Tens of millions of people faced severe disruptions across the U.S. Northeast as a slow-moving, powerful nor’easter brought coastal flooding, high winds, and heavy rain over the weekend of September 26–27, 2026. The storm triggered power outages for about 100,000 customers, forced hundreds of flight cancellations, and resulted in at least one confirmed fatality in Brooklyn, New York.
A slow-moving, powerful storm crept along the coast of the U.S. Northeast on Saturday, generating strong winds that left thousands without power while creating hazardous conditions through heavy precipitation and large waves. Tens of millions of people were in the path of the nor’easter, which affected the mid-Atlantic area and New England throughout the weekend.
Around 100,000 customers in the region were without electricity on Saturday. According to the New York City Police Department, a 56-year-old man died after being hit by a falling tree in Brooklyn, New York, which was the storm’s first confirmed death. The New York City Housing Authority later confirmed he was an employee of the agency.
Severe Coastal Flooding and Marina Damage in New Jersey and Long Island
Beach towns saw severe flooding as the storm pushed water ashore across multiple high-tide cycles. In Long Island, New York, some residents kayaked down flooded streets. In the coastal New Jersey borough of Surf City, Kenny Formica watched surveillance cameras showing water rising inside his marina. Formica mentioned that it was uncommon for water to enter the building, recalling that the last time it occurred was during Hurricane Sandy, which he stated resulted in over $4 million in damage to his business.
Ahead of the storm, workers secured dock lines and moved loose items out of harm’s way, but the rising water still caught equipment. Formica awoke to messages from customers reporting missing boats and Jet Skis, including one 25-foot boat that blew off its lift.
Further south in Ocean City, Maryland, heavy surf caused beach erosion, washed out fencing by the dunes, and pushed water into canals. In all the canals, the water is up really high and coming into people’s backyards,
Jay Boyd said by telephone. In Norfolk, Virginia, coastal flooding left standing water on roads, with residents watching passing vehicles leave wakes and get stuck on sidewalks.
Wind Gusts, Bridge Restrictions, and Utility Repairs Across New England
In Rhode Island, RI Energy deployed over 270 crew members and field personnel to assess damage, clean up debris, and restore power following overnight damage caused by heavy rain and gusting winds that knocked down trees and power lines.
Saturated ground and fully leafed trees contributed to an increased number of outages across Rhode Island. Following last night’s severe weather, our crews will continue to work around the clock to repair damage and restore power as quickly and as safely as possible,
said Joe Curley, vice president of electric operations at RIE.
Transportation felt the strain as well. Level 1 wind restrictions were placed on the Mount Hope, Newport Pell, and Jamestown Verrazzano bridges, prohibiting high-profile vehicles such as box trucks, trailers, and RVs from crossing when sustained winds or gusts exceeded 50 mph for a continuous period of 15 minutes or more.