A strong nor’easter slammed Connecticut and parts of the Northeast this weekend with rain, gusty winds and coastal flooding, which resulted in tens of thousands of customers without power at times.
Parts of Connecticut saw wind gusts of 40 to 55 mph, while Cape Cod saw gusts up to 70 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
Parts of southern Connecticut recorded up to 3 inches of rain from the weekend storm, while northern counties typically saw 1 to 2 inches.
In northeastern Connecticut, a couple locations near Killingly reported 4 inches, the National Weather Service said.
Parts of southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod recorded 7 inches of rain, according to the weather service.
The storm will continue to deliver rain Monday, but it won't be as windy. A coastal flood advisory is in effect for southern Fairfield and New Haven counties until 3 p.m. Monday, while a flood watch is in effect for Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts through Tuesday morning.
As of Monday morning, about 5,000 customers were without power across Connecticut, Eversource reported. That's down from weekend reports.
Road closures were reported throughout the weekend due to downed trees and power lines, particularly in eastern Connecticut, according to the state's CTroads transportation site. Officials are warning motorists never to drive through flooded roads and instead to turn around.
Some state parks were closed at times throughout the weekend due to flooding and storm damage. Those included Bluff Point State Park in Groton, Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme and Chatfield Hollow State Park in Killingworth.
Eversource said that by Sunday afternoon it had restored power to nearly 150,000 customers since the start of the storm, while United Illuminating reported power had been restored to around 25,000 customers.
Eversource said it worked to clear more than 350 blocked roads over the weekend and was focused on ensuring schools will have power in time for Monday morning classes.
“Our crews have done a phenomenal job quickly and safely restoring power for customers in the middle of an intense nor’easter with dangerous and difficult working conditions,” Don Scacco, Eversource's president of Connecticut electric operations, said in a statement.
Eversource was reminding residents to stay clear of downed wires and report incidents to 911 and to the company's website. The utility company was also reminding customers using a generator to make sure it's located well away from homes and businesses and to double check that the transfer switch is working properly. The company also asks residents to be mindful of wires that may be entangled in tree limbs.
New Jersey hit hard
While the storm was gradually weakening across the Northeast on Sunday, tidal flooding would stay through high-tide cycles Sunday night, said Bob Oravec, a lead forecaster with the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland.
Tidal surges swamped low-lying neighborhoods in New Jersey while wind gusts toppled trees on New York’s Long Island, damaging homes and bringing down utility poles. The slow-moving storm killed a New York City housing authority worker when a tree fell Saturday.
In New York City, water a few inches deep filled streets in the Howard Beach neighborhood but didn’t deter residents from venturing out for coffee Sunday morning.
Carole Ann Palmer, who owns Jingles Bait and Tackle in North Beach Haven, New Jersey, said this was the worst flooding she’s seen in 10 years.
“Yesterday, I was like, oh my God, it just keeps getting higher and higher,” said Palmer, who lives above the store.
The front step was swept away in the storm and she saw neighbors kayaking through the streets on Saturday.
Her biggest problem on Sunday was taking her two puppies outside to relieve themselves. She had to put on waders and carry them to dry land.
“I take one at the time, carry them across the street so they can do their business and then come back, dry them off and then do the other one. It’s a workout,” Palmer said.
CT's Emergency Operations Center activated
The storm led many towns and organizations across Connecticut and the Northeast to cancel or postpone weekend events and festivals.
The state of Connecticut activated its Emergency Operations Center, where state leaders and agencies coordinate information and resources to manage emergency situations.
Gov. Ned Lamont said the state’s emergency management team held coordination calls with towns across the state in advance of the storm.
“We are closely monitoring the track of this storm and any potential impacts it may have in Connecticut and are preparing with our partners, including municipalities, utilities, and others,” Lamont said in a statement.
Wherever you are in Connecticut, plan accordingly, said Garett Argianas, Connecticut Public’s meteorologist.
"Watch for puddles on the roads, as some storm drains are clogged with leaves," Argianas said. "If possible, try to clear any storm drains in your area ahead of the rain.”
Coastal flooding could be minor or moderate in areas, Argianas said. That’s because tides are already going to be astronomically high this weekend, while a persistent northeasterly wind will push water into the Long Island Sound.
Storm disrupts concerts, baseball and flights across New England
Well over 100,000 customers were without power across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic at times on Sunday, according to PowerOutage.us. The most widespread outages were in counties along the coast from New Jersey to Connecticut.
Numerous flights were canceled or delayed up and down the coast. More than 250 flights had been canceled at Boston Logan International Airport by late Sunday morning as wind gusts reached 40 mph, according to the Massachusetts Port Authority.
The Red Sox announced their weekend series against the Chicago Cubs would be adjusted. The team moved the Sunday afternoon game to Friday to create a split doubleheader. Separately, Ed Sheeran announced that his high-profile Friday and Saturday shows at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, would be canceled due to the storm.
The public ferry service connecting Cape Cod with the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard was experiencing widespread cancellations Friday due to strong winds and choppy water.
And on Nantucket, the nor'easter revealed a shipwreck from the late 1800s. Sections of the Warren Sawyer, which wrecked near Miacomet Beach in 1884, were spotted in 2022 and 2023, the Nantucket Current reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
