A potent nor’easter swept through the northeastern United States on Saturday, unleashing heavy rain and strong winds that triggered significant flooding, widespread power outages, and extensive travel disruptions across major metropolitan areas including New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.
The severe weather system forced authorities to cancel hundreds of flights, with FlightAware reporting 439 cancellations and 2,459 delays at US airports as of 6:13 p.m. local time. Boston’s Logan International Airport alone saw 253 flights grounded. Major carriers, including JetBlue, United, and American, issued travel alerts permitting passengers to reschedule without fees.
The National Weather Service issued urgent warnings regarding coastal inundation, noting that the storm coincided with high tide cycles throughout the weekend. Officials cautioned residents in low-lying areas to prepare for significant flooding, including submerged roads and potential damage to homes and businesses along the Mid-Atlantic Coast.
As of 3 p.m., approximately 95,000 customers across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania were without electricity, according to poweroutage.com.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul emphasized the extreme danger facing coastal regions, particularly New York City and Long Island. “Conditions are extremely dangerous. Anyone who goes in or near the water this weekend is literally gambling with their life,” she stated during a press briefing.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged residents to minimize travel, citing the hazardous wind conditions.
The storm’s intensity also led to the cancellation of several high-profile cultural events. Organizers of the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park, which was scheduled to feature performers such as Lenny Kravitz, Lauryn Hill, and Alicia Keys, called off the event. “This is the first time in 14 years we’ve had to cancel,” organizers said, prioritizing public safety.
Additionally, the Oceans Calling Festival in Maryland was canceled, and British pop star Ed Sheeran was forced to cancel his concerts near Boston. Forecasters indicated that parts of Massachusetts, including Boston, could receive up to five inches of rain, a volume equivalent to more than a month’s typical precipitation.
Can’t believe they cancelled the Global Citizen Festival. That lineup was supposed to be amazing this year!
Nine inches of rain? That’s insane for one weekend. I thought this year was bad, but Boston is getting hammered.
Hope everyone stays safe out there. The flooding sounds absolutely terrifying, especially near the coast.