Nor'easter brings heavy rain, damaging winds and coastal flooding to Long Island and NJ

NEW YORK CITY - A powerful nor'easter continues to pummel the Northeast this weekend, causing widespread flooding across parts of New Jersey and Long Island.

Rain came down across the region all through the day, with Monmouth and northern Ocean counties in New Jersey seeing nearly three inches over the last 48 hours, according to the National Weather Service.

New York City and Long Island

Local perspective:

The storm has already delivered between more than half an inch to an inch and a half of rain across the five boroughs, but wind has been the primary driver of damage so far.

Damaging winds: Gusts have reached 45 mph citywide, peaking at 55 mph at JFK Airport. NYC Parks has already received over 640 requests for downed or damaged trees since Friday, predominantly in Queens and Brooklyn. 

Again, New Jersey saw the worst of it. Wind gusts reached hurricane levels in Surf City on Saturday, hitting 74 mph.

Flooding: Jamaica Bay reached major flood levels during this morning's high tide, while parts of the Long Island Sound experienced moderate flooding. Strong winds gusting between 40 and 50 mph are pushing heavy wave action directly against south-facing ocean beaches.

What’s ahead

Heavy rain and flash flooding: The heaviest rain arrives in bands starting around 8 p.m. Saturday and will last through mid-morning Sunday. Expect localized downpours of up to 1 inch per hour. While widespread areas will see up to 2 inches overnight, localized spots could receive up to 3 inches, bringing a high risk of isolated flash flooding. Showers will linger into Monday, though winds will taper down to 35 mph gusts by Sunday afternoon. 

Forecasters expect the heaviest of the rain to fall in northern and eastern New Jersey.

Peak wind threats: Saturday into Sunday morning, wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph will continue, with isolated gusts up to 60 mph possible along the coast. Expect further tree damage and expanding power outages.

Severe coastal flooding: Moderate to locally major coastal flooding is expected through Sunday afternoon. The most severe flooding is projected along the south shore of Queens, Nassau, and southwestern Suffolk counties, where inundation could reach up to 3.5 feet above ground level in vulnerable areas. Dune erosion and localized overwashes are highly likely.

The NWS says it's expecting "likely two more rounds of minor to moderate coastal flooding over the next two high tide cycles."

High tide watch times: Saturday from 8:15 to 9 p.m. on the South Shore; near midnight along the Long Island Sound; Sunday morning/midday from 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. on the South Shore; around noon along the Sound. 

The National Weather Service is warning that the high tide could potentially last through Saturday night into Sunday, "especially north of Atlantic City." 

Power outages

Crews across the region are battling high winds to restore downed lines. PSE&G Long Island has restored power to more than 23,000 customers since Friday morning, but tens of thousands remain in the dark across the tri-state area.

• NJ PSE&G: Active outages:167; Affected customers: 3,631
• JCP&L: Customers out: 21,259; Customers served: 1,160,466
• Con Ed: Current outages: 60 Customers out of service: 549
• PSE&G Long Island: Active outages: 794; Affected customers: 12,603
• Orange Rockland: Current outages:120; Customers out of service: 2,481

Official safety advisories

City crews are actively clearing downed trees, responding to localized flooding, and keeping rescue teams staged along the coast. Officials urge residents to follow these safety guidelines:

Avoid travel: Tonight through late Sunday morning will be the most dangerous time to be on the roads. Numerous road closures are anticipated along waterfronts.

Move vehicles: Cars parked in low-lying or coastal areas face significant flood risks and should be moved to higher ground immediately.

Basement precautions: If you live in a basement apartment, be prepared to move to a higher floor if water begins pooling.

Stay out of the water: City beaches are completely closed to swimming. Lifeguards are not on duty, and life-threatening rip currents are currently active.

Avoid hazards: Never walk or drive through floodwater, and stay far away from downed power lines.

Regional forecasts

Local perspective:

Here is a breakdown of what residents can expect across the rest of the region as the storm reaches its peak over the weekend.

New Jersey and Delaware coasts

Heavy surf and beach erosion: Offshore waves of 15 to 18 feet will continue to pummel beaches, causing severe beach erosion and dangerous navigation conditions.

Widespread tidal flooding: Expect minor to major coastal flooding along the Jersey Shore, Delaware beaches, and throughout the Delaware Bay. The highest tides are expected Saturday morning and Saturday night, with flooding threats persisting into Sunday—particularly north of Atlantic City and along vulnerable Delaware tidal locations.

Active warnings and advisories: Coastal Flood Warnings remain active along coastal zones through Sunday, with Coastal Flood Advisories covering inland bay and tidal river areas from southern New Jersey down through coastal Delaware.

Property and travel Impacts: Heavy water inundation on low-lying coastal and bayside roads will render some routes impassable and pose a threat of structural damage to vulnerable beachfront and bayside properties.

Washington, D.C. and Chesapeake Bay

Mostly dry: Since the center of the low pressure system is tracking well offshore, the D.C. metro area will avoid the heavy rain bands, seeing mostly dry conditions with only occasional light showers.

Breezy conditions: Persistent onshore winds will maintain brisk, breezy weather throughout the weekend.

Tidal water rise: Minor to moderate tidal flooding will affect vulnerable shoreline locations along the tidal Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay before water levels begin to recede early next week.

Severe WeatherNew York City