- A nor’easter is bringing heavy rain and high winds to the East Coast, with Boston and Long Island expecting up to 6 inches of rain, coinciding with the highest tides of the month, which could worsen coastal flooding.
A nor’easter is moving up the East Coast today, and before the weekend is over, rain totals will reach 2 to 4 inches from New Jersey to Maine, with Boston and Long Island expecting 4 to 6 inches. The National Weather Service has extended high wind warnings along the coast from Rhode Island through Massachusetts. The storm coincides with the highest tides of the month, which could worsen coastal flooding.
Waves have already swamped protective dunes along North Carolina’s Outer Banks, and Norfolk has closed streets and public schools. New York City will likely be spared the worst of the storm, though it could still see 1 to 2 inches of rain.
Nor’easters strike the Northeast as often as 10 times a year, but it’s unusual for one to be as powerful as this. The storms get their name from the northeasterly winds that blow over coastal regions as they pass. Most occur between September and April, typically developing along the coast between Georgia and New Jersey before reaching peak strength near New England. In winter, they can trigger blizzards, and the most severe have dropped as much as three feet of snow…