A strong nor'easter moved along the U.S. East Coast on Saturday, September 26, causing power outages and travel disruptions from Washington, D.C., to Maine. The storm resulted in more than 400 flight cancellations and left over 100,000 homes and businesses without electricity at one point on Saturday.
The governors of New York and New Jersey declared states of emergency on Friday, September 25, for counties anticipated to be most affected, including New York City. In Connecticut, the governor activated the state's Emergency Operations Center. The U.S. National Weather Service reported that the storm system would continue to bring heavy rain, strong wind gusts, and coastal flooding to the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions through Monday.
According to PowerOutage.com, combined outages in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey exceeded 100,000 customers earlier on Saturday. By 9:37 p.m. ET, approximately 73,000 customers remained without power across those states plus Massachusetts and Rhode Island. PSEG Long Island reported that its crews had restored service to more than 34,600 customers since Friday morning, though about 13,300 of its customers remained without power due to downed trees and wires.
FlightAware reported 445 canceled flights and 3,016 delays involving U.S. airports by late Saturday evening. Ground conditions also deteriorated in New Jersey, where NJ.com reported flooding from Bergen County to Cape May County. These conditions led to voluntary evacuations in some coastal communities and the postponement of a concert at MetLife Stadium.
Residents in affected counties face challenges from flooded roads and property damage. In parts of the Jersey Shore, residents are dealing with voluntary evacuation orders. The postponement of a concert at MetLife Stadium affects ticket holders who must now wait until October 2 for the rescheduled date. Additionally, the National Weather Service warned of rip currents and coastal flooding through Monday.
The declarations of emergency in New York and New Jersey provide these states with flexibility to deploy resources. The weather system is forecast to continue impacting the region until Monday, September 28. Utility restoration efforts will continue as weather conditions allow, and travelers are advised to monitor flight statuses.