Nor’easter floods New Jersey roads, threatens East Coast with powerful winds

A powerful nor’easter flooded roads and some homes along the New Jersey coast Friday, while thousands of people across the East Coast lost power as the storm threatened tens of millions with dangerous conditions through the weekend.

In Surf City, New Jersey, water covered streets and entered homes. Roads also flooded in Manasquan, where officials issued a voluntary evacuation for some low-lying areas. Mayor Mike Mangan warned residents to expect “a lot of water in the streets for a long time.” CBS News reported that roads were submerged in Ship Bottom and blocks of Ocean City were underwater as high surf eroded beaches.

The National Weather Service warned of dangerous coastal flooding along the Mid-Atlantic, particularly near New Jersey and Delaware. The governors of New Jersey and New York declared states of emergency. Brian Hurley, a senior forecaster with the weather service, said the heaviest rain was likely from coastal New Jersey through Long Island and Rhode Island to eastern Massachusetts. He expected the storm to weaken later Saturday.

Sea Bright, New Jersey, was preparing for winds of up to 50 mph and floodwater that could reach 6 feet on some streets, Mayor Brian Kelly said. Officials expected flooding to begin Saturday and worsen by midday. Kelly urged hundreds of residents in low-lying areas to consider leaving and said the town would open its recreation center to evacuees.

“It’s going to be worse than average,” Kelly said. He compared the potential flooding to that of Irene, a 2011 storm that caused major flooding in the Northeast, then added: “I hope I’m wrong, but that’s my gut feeling.”

On New York’s Long Island, crews built a sand wall to protect homes from the rising tide. Farther north, boaters cleared Plymouth Harbor in Massachusetts. CBS News reported that seawalls in parts of Cohasset and Scituate were under repair or had seen repair work stall because of federal funding cuts, leaving those communities concerned about waves overtopping the barriers.

The strongest gusts could reach 60 to 65 mph on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket on Friday night and Saturday, National Weather Service meteorologist Matthew Belk said. Gusts could reach 50 to 55 mph around Boston and 35 to 40 mph farther inland. The weather service also forecast gusts of up to 60 mph along the New Jersey and Delaware coasts. Belk warned that leaves still on trees could make limbs more vulnerable to high winds, raising the risk of outages and blocked roads.

The storm disrupted travel and events across the region. More than 200 flights to and from airports in Boston, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and New York were canceled Friday, NPR reported, with additional cancellations set for Saturday. Ferries serving Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and Rhode Island’s Block Island were also canceled, with disruptions expected to continue Saturday.

Ed Sheeran canceled Friday and Saturday concerts at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. The Boston Red Sox moved a Sunday game against the Chicago Cubs to Friday, creating a split doubleheader.

In Gloucester, Massachusetts, Ashley Destino secured her boat with extra lines, while her husband readied a generator. “We came to the beach on Friday afternoon because we knew we were going to be inside all weekend,” she said.