Powerful nor'easter batters US Northeast, cancels hundreds of flights and cuts power

A powerful autumn storm has battered the northeastern United States with heavy rain, damaging winds and coastal flooding, cancelling hundreds of flights and leaving more than 95,000 customers without electricity.

New York, Boston and Philadelphia were among the major population centres affected as an unusually strong September nor'easter moved along the East Coast on Saturday.

Authorities warned of major coastal flooding across parts of the Mid-Atlantic over several high-tide cycles, with roads, homes and businesses in low-lying areas at risk.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul warned that parts of Long Island could receive up to six inches of rain while waves could reach 20 feet in some locations.

Flights cancelled

The storm caused significant air-travel disruption.

Hundreds of flights were cancelled, including 253 at Boston's Logan International Airport, according to FlightAware figures cited in reports.

JetBlue, United and American Airlines were among carriers issuing travel alerts allowing affected passengers to alter journeys without normal change fees.

The disruption is particularly notable because the New York area is hosting world leaders and delegations attending the United Nations General Assembly.

The United Nations asked media organisations covering the gathering to remove outside broadcasting equipment because of the strong winds.

Tens of thousands lose power

More than 95,000 electricity customers across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania were reported without power by Saturday afternoon.

High winds can bring down trees and power lines, while saturated ground makes trees more vulnerable to falling.

New York City officials advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel because of strong winds and the danger from downed power lines.

Coastal New Jersey faced particularly serious flooding concerns.

Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard were among locations expected to experience some of the strongest winds.

Events cancelled

The storm also forced organisers to cancel major entertainment events.

New York's Global Citizen festival was called off because of safety concerns, along with the All Things Go festival.

Ed Sheeran concerts scheduled near Boston were also cancelled.

Strong winds along parts of the New England coast reportedly reached around 70 miles per hour.

What is a nor'easter?

A nor'easter is a powerful storm affecting the eastern coast of North America, named after the northeasterly winds commonly associated with it.

The systems are more frequent from autumn through early spring.

They can produce heavy rain, snow, coastal flooding and destructive winds depending on temperatures and the storm's track.

September nor'easters are less common than those occurring deeper into autumn and winter.

Forecasters had been monitoring the possibility of an unusually strong system several days before the storm intensified.

Travel implications

For international travellers, including passengers travelling between East Africa and the United States through New York or Boston, the immediate concern is disruption propagating through airline networks.

A cancelled aircraft movement in Boston or New York can affect subsequent flights even after weather improves because aircraft and crews end up out of position.

Passengers travelling through affected airports should therefore check directly with airlines before beginning their journeys.

The storm is expected to remain a significant coastal hazard through multiple high tides.

The danger is not limited to rainfall.

Coastal flooding, powerful waves, falling trees and electricity outages can continue even as the centre of the system moves away.

Category: International

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