A rare September nor’easter is threatening the East Coast from North Carolina to Maine, with coastal flooding already reported and the strongest winds and heaviest rain expected Friday through the weekend. Boston and southeastern New England face the greatest risk, including gusts above 50 mph, waves as high as 20 feet and possibly more than 5 inches of rain. New York City, the Jersey Shore and Virginia’s Tidewater region are also in the path.
The storm has not reached full strength yet, but water is already moving onto land.
Where is the nor’easter causing flooding now?
In Virginia and along the mid-Atlantic coast. Minor to moderate flooding hit parts of the Jersey Shore and southeastern Virginia during Wednesday morning’s high tide, and the National Weather Service reported flooding in downtown Norfolk, Smithfield and Suffolk. Gusts above 40 mph have been pushing ocean and bay water toward shore from southern New Jersey to the Virginia Tidewater.
That flooding is expected to return with each high tide into the weekend, from the southern Jersey Shore to North Carolina’s northern Outer Banks, including the Chesapeake and Delaware bays.
When will the nor’easter hit New York and Boston?
Friday into Saturday. Heavy rain, stronger winds and coastal flooding are expected to reach southeastern New England on Friday, with high tide flooding on Long Island. Saturday is likely to be the peak across coastal New England. The storm should begin weakening Sunday, though showers and gusty winds may continue into Monday…