A powerful nor’easter is expected to hit the East Coast this weekend, with scientists attributing its strength and impact to climate change. The warm ocean waters and rising sea levels, which increase the likelihood of flooding, are factors that have been influenced by human-caused climate change, making coastal communities more vulnerable. States including New York and New Jersey have declared emergencies in anticipation of heavy rain, strong winds, and potential power outages, leading to cancellations of public events like New York City’s Global Citizens Festival.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-25,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A powerful nor'easter is hitting the East Coast of the United States, affecting millions from North Carolina to Maine, and possibly disrupting flights along the Northeast coast. The storm started impacting North Carolina's Outer Banks on Thursday, causing water surges that washed out parts of the main highway connecting barrier islands. By Saturday through Monday, windy rain showers will intermittently affect areas from New Jersey to Maine, with wind gusts up to 40 to 50 mph recorded along the Mid-Atlantic coast and moving north by the weekend. Higher totals of 2-to-6 inches of rain are expected from New Jersey to Boston and Long Island, New York, leading to potential coastal flooding, large waves, and beach erosion in these regions.
Written for “Nor'easter Hits East Coast” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 68 other(s) covering the same event.
A powerful nor’easter storm on track to lash the East Coast this weekend is being fueled by climate change, according to scientists.
uncertain
storm → lash → scientists
Even though a super El Niño climate pattern has suppressed hurricane formation in the Atlantic so far this year, the ocean’s exceptionally warm waters have helped the storm’s formation.
asserted
waters → suppress → formation
These water temperatures have been made 10-50 times more likely due to human-caused climate change, according to the non-profit Climate Central.
And it’s not just ocean temperatures that have been influenced.
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that → make → Central
Rising sea levels and flooding linked to the storm are also exacerbated by climate change.
asserted
levels → rise → change
Delaware would only experience minor flooding from the nor’easter without sea level rise and New York City wouldn’t see flooding at all without climate change, the group said.
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group → experience → change
“Climate change is raising sea levels along the East Coast, so coastal communities are starting every storm from a higher water level,” Dr. Zachary Labe, a climate scientist at Climate Central, said in a statement.
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Labe → raise → statement
“That makes flooding and erosion from nor’easters like this one more likely and more severe,” he added.
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he → make → one
A wind gust of 52 mph was recorded on the north side of Long Island on Friday afternoon, according to The Weather Channel.
Coastal flooding is expected from the Mid-Atlantic up to New England, with some flooding already affecting parts of Virginia and North Carolina on Friday.
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flooding → record → Friday
Rip currents are expected at beaches, and heavy rain and strong wind gusts will make travel difficult.
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travel → expect → beaches
Ahead of the storm, states of emergency were declared by the governors of New York and New Jersey.
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states → declare → York
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul urged residents to “take this storm seriously” on social media, declaring an emergency for Nassau, Suffolk, New York City and Westchester.
“We’re expecting dangerous coastal flooding, strong winds and potential power outages through the weekend,” she said in a post on X.
In New York City, the annual Global Citizens Festival, featuring artists and celebrities including Lauryn Hill, John Legend, Shaboozey and Korean boy band Tomorrow X Together was cancelled and tickets were refunded.
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tickets → urge → Hill
Con Edison, New York City’s largest utility, said the energy company was “preparing additional crews to respond around the clock” in a post on X.
Notably, there are no lifeguards on duty at New York’s public beaches this weekend, because the season ended on September 13.
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season → say → September
In neighboring New Jersey, Gov. Mikie Sherrill wrote on X that a state of emergency was effective starting at 5 p.m. in Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Salem counties.
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state → neighbor → counties
The state’s largest utility, PSE&G, also said its crews were prepared to work “24/7” to restore any service, should outages occur.
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outages → say → service
“As the storm’s track continues to evolve, the company has activated its storm response plan, positioned additional crews and resources throughout its service territory, alerted customers, and is prepared to respond safely and efficiently should severe weather cause power outages,” the company wrote in a release.
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company → continue → release
Impacts from the nor’easter are expected into next week, federal forecasters cautioned.
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forecasters → expect → week
“In addition to the rain, wind gusts in excess of 50 mph are likely for eastern Long Island and southeastern New England, which will lead to power outages and tree damage in some areas,” the National Weather Service said.
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Service → lead → areas
The Aporia
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