Powerful Nor’easter Batters US East Coast, Cancels 400+ Flights and Cuts Power to 100,000+

A powerful nor’easter brings heavy rain, strong winds and flooding to communities along the US East Coast. Photo credit: Unsplash.

 NEW YORK – A powerful nor’easter is battering the US East Coast, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and coastal flooding while disrupting air travel and knocking out electricity across several states.

The storm stretched from Washington, D.C., northward to Maine over the weekend. At one point on Saturday, more than 100,000 homes and businesses were without electricity, while airlines cancelled more than 400 flights involving US airports.

Flight-tracking service FlightAware reported about 425 cancelled flights and 1,338 delays on Saturday. The disruptions affected airports across the region as strong winds and severe weather complicated travel.

Power outages were also widespread. More than 88,000 customers in New Jersey, Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania were still without electricity at one point Saturday afternoon, down from more than 119,000 earlier in the day, according to PowerOutage.com data cited by Reuters.

Connecticut, New Jersey and New York each had more than 25,000 utility customers without power during the afternoon. PSEG Long Island said trees, branches and power lines had been brought down by the storm, while crews worked to restore electricity.

Coastal flooding and dangerous conditions

The US National Weather Service warned that the nor’easter could continue bringing coastal flooding, dangerous rip currents, strong wind gusts and heavy rain across parts of the Mid-Atlantic and New England through Monday.

Flooding was reported in parts of New Jersey, while some communities along the Jersey Shore issued voluntary evacuation orders as authorities prepared for further impacts.

The storm also disrupted planned events. A concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, was postponed because of the weather conditions.

Emergency measures

Authorities in several states moved to strengthen emergency preparations. New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared states of emergency on Friday in counties expected to face the worst conditions, including New York City.

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont also activated the state’s Emergency Operations Center as officials prepared for continued storm impacts.

Utility companies continued restoration work as the storm moved through the region. Officials urged residents to remain cautious around flooded areas, downed power lines and coastal locations affected by strong winds and dangerous surf.

The nor’easter is expected to continue affecting parts of the US Northeast through Monday, with authorities monitoring flooding, wind damage, power outages and transportation disruptions.

Key Facts

• Region: US East Coast, from Washington, D.C. to Maine

• Flights cancelled: About 425

• Flights delayed: About 1,338

• Peak power outages: More than 100,000 homes/businesses

• Major threats: Heavy rain, strong winds, coastal flooding and dangerous rip currents

• Emergency measures: New York, New Jersey and Connecticut