A nasty coastal storm, known as a nor’easter, is organizing and strengthening off the Southeast US. It will begin deluging New Jersey and New York City later today (Sunday) into Monday. Widespread and severe coastal flooding - upwards of EIGHT FEET is expected in places like Atlantic City, NJ.
The storm is poised to deliver tropical storm-force wind gusts, soaking rain and dangerous seas up most of the East Coast into early this coming week.
It’s packing a serious punch as it strengthens and moves north. Gusty winds and rain are already hitting parts of the mid-Atlantic. Gusts over 30 mph have been measured near the North Carolina coast. Portions of North Carolina Highway 12 in the Outer Banks were closed due to heavy ocean overwash on Saturday.
But the worst conditions will start to unfold today, Sunday.
Water levels along the New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia coasts could rise to levels not seen in nearly a decade. The major coastal flooding could inundate roads and homes and cause beach erosion alongside the heavy rain and potentially damaging wind.
It could also become an air travel nightmare for major hubs like Washington, DC, New York City and Boston with strong winds likely causing delays and cancellations by Monday.
A state of emergency went into effect for New Jersey Saturday night ahead of the storm’s worst impacts.
The nor’easter already caused some impacts: It drove the highest tides of the month even higher on Friday in parts of the Southeast. Officials in Charleston, South Carolina, made multiple city parking garages free while urging people in low-lying areas to move their vehicles as ocean water flowed onto land.
A significant coastal flooding event is unfolding from the Outer Banks through the Northeast with tide levels this weekend just shy of their highest marks of the month. The combination of soaking rain and strong winds pushing water onshore will be potent: Dozens of coastal spots from North Carolina to New York are expected to reach moderate-to-major flood stage from this nor’easter.
In Delaware and New Jersey, particularly the southern part of the state, coastal flooding could get bad enough to cause some roads to become impassible and some structures to flood, according to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey.
Water levels could rise above 8 feet Atlantic City, New Jersey — the highest level since Sandy in 2012 — and enter major flood stage on Sunday afternoon. That’s enough to trigger widespread flooding of roads in the area with some neighborhoods potentially becoming cut off due to the water, according to NOAA.
The nor’easter is also driving turbulent seas and generate rough surf that will make swimming dangerous for hundreds of miles of coastline.
