A nor’easter churned its way up the East Coast on Sunday, prompting New Jersey to declare a state of emergency. Airports reported delays and cancellations ahead of anticipated coastal flooding and strong winds as another storm system affected areas farther south with heavy rain.
“The greatest effects are going to be the coastal flooding potential, especially for areas from northeastern North Carolina northward to much of the New Jersey coast,” said meteorologist Bob Oravec with the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland.
Heavy rainfall is also forecast for southeast New England and the New York City area, with some precipitation already falling in coastal sections of South Carolina.
All of New Jersey has been placed under a state of emergency since Saturday night, expected to last until Monday. This declaration authorizes the state’s emergency services personnel to be activated as necessary.
Parts of New Jersey are projected to face moderate to severe coastal flooding, inland flash flooding, high winds up to 60 mph (97 kph), and as much as 5 inches (approximately 13 centimeters) of rain, which could lead to beach erosion. Local volunteers have begun placing sandbags on beaches to mitigate the potential impact.
The National Weather Service has also issued a coastal flood warning and wind advisory for New York City through Monday afternoon. Coastal areas of suburban Long Island may experience flooding with an expected 3 inches (about 8 centimeters) of rain and strong winds.
Wind gusts exceeding 30 mph (48 kph) were recorded in the region on Sunday morning. Additionally, several airports from Washington, D.C. to Boston have announced flight delays and cancellations due to the weather.
The storm is anticipated to move out of the area by Monday night.
