A slow-moving nor’easter battered the U.S. Northeast with wind gusts exceeding 70 mph, torrential rain, and severe coastal flooding that left approximately 100,000 customers without power and forced widespread cancellations of flights, sports events, and concerts across multiple states from Virginia to New England.
Fatal Tree Collapse and Widespread Power Outages
The storm’s first confirmed death was reported by the New York City Police Department in Brooklyn, New York, when a falling tree struck and killed a 56-year-old man traversing a parking lot. The New York City Housing Authority subsequently confirmed that the victim was an employee of the agency. High winds toppled trees across the region, contributing to power outages for about 100,000 customers on Saturday, according to emergency crews and utility tracking data. Atlantic City Electric recorded more than 5,500 blackouts, while Jersey Central Power & Light registered over 21,000 and FirstEnergy noted approximately 20,000 centered in Toms River and Ocean County.
Severe Coastal Flooding and Water Rescues
Persistent onshore winds combined with a full moon to push astronomical tides well above normal levels, triggering major coastal flooding from New Jersey to Long Island. High tide at Freeport, Long Island peaked at 7.8 feet, which set a new high-water mark not seen in over two years. In Ocean County, New Jersey, high tide hit 5.7 feet, recording the third highest on record. Emergency responders executed water rescues, including pulling nine adults and a dog from flooded motel rooms in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. In Surf City, New Jersey, marina owner Kenny Formica reported that customers alerted him to boats and Jet Skis breaking free from their moorings as water rose inside his building for the first time since Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
Transportation and Event Disruptions
Transportation networks felt immediate strain as hundreds of flights were grounded. Boston Logan International Airport canceled hundreds of flights, alongside the vast majority of departures at the popular Massachusetts tourist destinations of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Footage filmed in Queens, New York, showed local residents navigating submerged neighborhood streets on kayaks heading in the direction of the Howard Beach–JFK subway station.
Emergency Response and Forecast
Governors and federal agencies mounted an aggressive defensive posture as tens of millions of residents remained in the path of the storm.
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