EAST COAST — A nor'easter struck the U.S. East Coast beginning Friday, September 25, 2026, bringing high winds and heavy rain to the region. The storm caused at least one death in Brooklyn, New York, and left more than 130,000 customers without power across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic on Sunday morning, September 27, 2026.

Leighton Brown, a 56-year-old New York City Housing Department employee, died after being hit by a falling tree. More than 40,000 customers in New York were without power on Sunday morning, while around 30,000 customers in Connecticut also lacked electricity.

The National Weather Service warned that the nor'easter was expected to dump more rain on mid-Atlantic and northeastern states through Monday night. Wind gusts of up to 50 mph were forecast for the tristate area from New Jersey to Long Island. The strongest wind gusts recorded as of Saturday were 81 mph in Montauk Point, New York, and approached 74 mph in Surf City, New Jersey.

Bob Oravec, a lead forecaster with the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland, said the storm was expected to loop around the area for roughly another 24 hours. "The most impactful parts of the storm are likely going to be the high winds and the tidal flooding," Oravec said.

Dozens of river, creek, stream, and coastal flooding incidents were reported from North Carolina to New York between Friday and Saturday. Damaging wind incidents were also reported across the same region during that period. Water levels along the shores of New Jersey and Delaware were forecast to swell as much as 12 feet. Atlantic City experienced historic flooding during this storm, with water levels reaching the highest since Superstorm Sandy in 2012, per local officials.

Flooding cut off highway access to North Carolina’s Hatteras Island. North Carolina's Hatteras Island lost 20 oceanfront homes to accelerated coastal erosion during this storm, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The North Carolina Department of Transportation announced plans to begin emergency ferry service between Hatteras Island and the mainland on September 26, 2026, to address road closures caused by flooding.

Residents in coastal sections of New York and New Jersey paddled through flooded neighborhoods on kayaks and canoes. Ted Friedli kayaked through a flooded section of Long Branch, New Jersey, on September 26, 2026. Emergency crews in Sea Bright, New Jersey, rescued a woman and her dog after their vehicle became trapped in floodwaters.

A swimmer missing since Saturday afternoon at Fire Island was found alive. State police said the missing swimmer contacted them after learning of the search through news coverage.

Hundreds of flights were canceled at Boston Logan International Airport. FEMA teams were on standby in New England in case of widespread outages. The New York City area was forecast to see another 1 or 2 inches of rain through Sunday night.

Sections of New England, including Boston, were forecast to receive between 2 and 4 more inches of rain, with up to 7 inches possible. The National Weather Service forecasted waves as high as 20 feet along Eastern Long Island and 15-22 feet on Western Long Island during the storm, with gale-force winds exceeding 50 mph.

Why It Matters

The declaration of state emergencies by both New York and New Jersey governors reflects the severity of the storm's impact on infrastructure and public safety. The recurrence of such declarations in New York, mirroring actions taken 11 months earlier, points to a pattern of vulnerability to nor'easters in the region. The loss of life and widespread power outages affecting over 130,000 customers indicate the immediate human and logistical costs of these weather events.

Coastal erosion and flooding, particularly in areas like Hatteras Island and Atlantic City, demonstrate the physical toll on communities. The loss of 20 homes on Hatteras Island and historic flooding in Atlantic City, comparable to Superstorm Sandy levels, indicate environmental and property damage. Emergency responses, including ferry services and rescues, reflect the ongoing efforts to manage the aftermath and ensure resident safety.

Timeline

On August 23, 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency approved the removal of certain New Jersey air quality regulations. A nor'easter struck the U.S. East Coast beginning Friday, September 25, 2026. On that same day, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a State of Emergency across eight counties, effective at 5:00 p.m. Also on September 25, 2026, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a State Disaster Emergency for 8 counties and contiguous areas.

What's New

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a State of Emergency across eight counties on September 25, 2026, effective at 5:00 p.m. as stated by nj.gov. Bob Oravec, a lead forecaster with the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland, said the storm was expected to loop around the area for roughly another 24 hours.

Oravec stated, "The most impactful parts of the storm are likely going to be the high winds and the tidal flooding." Hatteras Island, North Carolina, has a year-round population of approximately 5,000 residents, which swells significantly during warm weather seasons, according to local emergency management reports. New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a State Disaster Emergency on September 25, 2026, for 8 counties and contiguous areas due to the nor'easter, citing risks to public health, safety, and infrastructure. Local officials reported that Atlantic City experienced historic flooding during this storm, with water levels reaching the highest since Superstorm Sandy in 2012.