A powerful nor’easter lashed the northeastern United States on Saturday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds that forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights and left thousands without power.
New York, Boston, and Philadelphia bore the brunt of the nor’easter, a storm characterized by its northeasterly winds.
What is a nor’easter storm?
Nor’easters are large cyclones that develop in the western North Atlantic Ocean, usually forming off the U.S. East Coast.
While they can form at any time of year, they are most common from fall through early spring.
These storms typically bring heavy rain or snow along with strong winds.
What have authorities said about the nor’easter?
Officials warned residents in low‑lying and coastal zones to expect possible flooding and road closures, given the storm’s timing with high tide.
The National Weather Service warned that the storm would likely cause major coastal flooding along the Mid‑Atlantic over several high‑tide cycles through the weekend.
It urged immediate preparation for significant inundation in low‑lying shoreline areas, noting that roads could be submerged and homes and businesses affected.
As of 3 p.m. Saturday (1900 GMT), approximately 95,000 customers across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania were without power, according to poweroutage.com.
Local leaders urge caution
New York Governor Kathy Hochul noted that the storm hit hardest along the coastal zones of New York City and Long Island.
“Conditions are extremely dangerous,” she said. “Anyone venturing into or near the water this weekend is essentially gambling with their life.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel due to the strong winds.
Flights, events canceled
Hundreds of flights were canceled because of the storm, including 253 at Boston’s Logan Airport alone, according to FlightAware.
Airlines such as JetBlue, United, and American have issued travel waivers, permitting passengers to rebook flights at no extra cost.
By 6:13 p.m. local time (2213 GMT), FlightAware reported that 439 flights to or from U.S. airports had been cancelled and 2,459 were delayed.
Several major cultural events were also cancelled.
The Global Citizen and All Things Go festivals in New York City, along with the Oceans Calling Festival in Maryland, were called off.
“Safety comes first,” organizers of the Global Citizen event in Central Park said, noting it marked the first cancellation in 14 years. The show was slated to feature Lenny Kravitz, Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, and country acts Lainey Wilson and Shaboozey.
British pop star Ed Sheeran’s weekend shows near Boston were also cancelled because of the weather.
Forecasts called for roughly five inches (13 cm) of rain across parts of Massachusetts, including Boston — more than a typical month’s precipitation.
Edited by: Karl Sexton
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