An early-season nor'easter is hammering the East Coast this weekend, bringing major coastal flooding, high surf, strong winds, rain and rip currents from North Carolina to New England. The National Weather Service says the worst flooding will stretch from North Carolina's northern Outer Banks to the Jersey shore.
Water in the hardest-hit areas is expected to run 2-4 feet higher than normal at high tide. Boston is in the area of greatest concern, and the city is under a flood watch until 2 a.m. Tuesday.
Boston and the New York City area
Coastal flood warnings have been issued for Atlantic City, Long Island, the Norfolk metro area, Ocean City, downtown Boston, Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. The warning area runs through Boston and the New York City tri-state area, with major coastal inundation expected across the broadest part of the coast.
A full moon is adding to the flooding risk this weekend. High tides are the pressure point, and the water is expected to ebb and flow with them instead of arriving in one single surge.
New Jersey and North Carolina
The most significant coastal flooding is expected from North Carolina's northern Outer Banks to the Jersey shore, including the Virginia Tidewater, Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay. Beach erosion is also expected along stretches of the affected beaches, adding another layer of disruption for coastal communities.
At least minor coastal high tide flooding will develop in parts of New England and last through much of the weekend. Storms have also closed schools in another coastal weather event, while flooded roads and power cuts show how quickly storm impacts can spread beyond the shoreline.
Through Monday
The rainfall is being spread out over several days rather than arriving in one short deluge, with the most rain expected from southern New England to New Jersey. That slower pace limits one short burst but keeps the threat going, and rainfall totals are stretched out through Monday.
For people along the coast, the practical focus is the next tide cycle: higher water, recurring flooding at exposed shorelines, and conditions that can change as tides turn through Sunday and into Monday.
