Nor'easter Threatens Hurricane-Force Gusts and Power Outages in New England

A full-blown nor'easter is gearing up to roar into the eastern U.S. this weekend, bringing destructive winds, heavy rain, and more. The impacts of the storm are already being felt along the coastline of the mid-Atlantic. Here is the latest on this monster of a storm event.

Coastal Flooding and Beach Erosion Sweeping Up the Atlantic Coastline

It was a messy day on Thursday along a stretch of coastline from North Carolina and up into New England. Pounding surf has triggered beach erosion as offshore winds shove the ocean water ashore. The timing of the storm with the full moon this weekend will raise tide levels further, creating widespread coastal flooding. The beach erosion is forecast to be the worst in a zone across Long Island, New York, and Massachusetts.

The pressure gradient between the high-pressure zone anchored over the interior Northeast and the low-pressure system coming together off the coast of the mid-Atlantic is being blamed for the winds that are sending the waters inland. Forecasters are predicting that the flooding risk will be the greatest around high tide through Friday evening for the mid-Atlantic.

Widespread water levels hitting 2 to 3 feet above the average tidal reading will be the story for much of the region. The hardest-hit locations will approach levels that are 6 feet over the monthly average. The communities of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Newport News, Virginia, will experience surge that lasts for hours.

Moving to the north, the zone from the Delmarva Peninsula to northern New Jersey should expect tides to come in at 1 to 2 feet above the average.

New England Braces for First Nor'easter of the Season

Just as the impacts weaken in the mid-Atlantic late Friday, the action will ramp up in New England. The latest forecast models suggest that the powerful storm will move into southeastern New England on Friday and persist into Sunday. The most potent rain bands are expected late Friday through Saturday night for Rhode Island, central and eastern Massachusetts, Connecticut, Long Island, New York, the southeastern corner of New Hampshire, and the southern Maine coast.

Wind gusts could reach hurricane-force levels capable of bringing down trees and power lines. The threat of power outages will be elevated as most trees are still hanging onto their leaves, putting additional strain on the roots.

The forecast is calling for rain totals of about 1 to 2 inches in an area from northeastern New Jersey up the coast into Maine. Pockets of 4 to 8 inches are likely from central Massachusetts to the east into Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha's Vineyard.

The track of the nor'easter will take it over the exceptionally warm water of the Gulf Stream for at least two days. It is possible that the storm could take on defined tropical characteristics as it feeds on these toasty waters. Features that resemble a tropical storm are referred to as subtropical storms.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Fay has regenerated, but is not expected to impact land. The next two names on the 2026 Atlantic hurricane list are Gonzalo and Hanna.

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