Muktibani Online Report
More than 40 million people in the northeastern United States prepared Friday for heavy rain and strong winds as an unusually powerful storm for the season was forecast to hit the region.
New York, Boston and Philadelphia were all in the path of the “Nor’easter,” named for its northeasterly winds. Authorities warned of possible flooding, fallen trees and damaged power lines.
British pop singer Ed Sheeran’s weekend concerts near Boston were canceled because of the approaching storm, which could bring gusts of more than 60 mph (100 kmh) along the East Coast.
Several outdoor festivals, including the Global Citizen Festival in New York and Oceans Calling in Maryland, were also canceled over safety concerns.
The Federal Aviation Administration advised air passengers to check its website for travel updates. It told AFP there was “always a chance for restrictions depending on the weather.”
Three major airlines—JetBlue, United and American—issued travel alerts allowing passengers to change their flights without fees.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged residents to “look out for your neighbors” after updated forecasts showed the storm shifting closer to the city than initially predicted.
“If you're traveling this weekend, give yourself extra time. Check your train, ferry, or flight before you leave, and avoid low-lying coastal roads around high tide,” Mamdani said on X.
The United Nations, where world leaders gathered this week for the General Assembly, urged media outlets covering the event to remove broadcasting equipment from outside its New York headquarters because of strong winds.
Meanwhile, up to 13 centimeters (about 5 inches) of rain was forecast in parts of Massachusetts, including Boston—more than a month’s worth.
“Strong Nor’easter off the mid-Atlantic and northeast will bring coastal flooding, rip currents, strong wind gusts, and heavy rain to the region this weekend,” the National Weather Service said on its website.
Some coastal areas of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey had already experienced flooding this week.
Nor’easters can occur throughout the year but are more frequent from fall to early spring. They are almost always accompanied by heavy rain or snowfall, as well as strong wind gusts.
Earlier this year, a Nor’easter that battered the Northeast disrupted hundreds of flights and left thousands of homes and businesses without power.
That storm came weeks after the region recovered from another devastating winter weather system linked to more than 100 deaths.
