New York and New Jersey declared states of emergency as a Nor’easter battered the East Coast with flooding, strong winds, and heavy rain, prompting officials to urge residents to stay alert and avoid unnecessary travel.
Governors Declare States of Emergency Across NY and NJ
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill declared states of emergency Friday as a Nor’easter unleashed severe weather across the Mid-Atlantic, with coastal flooding, power outages, and hazardous travel conditions expected through the weekend.
The Nor’easter is arriving as we speak,
Hochul said in a video posted on social media Friday afternoon. We want everybody to be real smart. This is going to be a difficult storm between now and Monday morning. Lots of rain. Lots of flooding.
Sherrill echoed the urgency, urging residents to keep yourself safe
and check on your neighbors.
New York’s emergency declaration covered Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties, while New Jersey’s covered Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Salem counties.
National Weather Service Warns of Major Coastal Flooding
Both governors emphasized the storm’s threat to coastal areas, with the National Weather Service (NWS) predicting widespread major coastal flooding through the weekend. The NWS warned that persistently strong onshore winds combined with high surf and high astronomical tides
would exacerbate flooding, particularly along the Jersey Shore and Long Island.
This is a very dangerous combination of heavy snow and extreme cold temperatures,
Hochul said during a press conference Friday, though the sources do not explicitly mention snow, suggesting a possible error in the original text.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported wind gusts over 50 mph for eastern Long Island and southeastern New England, which could cause power outages and tree damage. The NWS warned of wind gusts reaching up to 60 mph in parts of Long Island.
Heavy Rainfall and Dangerous Surf Threaten the Coastline
AccuWeather meteorologist Lee Goldberg highlighted the storm’s intensity, noting breaking waves of 12 feet or more and 2 to 4 inches of rainfall in some areas.
It’s not the major story, but when you’re talking about a widespread 2 to 4 inches of rainfall, it’s coming over a longer duration,
Goldberg said. The heaviest rain was expected Saturday and Sunday, with the NWS forecasting flash flooding and severe weather risks across parts of the central U.S.
NOAA’s forecast also warned of showers and thunderstorms
leading to flash flooding and severe weather risks.
Officials from both states issued travel advisories, cautioning against driving through flooded roads and urging residents to avoid coastal areas.
Millions in Storm’s Path as Emergency Crews Mobilize
The NWS warned of dangerous surf and powerful rip currents along Long Island’s coastline, while New York City officials emphasized that flooding, heavy rain, and strong winds could disrupt travel across the region.
Millions of people are in the path of the storm,
Hochul said, adding that many already leaving their coastal retreats on islands near Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to travel inland for the weekend.
The storm’s impact extended to the western Atlantic, with NOAA predicting significant impacts to the coast along much of the Eastern Seaboard,
including flooding, rip currents, beach erosion, powerful wind gusts, and heavy rain.
State and local agencies in both New York and New Jersey mobilized emergency crews and utility teams to respond to potential damage.
Forecasters Track Heaviest Rainfall and High Tides
The strongest wind gusts and widespread coastal flooding will most likely hit the waterfront and shorelines of New Jersey, New York City, and Long Island,
forecasters said. The NWS noted that the heaviest rain is probably going to be from coastal Jersey, Long Island, up to Rhode Island, and eastern Massachusetts,
according to Brian Hurley, a senior NWS forecaster.
While Sherill warned that the coast will be hit the hardest, she also said the impacts could potentially reach some inland areas.
As the storm progressed, residents were advised to monitor updates from the NWS and local authorities.
Take this storm seriously, Sherrill urged, while Hochul emphasized the need for vigilance. With the storm’s peak expected during high tide cycles, officials warned that flooding could extend inland along tidal rivers and bays, prompting ongoing coordination between emergency management teams and meteorologists. The Associated Press contributed to this report, including a photo of surf breaks along the rocky coastline, with the twin lighthouses of Thatcher Island visible in the distance, during the early stages of a nor’easter in Gloucester, Mass., on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026.