roads.

Flights, concerts and ferry services disrupted

More than 200 flights to and from airports in Boston, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and New York were canceled on Friday, with further cancellations already in place for Saturday. Several airlines were offering to waive some change or cancellation fees for certain East Coast flights through the weekend.

The Boston Red Sox adjusted their weekend series against the Chicago Cubs, moving the Sunday afternoon game to Friday to create a split doubleheader. Ed Sheeran canceled his Friday and Saturday concerts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, citing the storm. The public ferry service linking Cape Cod to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard saw widespread cancellations Friday due to strong winds and rough water, with disruptions expected to carry into Saturday. Ferry service to Block Island in Rhode Island was also canceled.

Sean Driscoll, a spokesperson for the Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority, said that for frequent island travelers, the prospect of being stranded on one side is part of life, with most people keeping backup plans ready. "It's a nuisance, but you know, we know what to do with this kind of stuff at this point," he said. "This is not out of the realm of ordinary."

In Gloucester, a coastal city in northern Massachusetts, Ashley Destino visited the beach Friday afternoon with her two young children, ages 7 and 4, before settling in at home for the storm. She had Legos and arts and crafts activities ready to keep the children occupied, had secured her boat with extra lines, and her husband retrieved a generator in case of power loss.