Nor’easter Affects East Coast as Hawaii Braces for Hurricane Nolo

A powerful nor’easter began impacting the East Coast early Saturday. Power outages affected thousands, flights were canceled, and high winds moved across the region. Tens of millions from the mid-Atlantic to Maine were in the storm’s path. The National Weather Service forecasted coastal flooding, heavy rain, and high winds from the rare September nor’easter.

Late Saturday morning, nearly 100,000 were without power in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. The storm is expected to intensify and slowly progress north, reported the National Weather Service. Coastal New Jersey experienced rough surf and intense flooding Saturday morning. Mayor Michael Mangan of Manasquan, New Jersey, declared a state of emergency on Friday. “Ensure you have water and food,” he advised. “Many roads might become impassable due to flooding.” New Jersey and New York also declared emergencies, including in New York City.

Social media videos showed flooded streets in New Jersey and massive waves on the coast. In NYC, people were seen kayaking in the streets. Francis Tarasiewicz, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Boston, predicted wind gusts up to 60 mph along the coast. He noted the nor’easter is occurring earlier than typical, lasting longer than normal. “This storm will bring 48 hours of winds between 35 to 40 mph,” Tarasiewicz said.

Many nor’easters affect the area over the course of about a day. It’s a quick punch of strong winds, in many cases, heavy snow, or rain.

Tarasiewicz emphasized concerns about leafy trees. Winds could stress these trees, risking more power outages. Southern Rhode Island, eastern Massachusetts, and Cape and Islands may face the greatest threat. Saturday morning saw hundreds of flight cancellations, thousands delayed, according to FlightAware. Cape Cod and Rhode Island ferries faced disruptions. Amtrak canceled several trains due to weather and downed wires.

The nor’easter also led to event cancellations. Maryland’s Oceans Calling festival was called off Friday. The Red Sox postponed games against the Chicago Cubs. Ed Sheeran canceled his Gillette Stadium show in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Forecasters expect the storm to progress northeast across Cape Cod from Monday night through Tuesday, lessening by Wednesday night. Nor’easters get their name from their northeastern wind direction, Tarasiewicz explained.

Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Hawaii is under a hurricane watch as Hurricane Polo approaches Baja California peninsula. These storms are part of a super El Niño climate pattern affecting this year’s environment.