Nor'easter Storm Fueled by Climate Change Threatens East Coast

A powerful nor’easter storm on track to lash the East Coast this weekend is being fueled by climate change, according to scientists.

Even though a super El Niño climate pattern has suppressed hurricane formation in the Atlantic so far this year, the ocean’s exceptionally warm waters have helped the storm’s formation.

These water temperatures have been made 10-50 times more likely due to human-caused climate change, according to the non-profit Climate Central.

And it’s not just ocean temperatures that have been influenced. Rising sea levels and flooding linked to the storm are also exacerbated by climate change.

Delaware would only experience minor flooding from the nor’easter without sea level rise and New York City wouldn’t see flooding at all without climate change, the group said.

“Climate change is raising sea levels along the East Coast, so coastal communities are starting every storm from a higher water level,” Dr. Zachary Labe, a climate scientist at Climate Central, said in a statement.

“That makes flooding and erosion from nor’easters like this one more likely and more severe,” he added.

A wind gust of 52 mph was recorded on the north side of Long Island on Friday afternoon, according to The Weather Channel.

Coastal flooding is expected from the Mid-Atlantic up to New England, with some flooding already affecting parts of Virginia and North Carolina on Friday.

Rip currents are expected at beaches, and heavy rain and strong wind gusts will make travel difficult.

Ahead of the storm, states of emergency were declared by the governors of New York and New Jersey.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul urged residents to “take this storm seriously” on social media, declaring an emergency for Nassau, Suffolk, New York City and Westchester.

“We’re expecting dangerous coastal flooding, strong winds and potential power outages through the weekend,” she said in a post on X.

In New York City, the annual Global Citizens Festival, featuring artists and celebrities including Lauryn Hill, John Legend, Shaboozey and Korean boy band Tomorrow X Together was cancelled and tickets were refunded.

Con Edison, New York City’s largest utility, said the energy company was “preparing additional crews to respond around the clock” in a post on X.

Notably, there are no lifeguards on duty at New York’s public beaches this weekend, because the season ended on September 13.

In neighboring New Jersey, Gov. Mikie Sherrill wrote on X that a state of emergency was effective starting at 5 p.m. in Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Salem counties.

The state’s largest utility, PSE&G, also said its crews were prepared to work “24/7” to restore any service, should outages occur.

“As the storm’s track continues to evolve, the company has activated its storm response plan, positioned additional crews and resources throughout its service territory, alerted customers, and is prepared to respond safely and efficiently should severe weather cause power outages,” the company wrote in a release.

Impacts from the nor’easter are expected into next week, federal forecasters cautioned.

“In addition to the rain, wind gusts in excess of 50 mph are likely for eastern Long Island and southeastern New England, which will lead to power outages and tree damage in some areas,” the National Weather Service said.