Nor’easter Threatens East Coast With Flooding, High Surf

A strengthening nor’easter is moving closer to the East Coast, with the Mid-Atlantic, New York City area and New England bracing for its strongest impacts from Friday through the weekend. Forecasts call for heavy rain, onshore wind gusts of around 40–60 mph, dangerous surf, coastal flooding and severe beach erosion; some coastal areas could see several inches of rain, significant high-tide inundation and waves up to 20 feet offshore. Officials have issued wind, coastal-flood and high-surf alerts and warn of travel disruptions, falling tree limbs and power outages; crews and utilities are preparing, while coastal communities are moving boats and beach equipment and urging people to avoid the water and flooded roads. The storm threatens recently completed beach-renourishment work, particularly along the New Jersey coast, and could disrupt New York City’s Global Citizen Festival, where rain and crowds could damage Central Park’s Great Lawn.