ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey — A slow-moving nor’easter is bringing gusty winds and coastal flooding to the Northeast coast this week, and our forecast team expects the impacts to last through Thursday October 22. The storm is threatening a long stretch of shoreline from New York down to Nags Head. Forecasters also warn there is a chance the storm could take on tropical characteristics as it lingers offshore.
A Storm That Will Not Move Quickly
The biggest concern with this nor’easter is how slowly it is moving. The center of the storm is spinning well off the coast over the Atlantic Ocean, but its winds are blowing toward land for days at a time. That makes this a long-duration event, not a quick hit that comes and goes overnight.
When strong winds push water toward the shore day after day, the ocean has a chance to pile up along the coast. Each high tide can bring the water a little higher than the one before.
Where the Coastal Hazards Are
Our coastal hazards map shows a long stretch of shoreline at risk this week:
- New York sits at the northern end of the main risk area, where coastal impacts are expected through Thursday.
- Toms River and Atlantic City along the New Jersey shore face coastal flooding and beach erosion during the storm.
- Virginia Beach is inside the risk zone, where strong onshore winds will push water toward the coast.
- Nags Head on the North Carolina Outer Banks also faces coastal flooding and erosion through Thursday.
North of New York, the risk area continues up the coast, where impacts began Monday night and are expected to last through Thursday as well.
What to Expect From the Storm
Our team is watching three main threats from this nor’easter. Each one can cause problems on its own, and together they can make for a rough few days along the coast.
Threat What It Means…