New York and New Jersey Declare State of Emergency Ahead of Nor’easter
Nor'easter Slams the Northeast: NY and NJ Declare States of Emergency
If you've got friends or family in the New York–New Jersey area this weekend, you'll want to check in on them — a powerful, early-season nor'easter is barreling up the East Coast, and both states aren't taking any chances.
What's happening
On Friday, September 25, the governors of both New York and New Jersey declared states of emergency as a powerful, early-season nor'easter bears down on their states. This isn't a minor storm watch — it's a full mobilization.
In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul's state of emergency covers Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties — basically the entire NYC metro area plus Long Island. Over in New Jersey, Governor Mikie Sherrill put Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Salem counties under a state of emergency, with a heavy focus on the Jersey Shore.
Why officials are worried
The big three concerns: flooding, wind, and power outages.
Both governors say the storm is expected to bring dangerous coastal flooding, strong winds, and potential power outages through the weekend, with coastal flooding a major worry particularly in low-lying areas along Long Island and around New York Harbor.
Down the shore, things look especially rough. In flood-prone Manasquan, officials are expecting a significant flooding event, with high tides forecast to run 4 feet above normal — and one local resident summed up the mood pretty simply, worried the flooding could rival the damage from Sandy. Some towns aren't waiting to find out: at least one Jersey Shore town has already issued a voluntary evacuation notice.
Ripple effects everywhere
It's not just the coastline feeling it. The FAA said strong winds could disrupt flights at all three major New York City-area airports, and American, JetBlue, and United have waived change fees for eligible Northeast flights, encouraging travelers to postpone trips from Friday through Sunday. Amtrak has also flagged possible service disruptions, and NYC officials are warning residents to brace for basement flooding, power outages, and general travel headaches.
Storm chasers and locals are already capturing the early impact — photos show residents in shore towns like Ship Bottom wading out with whatever belongings they can carry as water fills the streets.
The bottom line
This nor'easter is being treated as a serious, fast-moving threat rather than routine autumn weather. If you're in the affected counties, now's the time to charge devices, secure loose outdoor items, and keep an eye on official alerts from your state and county emergency management offices — not next-day headlines.
Stay safe out there, and check in on anyone you know riding this one out along the coast. 🌊
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