What storm is set to flood the East Coast this weekend?
SEA BRIGHT, N.J. (PIX11) — A storm with no name is expected to bring flooding to the East Coast from South Carolina to New Jersey, and high winds to New York City over the weekend.
New Jersey is under a state of emergency as residents brace for an eastern light that could lead to flooding and power outages.
A nor’easter is a storm that develops within 100 miles of the East Coast, typically consisting of northeasterly winds, according to the National Weather Service. Storms usually occur between September and April, but they can happen at any time.
Heavy rain or snow, strong winds, and flooding can be seen during Easter. The National Weather Service said this type of storm caused billions of dollars in damage.
In the United States, the unnamed storm once again sent seawater into Charleston, South Carolina, where three dozen roads were closed with floodwaters reaching well above the ankles before receding. Friday morning’s high tide reached 8.46 feet (2.58 metres), the 13th highest in more than a century of data recorded in Charleston Harbor.
Tidal flooding also closed roads for a few hours along the coasts of Georgia and Florida.
Persistent strong winds caused by unusually high tides, when the moon is closer than usual to Earth, have forecasters predicting more trouble this weekend along North Carolina’s Outer Banks, where a series of storms that moved offshore destroyed 10 homes last month and breached sand dunes.
At Sea Bright, OEM workers have been hard at work filling approximately 500 sandbags available for pickup. Equipment is being prepared to cope with rising water levels, including pontoon boats for possible rescue and evacuation operations by truck.
The worst conditions will spread northward this weekend and into the Columbus Day weekend on Monday as the storm moves in from Florida. Forecasters warned people on beaches in Delaware and New Jersey to prepare for major coastal flooding.
High wind warnings were issued in parts of New York City and Long Island, where meteorologists warned of the possibility of wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour (95 kilometers per hour) on Sunday.
The worst storm of the weekend is expected Sunday afternoon.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
