New York and New Jersey are bracing for a tumultuous nor’easter hitting the region with coastal floods, heavy rain and damaging winds starting Sunday and into Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
Rainfall is expected to begin Saturday but will grow increasingly intense Sunday night with as much as 2.5 inches possible through Monday evening. Wind speeds could go as high as 40 mph Sunday night and Monday according to the National Weather Service, which has issued a hazardous weather outlook, a high winds watch and a coastal flooding watch for the storm.
The wind and rain is expected to bring flooding of more than 2 feet above sea level and 8- to 10-foot waves in coastal areas like the Rockaways, Long Island’s Twin Forks and the Jersey Shore, according to meteorologists.
“Our teams are ready and prepared, but as always, we encourage New Yorkers to stay aware and connected through Notify NYC to prepare for any impacts,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. “We will continue to monitor this storm to keep our city safe and strong.”
The city’s preparedness department is telling residents to stock up on supplies, prepare for any outages and monitor forecasts. Officials say residents should relocate any nearby boats or other watercraft they might have, and check up on neighbors.
Residents should have escape plans in the event that they need to evacuate their homes, since potentially dangerous rains and wind are expected, officials said.
“We encourage all New Yorkers to begin preparing now: make a plan, check on your neighbors, and sign up for Notify NYC alerts,” emergency management director Zach Iscol said.
The storm has already caused some cancellations this holiday weekend. The Staten Island Half Marathon that had been scheduled for Sunday is off. The 10th annual Indigenous People’s Day gathering on Randall’s Island, which had been set for Sunday and Monday has also been canceled.
The Columbus Day Parade in Manhattan was still on for Monday, as of Saturday afternoon.
New Jersey’s acting governor Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency for the entire state, starting at 10 p.m. Saturday.
“I am issuing a State of Emergency for all 21 counties out of an abundance of caution, authorizing our state’s emergency services personnel to activate as necessary,” she said in a statement. “I urge all New Jerseyans to exercise caution, monitor local weather forecasts and warnings, stay informed on evacuation protocols, and remain off the roads unless absolutely necessary.”
Con Edison said it is mobilizing hundreds of its mutual aid workers in case trees and branches fall onto power lines and leaving any residents without service.
This story has been updated with information about storm-related closures.