An off-season storm known as a "Nor'easter" pummeled the densely populated U.S. Northeast coast over the past weekend, including New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia. It brought heavy rain, strong gusty winds, and high coastal waves, leaving hundreds of thousands of households without electricity and causing at least one death.
The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) stated that the storm is weakening after several days of damage and impact along the East Coast. However, heavy rain and thunderstorms continue intermittently from southern New England to the northern Mid-Atlantic region, with adverse weather expected to last through Monday.
The storm's center was swirling offshore New Jersey, while cloud cover extended northward over New England. Peak wind gusts on Sunday evening reached about 45 miles per hour (72 kilometers per hour), down from the earlier maximum of 81 miles per hour (around 130 kilometers per hour) recorded at Montauk Point, New York.
At least one fatality was reported: Leighton Brown, 56, a New York City Housing Authority employee, was struck by a fallen tree while walking through a parking lot in East Brooklyn on Saturday. Officials said he was performing additional duties at the time of the incident.
The storm caused widespread power outages, affecting more than 130,000 electricity customers across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions at one point before conditions gradually improved. New York City reported hundreds of fallen trees and damaged power lines.
Travel was heavily affected, with many flights canceled and delayed. Boston Logan International Airport canceled numerous flights, and airports on Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard islands were also severely impacted.
Coastal areas of New Jersey and New York experienced flooding from rain and storm surge. Some communities faced such high water levels that residents used kayaks to navigate flooded streets. North Carolina's Highway 12, which crosses barrier islands, was severely damaged by waves and seawater, necessitating emergency boat routes to assist residents on Hatteras Island.
The storm's impact led to cancellations and relocations of various events and sports competitions. The Global Citizen Festival in New York City's Central Park and Ed Sheeran's concert at Gillette Stadium near Boston were canceled for safety reasons. Additionally, the soccer match between New York Red Bulls and St. Louis City SC was also called off.
The "Nor'easter" name derives from the prevailing northeasterly winds associated with these storms. Although satellite images may resemble hurricanes, their formation mechanisms differ. Nor'easters typically develop when cold Arctic air from Canada clashes with warmer air over the Atlantic coast.
These storms usually occur between September and April, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, high waves, and severe storm surges. In contrast, hurricanes form in late summer to early fall and gain energy from warm tropical ocean waters.
The NWS indicated the storm will gradually move off the coast and weaken by Monday, although some parts of the Northeast may still experience rain and strong winds. Coastal areas remain on alert for flooding during high tides.