The tristate area braced for more pummeling Monday as the second day of a nor’easter battering the East Coast, flooded and closed major coastal roads in New Jersey and blasted 60 mph wind gusts.
States of emergency remained in effect in both New York State and New Jersey, as the worst of the storm was expected to hit throughout Monday. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s emergency declaration covered all five New York City boroughs, Westchester County and Long Island, with coastal flood warnings in effect through 8 p.m. Sunday. “Moderate to major” coastal flooding was possible along Jamaica Bay and Long Island’s South Shore, with 1.5 to 3 inches of rain expected, Hochul’s office said.
The storm forced New York City to cancel its annual Columbus Day Parade with no plans to reschedule, as officials urged residents to stay inside. New Jersey Transit suspended numerous train and bus lines.
National Weather Service gale warnings for the shores of Long Island Sound east of New Haven, Conn., and Port Jefferson, N.Y., initially in effect through 6 a.m. Tuesday, had eased by around 10 a.m., though isolated ocean flooding was still possible.
In New Jersey, wind gusts topped 60mph in some coastal towns on Sunday, and similar conditions were expected throughout much of Monday. Flooding closed a stretch of U.S. 40 near the coast, and ocean waters rose along the coastline around Atlantic City.
The storm was expected to stall briefly over New Jersey, sending even more rain and increasing the chances of more coastal flooding, CBS News reported. High tide in the afternoon would heighten the flooding risk, forecasters warned.
As of mid-morning Monday, power outages had dropped to about 10,000 in New Jersey, down from a high of 19,000, according to tracking website Power Outage. Upwards of 10,000 New York State customers were without power as of 10 a.m.
With News Wire Services
