A powerful nor’easter battered the northeastern United States on Saturday, forcing the cancellation of 439 flights and delaying 2,459 others, while leaving about 95,000 people without electricity across six states, including New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
Heavy rain and strong winds lashed cities including New York, Boston and Philadelphia as the storm brought flooding, power cuts and widespread travel disruption.
Authorities warned residents in low-lying and coastal communities to prepare for flooding as the storm coincided with high tide.
The National Weather Service said, “This storm is expected to bring major coastal flooding to the Mid-Atlantic Coast over multiple high tide cycles through the weekend.”
It added, “Prepare immediately for significant inundation in low-lying areas near the shore, including roads underwater and impacts to homes and businesses.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said the storm was particularly affecting coastal areas of New York City and Long Island.
“Conditions are extremely dangerous. Anyone who goes in or near the water this weekend is literally gambling with their life,” she said during a press briefing.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel, saying, “Don’t travel if you don’t have to.”
Flight disruptions were widespread, with 253 cancellations recorded at Boston’s Logan Airport alone, according to FlightAware.
Airlines including JetBlue, United and American issued travel alerts allowing passengers to change flights without paying a fee.
Several major events were also canceled because of the storm, including the Global Citizen and All Things Go festivals in New York and the Oceans Calling Festival in Maryland.
Global Citizen organisers said, “Safety has to come first. This is the first time in 14 years we’ve had to cancel,” referring to the event scheduled to feature Lenny Kravitz, Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, Lainey Wilson and Shaboozey.
British pop star Ed Sheeran’s weekend concerts near Boston were also called off.
About five inches (13 centimetres) of rain was forecast in parts of Massachusetts, including Boston, a volume equivalent to more than a month’s rainfall.
A nor’easter is a large cyclone that forms over the western North Atlantic Ocean, typically along the US East Coast, and is usually accompanied by heavy rain or snow and strong winds.
