NEW YORK CITY – A powerful, intensifying nor’easter is pounding the Northeast this weekend, putting over 40 million Americans in its path and prompting states of emergency across the region, including parts of New York City and New Jersey.
With the storm forecast to stall just off the coast of Long Island, persistent onshore winds, heavy rain bands, and exceptionally high tides are combining to threaten widespread coastal inundation, dangerous surf, and severe beach erosion through Sunday.
New York City and Long Island
Local perspective:
New York City Emergency Management has issued a stark warning following coordination with the National Weather Service, as a powerful coastal storm continues to batter the tri-state area. With over 44,000 customers already without power across the region, officials are urging residents to prepare for the worst conditions to hit from Saturday through late Sunday morning.
Here is a breakdown of the storm’s impacts so far and what residents can expect as the system intensifies.
Current impacts and damage
The storm has already delivered between half an inch to an inch of rain across the five boroughs, but wind has been the primary driver of damage so far.
Damaging winds: Gusts have reached 45 mph citywide, peaking at 55 mph at JFK Airport. NYC Parks has already received over 640 requests for downed or damaged trees since Friday, predominantly in Queens and Brooklyn.
Flooding: Jamaica Bay reached major flood levels during this morning’s high tide, while parts of the Long Island Sound experienced moderate flooding. Strong winds gusting between 40 and 50 mph are pushing heavy wave action directly against south-facing ocean beaches.
What’s ahead
Heavy rain and flash flooding: The heaviest rain arrives in bands starting around 8 p.m. Saturday and will last through mid-morning Sunday. Expect localized downpours of up to 1 inch per hour. While widespread areas will see up to 2 inches overnight, localized spots could receive up to 3 inches, bringing a high risk of isolated flash flooding. Showers will linger into Monday, though winds will taper down to 35 mph gusts by Sunday afternoon.
Peak wind threats: Saturday into Sunday morning, wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph will continue, with isolated gusts up to 60 mph possible along the coast. Expect further tree damage and expanding power outages.
Severe coastal flooding: Moderate to locally major coastal flooding is expected through Sunday afternoon. The most severe flooding is projected along the south shore of Queens, Nassau, and southwestern Suffolk counties, where inundation could reach up to 3.5 feet above ground level in vulnerable areas. Dune erosion and localized overwashes are highly likely.
High tide watch times: Saturday from 8:15 to 9 p.m. on the South Shore; near midnight along the Long Island Sound; Sunday morning/midday from 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. on the South Shore; around noon along the Sound. The midday tide could bring widespread moderate flooding to the coastal Bronx and northern Queens (including Astoria and Flushing). Lower Manhattan and Staten Island are expected to see minor flooding.
Power outages
Crews across the region are battling high winds to restore downed lines. PSE&G Long Island has restored power to more than 23,000 customers since Friday morning, but tens of thousands remain in the dark across the tri-state area.
NJ PSE&G: Active outages:167; Affected customers: 2,417JCP&L: Customers out: 21,259; Customers served: 1,160,466Con Ed: Current outages: 60 Customers out of service: 1,323PSE&G Long Island: Active outages: 794; Affected customers: 16,379Orange Rockland: Current outages:120; Customers out of service: 2,819 
Official safety advisories
City crews are actively clearing downed trees, responding to localized flooding, and keeping rescue teams staged along the coast. Officials urge residents to follow these safety guidelines:
Avoid travel: Tonight through late Sunday morning will be the most dangerous time to be on the roads. Numerous road closures are anticipated along waterfronts.
Move vehicles: Cars parked in low-lying or coastal areas face significant flood risks and should be moved to higher ground immediately.
Basement precautions: If you live in a basement apartment, be prepared to move to a higher floor if water begins pooling.
Stay out of the water: City beaches are completely closed to swimming. Lifeguards are not on duty, and life-threatening rip currents are currently active.
Avoid hazards: Never walk or drive through floodwater, and stay far away from downed power lines.
Regional forecasts
Local perspective:
Here is a breakdown of what residents can expect across the rest of the region as the storm reaches its peak over the weekend.
New Jersey and Delaware coasts
Heavy surf and beach erosion: Offshore waves of 15 to 18 feet will continue to pummel beaches, causing severe beach erosion and dangerous navigation conditions.
Widespread tidal flooding: Expect minor to major coastal flooding along the Jersey Shore, Delaware beaches, and throughout the Delaware Bay. The highest tides are expected Saturday morning and Saturday night, with flooding threats persisting into Sunday—particularly north of Atlantic City and along vulnerable Delaware tidal locations.
Active warnings and advisories: Coastal Flood Warnings remain active along coastal zones through Sunday, with Coastal Flood Advisories covering inland bay and tidal river areas from southern New Jersey down through coastal Delaware.
Property and travel Impacts: Heavy water inundation on low-lying coastal and bayside roads will render some routes impassable and pose a threat of structural damage to vulnerable beachfront and bayside properties.
Washington, D.C. and Chesapeake Bay
Mostly dry: Since the center of the low pressure system is tracking well offshore, the D.C. metro area will avoid the heavy rain bands, seeing mostly dry conditions with only occasional light showers.
Breezy conditions: Persistent onshore winds will maintain brisk, breezy weather throughout the weekend.
Tidal water rise: Minor to moderate tidal flooding will affect vulnerable shoreline locations along the tidal Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay before water levels begin to recede early next week.
The Source: Information from this article is sourced from FOX Weather and the National Weather Service.