Rare September Nor’easter Batters New York, New Jersey
A powerful, slow-moving nor’easter battered the New York City region and the broader U.S. Northeast over the weekend of Sept. 26–27, leaving tens of thousands without power, flooding coastal communities and killing at least one person. New York and New Jersey governors declared states of emergency as forecasters compared the storm’s expected coastal flooding to hurricanes Sandy, Irene, Bob and Gloria — an unusual reference for a system that arrived well before the traditional winter storm season.
The storm formed on Sept. 23 off the Mid-Atlantic coast and reached peak intensity on the morning of Sept. 26, with a minimum central pressure of 986 mbar, according to Wikipedia’s storm summary. At its height, more than 130,000 customers lost power across the Northeast, nearly 550 flights were cancelled, and wind gusts reached 81 mph (130 km/h) at Montauk, New York. Rainfall topped 10 inches at Orient Point, New York, and 6.78 inches at Neptune, New Jersey.
A Storm Unlike Most
Nor’easters — so named because their winds typically blow from the northeast — most often occur between October and April. This September event is considered notably rare and early-season, prompting forecasters to compare its expected coastal flooding to major historical storms.
“Nor’easters are not unusual as New England moves into the fall season, but this might be a little earlier than average for a big storm,” Bob Oravec, a lead forecaster with the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland, told CNBC. Oravec noted that the storm’s slow movement could worsen beach erosion by subjecting the coast to a prolonged period of strong winds and waves.
The system’s slow crawl made it especially punishing. In the New Jersey beach town of Sea Bright, each high tide brought a fresh round of flooding, according to The Guardian. “It’s not like a one-time occurrence,” said resident Caroline Virenius, whose garage filled with about a foot of water. “It’s getting wet again and again.”
One Death, Widespread Disruption
In East New York, Brooklyn, a falling tree struck and killed Leighton Brown, a 56-year-old New York City Housing Authority employee, on Saturday afternoon. Brown was the first confirmed fatality linked to the storm, according to USA Today. In Brooklyn, one tree fell and killed a man while another injured at least four others.
“We are mourning the loss of one of our own,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. “My thoughts are with his entire family as they deal with this unimaginable loss. May he rest in peace, and may his service to our city never be forgotten.”
Utility crews struggled to keep pace with outages. Con Edison reported about 3,000 customers without power across New York City and Westchester County as of 11:30 a.m. Sunday, with most of the city’s outages concentrated in Staten Island and Queens. More than 70,000 outages were reported elsewhere in New York state and New Jersey, with Long Island and the Jersey Shore hit especially hard, Gothamist reported. New Jersey’s JCP&L reported more than 45,000 customers out, while PSE&G reported 19,000 on Long Island and another 1,500 in its New Jersey territory. More than 5,800 utility workers were deployed statewide for restoration efforts.
Coastal Flooding the Chief Threat
Coastal flooding remained the storm’s most pressing danger. The National Weather Service predicted moderate flooding during high tides throughout the region, with major flooding of up to three feet forecast for bayside communities in southern Long Island. The greatest risk was along the southern shores of Queens and Nassau County and southwestern Suffolk County.
A high tide pushed Atlantic City water levels to their highest point since Hurricane Sandy in 2012 — a benchmark that underscored the storm’s severity. Jersey Shore beaches were eroded, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said it would take days to assess the full scope of damage.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who declared a state of emergency for eight counties mostly along the shore, urged residents to avoid flooded roads. “Do not drive through flooded roadways,” she said at a press conference Sunday morning. “You are putting yourself and first responders in danger. Take an alternate road or wait for the flooding to subside.” On beach damage, Sherrill added: “We will start fixing what we can and submit an application for federal assistance if appropriate.”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, whose state of emergency covered New York City and Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties, struck a similar tone over the weekend. “Don’t take this lightly. Don’t tempt Mother Nature,” she said.
Far-Reaching Effects
The storm’s disruptions extended well beyond the New York metro area. CBS News New York reported that Long Island Rail Road service was suspended on the Long Beach branch between Valley Stream and Long Beach, with shuttle buses and cross-honoring by the NICE bus system. Both New York Waterway and Seastreak cancelled ferry service, and Amtrak service between New York City and Boston was suspended.
The storm upended weekend plans across the region: the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park and the All Things Go NYC Music Festival at Forest Hills Stadium were both cancelled, and the New York Yankees moved Saturday’s game against the Orioles to a Friday doubleheader while cancelling the regular season finale.
Effects stretched from the Mid-Atlantic to New England and as far south as North Carolina’s Outer Banks, where Highway 12 was closed, cutting off Hatteras and Ocracoke islands. Connecticut saw 35,000 customers lose power and a state maximum of 4.2 inches of rain at Durham. Rhode Island reported more than 31,000 customers impacted, and Massachusetts saw roughly 6,600 outages with a 70 mph gust at Wellfleet.
New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a consumer alert warning about price gouging during the storm. “New Yorkers should never have to face unfair price hikes to stay safe during a storm,” she said.
One bit of good news emerged: a swimmer feared missing off Fire Island’s Robert Moses State Park was later located. “The individual was located alive and well, and no further assistance from the public is needed at this time,” New York State Police said.
What’s Next
Forecasters expected rain to break midday Sunday before returning in the evening into Monday, with conditions improving as the week progresses. Dominic Ramunni, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said Monday would be overcast with light rain or mist, followed by sunnier skies and warmer temperatures Tuesday.
But officials warned that high tides late Monday could bring additional flooding. The storm’s slow weakening also left open the possibility of further tree damage and outages as saturated ground and gusty winds persisted.
The event is part of the broader 2026–27 North American winter season and arrives as climate patterns — including an El Niño pattern disrupting this year’s weather — potentially set the stage for more coastal storms along the East Coast this fall. For now, the region is left to tally the damage, restore power and prepare for whatever the next high tide brings.