A strong nor’easter continued to bring flooding, power outages, and travel problems across the Northeast on Sunday. Coastal communities faced a second day of rising water as heavy rain and strong winds battered the region.
The slow-moving storm flooded streets, damaged homes, and left many residents dealing with repeated high-tide flooding. Officials warned that dangerous conditions could continue even as the weather system began to weaken.
In New Jersey, some of the hardest-hit areas were located along the coast. Low-lying neighborhoods were flooded as ocean water pushed inland during high tide. Residents said water levels rose several times throughout the weekend.
Sea Bright resident Caroline Virenius watched floodwater return again and again. Her garage filled with about a foot of water. Each high tide brought a new round of flooding, making cleanup nearly impossible.
The storm also caused damage in New York. Strong winds swept across Long Island, knocking down trees and utility poles. Some homes were damaged after large branches and trees fell onto buildings.
Officials confirmed that one person died during the storm. A worker with the New York City Housing Authority was killed on Saturday when a tree fell during severe weather conditions.
Meteorologists said the nor’easter would remain over the region through Sunday before gradually weakening. The system continued to produce heavy rain, rough surf, and strong winds from the Mid-Atlantic coast to New England.
Parts of New Jersey received more than four inches of rain since Friday. Combined with storm-driven ocean surges, the rainfall created widespread flooding in many coastal communities.
Residents said the flooding was among the worst they had experienced in years. Several people reported water levels not seen in nearly a decade.
The National Weather Service expected the storm to weaken during Sunday night. However, officials warned that flooding could continue because of high tides expected through Monday.
Emergency officials urged residents to remain cautious. Flooded roads, standing water, and strong currents remained a concern in many areas.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said another band of the storm could move across parts of New York later in the day. Although weaker than earlier sections of the system, it could still bring rain and flooding.
The storm also affected electrical service across the region. More than 100,000 customers lost power at different times on Sunday. Coastal counties from New Jersey to Connecticut reported the largest outages.
Utility crews worked to restore service as quickly as possible. Strong winds and flooded roads made repair efforts more difficult.
Air travel was also heavily disrupted. Airports across the Northeast reported delays and cancellations as strong winds affected flight operations.
Boston Logan International Airport recorded more than 250 canceled flights by late Sunday morning. Wind gusts reached about 40 miles per hour, creating challenging conditions for airlines and passengers.
Forecasters said the greatest flooding risk remained from northern New Jersey into southern New England. While rainfall was expected to decrease, elevated water levels continued to threaten coastal areas.
National Weather Service forecasters noted that tidal flooding would likely continue through several high-tide cycles. Residents in vulnerable neighborhoods were advised to monitor local conditions closely.
In New York City, streets in the Howard Beach neighborhood were covered by several inches of water. Despite the flooding, some residents continued normal activities and visited local coffee shops.
In North Beach Haven, New Jersey, local business owner Carole Ann Palmer described the flooding as the worst she had seen in ten years. Water levels continued rising throughout Saturday, causing concern across the community.
The storm swept away the front step of her property. Palmer also saw people using kayaks to travel through flooded streets.
Sea Bright resident Bernard Dowd returned home on Saturday to find his basement filled with water. On Sunday, he walked through floodwater to reach his property.
Dowd said the community was better prepared than it had been in the past. After Hurricane Sandy caused major destruction, many homeowners raised their houses to higher levels.
Residents believe those improvements helped reduce damage during the latest storm. Even so, many communities remained on alert as officials watched the tides and monitored weather conditions.
As the nor’easter slowly weakened, recovery efforts continued across the Northeast. Residents hoped lower water levels and calmer weather would allow communities to begin cleanup and repair work after a difficult weekend.
