On Saturday, a nor’easter storm disrupted air travel on the US East Coast, canceling 39 flights and delaying 12 more at Boston Logan International Airport between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport saw 22 flight cancellations in the same period, while New York LaGuardia Airport also experienced delays and cancellations. Several airlines implemented travel waivers permitting passengers to change or cancel flights without fees during the weekend.
Power Outages and High Winds Impact Northeast Region
The storm caused power outages affecting more than 70,000 customers across the US Northeast on Saturday. Wind gusts ranged from 60 to 65 mph on Cape Cod,
Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket Friday night into Saturday, while gusts near Boston reached 50 to 55 mph and dropped to 35 to 40 mph farther inland in Massachusetts. Along the Atlantic coasts of New Jersey and Delaware, gusts hit up to 60 mph, with similar speeds in southeastern Connecticut and eastern Long Island. The nor’easter brought coastal flooding and dangerous travel conditions, including flooding in New Jersey towns such as Surf City and Manasquan, where some homes were inundated.
Ferry Services to Islands Suspended Amid Severe Weather
The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority reported widespread ferry cancellations on Friday and Saturday caused by strong winds
and rough waters. Ferry services connecting Cape Cod to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard were heavily impacted, as were ferries to Block Island, Rhode Island. These cancellations created potential travel interruptions for island residents, and disruptions were expected to continue through Saturday.
Local Authorities Issue Evacuations and Prepare for Flooding
Voluntary evacuation orders were issued for low-lying areas in Manasquan, New Jersey, where Mayor Mike Mangan warned of prolonged street flooding. The borough of Sea Bright prepared for winds up to 50 mph and floodwaters possibly reaching six feet on certain streets. Mayor Brian Kelly of Sea Bright called the storm ″worse than average″ and compared the expected flooding
to the scale seen during the 2011 Irene storm. Officials opened emergency shelters to support evacuations and urged residents in vulnerable areas to prepare immediately.
Event Cancellations and Schedule Changes Reflect Storm Impact
Ed Sheeran’s scheduled concerts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, were canceled on Friday and Saturday due to the nor’easter. The Boston Red Sox rescheduled their Sunday afternoon game to Friday, creating a split doubleheader to accommodate the storm’s effects. These entertainment disruptions followed cancellations and delays at several regional airports.
The National Weather Service advised immediate preparation for significant inundation in low-lying coastal areas affecting homes, businesses, and roads, warning of flooding progressing over
multiple high tide cycles. As meteorologist Matthew Belk from NWS Norton, Massachusetts, noted, ″The closer to the coast you are, the more impacts from the storm you’re likely to see.″
Brian Hurley, senior forecaster at the Weather Prediction Center, said, ″The heaviest rain is probably going to be from coastal Jersey, Long Island, up to Rhode Island, and eastern Massachusetts.″ Mayor Brian Kelly described the potential flooding in Sea Bright, New Jersey, as ″a lot of water in the streets for a long time,″ anticipating a major coastal flooding event.
