Thousands were without power on the U.S. East Coast on Friday night as a powerful nor’easter began. East Coast on Friday, September 25, 2026, as a powerful nor’easter triggered coastal flooding in New Jersey and Delaware, grounded over 200 flights, and forced widespread event cancellations from North Carolina to New England.
Tens of millions of residents braced for dangerous conditions over the weekend as the storm began lashing the region with strong winds and steady rain. According to the National Weather Service, the developing nor’easter appeared on satellite imagery as a tight swirl of low pressure heading north and northwest.
Coastal Flooding Swamps New Jersey Boroughs
Along the Atlantic coasts of New Jersey and Delaware, coastal flooding began during Friday morning’s high tide, marking the latest cycle in an event that started Wednesday for some areas. In the coastal New Jersey borough of Surf City, wind-driven waves rippled across flooded streets and inundated homes.
About 34 miles up the coast in Manasquan, where voluntary evacuations had already been issued for low-lying areas, Mayor Mike Mangan said he expected a lot of water in the streets for a long time.
Further north in the beach community of Sea Bright, Mayor Brian Kelly warned that the borough was bracing for winds up to 50 mph and coastal flooding that could reach up to 6 feet on some streets. Officials expected conditions to worsen by midday Saturday.
It’s going to be worse than average.
Brian Kelly, mayor of Sea Bright, via NPR
Kelly added, I hope I’m wrong, but that’s my gut feeling.
The town prepared to open its recreation center for hundreds of residents living in low-lying areas who considered evacuating.
Damaging Winds Threaten Coastal New England
Peak wind gusts were projected to approach 60 to 65 mph on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket, while reaching 50 to 55 mph around Boston and 35 to 40 mph farther inland, according to Matthew Belk, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Norton, Massachusetts.
It’s definitely going to be a case of the closer to the coast you are, the more impacts from the storm you’re likely to see,
Belk said. He noted that while nor’easters are common as New England enters fall, this early-season storm posed an added hazard because trees still retained their leaves, creating extra wind resistance that increased the risk of downed limbs and power outages.
Aviation, Ferry, and Event Disruptions
Transportation networks suffered immediate setbacks. More than 200 flights to and from airports in Boston, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and New York were canceled on Friday, with additional groundings scheduled for Saturday. Several airlines waived change and cancellation fees for East Coast weekend travel.
Public ferry services connecting Cape Cod to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard experienced widespread cancellations due to strong winds and choppy water, while Rhode Island ferries to Block Island were also halted.
It’s a nuisance, but you know, we know what to do with this kind of stuff at this point,
said Sean Driscoll, a spokesperson for the Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority, adding that getting stuck on one side of the water is part of life
for island travelers.
Major entertainment and sports schedules also shifted. Ed Sheeran canceled his high-profile Friday and Saturday concerts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Meanwhile, the Red Sox adjusted their weekend series against the Chicago Cubs by moving Sunday’s afternoon game to Friday to create a split doubleheader.
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