Nor'easter Slams Northeast Coast With 50+ MPH Winds, Leaves Thousands Without Power

Since Gov. Kathy Hochul and Gov. Mikie Sherrill declared states of emergency Friday afternoon, September 25, the nor'easter has done exactly what forecasters warned it would: knock out power, flood coastal streets, and shut down beaches across three states.

By Friday night, PowerOutage.com data cited by Fox Weather showed more than 7,000 customers without power in coastal New Jersey and over 5,000 outages in New York, concentrated on Long Island and coastal Queens. Wind gusts over 50 mph brought down tree limbs and power lines. Crews are working to restore service, but Fox Weather reported that high winds and persistent tidal flooding are slowing repairs.

The storm stretches across roughly 750 miles of coastline from North Carolina to Massachusetts, according to Fox Weather, putting more than 40 million people across 10 states in its path. ABC News reported waves already reaching 19 feet along North Carolina's Outer Banks, with 12-foot waves possible from the Outer Banks to the New Jersey shore through Saturday and along New England through Sunday.

The Declarations

Hochul's emergency declaration covers Nassau, Suffolk, New York City and Westchester. "We're expecting dangerous coastal flooding, strong winds and potential power outages through the weekend," she wrote Friday, according to The Hill.

Sherrill's declaration covers eight New Jersey counties: Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Salem. "Starting tonight, this nor'easter is expected to bring damaging winds, heavy rain, significant coastal flooding, and resulting beach erosion, with these eight counties facing the greatest risk," she said, per ABC News.

In Manasquan, New Jersey, officials recommended voluntary evacuations for residents in low-lying zones, particularly elderly residents and those with special needs, according to a local NBC affiliate cited by The Hill.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a travel advisory running from 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday morning. "The storm's expected path has shifted closer to our city, bringing heavier rain and stronger winds," Mamdani said, according to Gothamist. He told residents in basement apartments to know their evacuation route and be ready to move to higher floors.

On the Ground

All New York City public beaches are closed through Sunday, with no lifeguards on duty and strong rip currents expected, News 12 Bronx reported. The city is bracing for roughly 3 inches of rain and gusts up to 50 mph, with coastal flooding beginning as early as Friday night in southern Queens, according to CBS News.

The MTA has deployed emergency trucks, flood mitigation equipment and debris trains, and banned empty tractor-trailers from bridges overnight Saturday into Sunday. MTA Chair Janno Lieber said wind is the agency's top concern, especially after downed power lines already disrupted Long Island Rail Road service earlier in the week, per News 12 Bronx.

The storm has already forced cancellations: Ed Sheeran's weekend concerts at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, the Global Citizen Festival in New York City, and the Oceans Calling music festival in Ocean City, Maryland, according to ABC News.

John Davitt, chief meteorologist for Spectrum News NY1, told WNYC's Brian Lehrer the storm intensified faster than expected. "In the last 24 hours we have seen both weather models finally say the same thing," Davitt said, per Gothamist. "In terms of strength and intensity, we've seen worse... but still, it's going to leave an impact."

One Outlet's Quote Doesn't Add Up

Epoch Times reported that Hochul described the storm during a Friday press conference as "a very dangerous combination of heavy snow and extreme cold temperatures." No other outlet in this roundup, including NOAA's own forecast language quoted in that same Epoch Times piece, mentions snow or cold as factors in this storm. Every other source, including CBS News, ABC News and Fox Weather, describes a rain-and-wind coastal flooding event with no snow or freezing temperatures involved.

What Happens Next

NOAA's forecast, cited by Epoch Times, warned that flooding will be worst during Saturday and Sunday daytime high tides, extending inland along tidal rivers and bays. AccuWeather meteorologist Lee Goldberg said breaking waves could hit 12 feet or more, with 15 feet possible at the eastern end of Long Island.

The storm is described as slow-moving and stalling offshore, meaning New Jersey, New York and New England face repeated high-tide flooding cycles rather than a single peak, according to Fox Weather. The immediate open question is how long PSEG and LIPA crews in New Jersey and New York need to fully restore power once winds drop enough Sunday for repair crews to safely work the lines.