Millions of Americans are being urged to prepare as a powerful, hurricane-like storm moves toward the East Coast.
Meteorologists say the nor’easter—a powerful Atlantic storm that develops off the coast—has formed a large, clearly defined eye resembling the structure of tropical cyclones that become hurricanes at this time of year.
The well-organized system is expected to strike the Northeast within hours, bringing torrential rain, coastal flooding, tropical-storm-force winds and power outages from Virginia to Maine.
New England is forecast to experience the most severe conditions. Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and southern Maine could see wind gusts of up to 70 mph, while many areas may receive between four and eight inches of rain.
AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter warned that the storm could be remembered for its damaging coastal flooding and severe beach erosion, particularly along eastern Long Island and the Massachusetts coast.
Coastal flood warnings were issued Thursday for New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. The National Weather Service said the storm could drive more than three feet of seawater onto land in some locations.
The storm’s most dangerous conditions are expected along the East Coast by Friday. Millions could lose power in coastal New Jersey, the greater New York City region, eastern Connecticut, Rhode Island, eastern Massachusetts and southern Maine.
National Weather Service officials in Virginia warned that widespread flooding in vulnerable areas would increase the risk of property damage to waterfront and shoreline homes and businesses.
Forecast models show the storm developing a cyclone-like structure on Saturday, September 26.
Heavy rain and flooding are expected across parts of 12 states this weekend.
Local flooding was reported in Virginia on September 23 as widespread coastal flood warnings were issued along the East Coast Thursday.
AccuWeather forecasts widespread wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph from Friday through Sunday—strong enough to damage property.
Some gusts could reach 80 mph, a wind speed comparable to that of a Category 1 hurricane.
The National Weather Service cautioned that the powerful winds could topple trees and damage power lines, triggering widespread outages.
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Travel conditions may also become dangerous, particularly for box trucks, tractor-trailers, recreational vehicles, buses and moving vans. Their large profiles make them especially vulnerable to being blown over in extreme winds.
Localized flooding has already affected Virginia, where inches of water covered roads and neighborhood streets as the storm moved north along the Atlantic coast.
In New Jersey, beaches in Atlantic City were closed to swimmers because of hazardous conditions. The National Weather Service also issued rip-current alerts for the Carolinas, New Jersey, New York City and Long Island.
Atlantic City Beach Patrol Chief Steve Downey told WPVI that swimming would remain prohibited, saying patrol crews were ensuring the water stayed closed because it was not safe.
Rip currents are powerful, narrow channels that move rapidly away from the shoreline. They can pull swimmers into deeper water, where exhaustion may make it difficult to escape and can turn the currents deadly.
Coastal communities from New Jersey to Maine are at risk of power outages as the nor’easter intensifies.
Pictured: Local flooding in Virginia on September 23. Widespread coastal flooding warnings have been issued along the East Coast on Thursday
Ocean waves are also expected to grow to dangerous and potentially life-threatening levels this week, with NWS warning of eight to 12-foot waves along the Jersey Shore, Delaware and beaches in Virginia and the Carolinas on Thursday.
Those warnings are expected to move up the East Coast on Friday, with the entire Massachusetts coast expected to be at ‘major’ risk for flooding, beach erosion and property damage, according to AccuWeather.
In New England, Porter noted: ‘Many trees still have their leaves, which catch more wind and place additional strain on their roots, further increasing the risk for trees to come down and may also increase the number of power outages as compared to similar storms.’
Meteorologists have referred to the incoming storm as a ‘blockbuster’ nor’easter and compared its structure to a standard hurricane – despite the National Hurricane Center choosing to not call this weather system a named tropical cyclone.
Porter explained that the nor’easter has been slowly moving over the warm water of the Gulf Stream for several days, which has given it some of the same characteristics of tropical storms and hurricane – such as is massive swirling eye.
‘Such hybrid storms are called subtropical storms. If that occurs, the storm could be assigned a name by the National Hurricane Center,’ the meteorologist added.