America’s east coast is under a torrential attack as a powerful nor’easter is hammering the US East Coast, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, dangerous surf and coastal flooding from the Mid-Atlantic to New England.
asserted
nor’easter → hammer → England
More than 100,000 homes and businesses lost power at one point as the storm knocked down trees, branches and power lines across the region.
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storm → lose → region
More than 88,000 customers remained without electricity in New Jersey, Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania as of Saturday afternoon.
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customers → remain → afternoon
The storm has also disrupted travel, with around 425 flights cancelled and more than 1,300 delayed across US airports, according to FlightAware.
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1,300 → disrupt → FlightAware
The National Weather Service warned that the storm could continue bringing coastal flooding, rip currents, strong wind gusts and heavy rain through Monday.
uncertain
storm → warn → Monday
The biggest threat was expected along coastal and bayside communities, where exceptionally high tides could send water onto roads and into homes and businesses.
uncertain
tides → expect → homes
In New Jersey and New York, flooded streets became so deep that some residents took to kayaks.
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residents → flood → kayaks
Along the coast, powerful waves battered beaches, eroded dunes and damaged property.
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waves → batter → property
In Surf City, New Jersey, water is rising inside houses as people’s belongings also get displaced by the strong forces of wind and rain.
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belongings → rise → wind
In Ocean City, Maryland, heavy surf eroded beaches and washed away dune fencing.
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surf → erode → fencing
In Norfolk, Virginia, flooding left vehicles struggling through waterlogged roads.
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flooding → leave → roads
The disruption extended well beyond homes and roads.
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disruption → extend → homes
Flights were cancelled, sporting events were rescheduled and concerts and festivals were called off as the storm moved slowly along the coast.
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storm → cancel → coast
A nor’easter is a powerful storm that develops along or near the US East Coast, typically moving northeastward while drawing energy from the contrast between cold air to the north and warmer, moist air to the south and over the Atlantic.
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that → develop → Atlantic
The storms get their name from the northeasterly winds that can batter the coast as the system strengthens.
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system → get → coast
They can bring a dangerous combination of heavy rain, powerful winds, coastal flooding and huge waves.
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They → bring → rain
Heavy rainfall can overwhelm drainage systems and worsen inland flooding, while strong gusts can bring down trees, damage buildings and snap power lines.
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gusts → overwhelm → lines
High tides, combined with storm-driven water, can push seawater onto roads and into coastal communities.
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tides → combine → communities
Meanwhile, prolonged strong winds can whip up dangerous surf and accelerate beach and dune erosion.
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winds → whip → erosion
This storm is particularly threatening because it is slow-moving.
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it → move → ?
That means coastal areas can remain exposed to strong winds, waves and high water for a prolonged period rather than getting a quick hit and recovery.
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areas → mean → hit
What is triggering this nor’easter?
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What → trigger → nor’easter
The immediate ingredients are the storm’s atmospheric setup, strong winds, moisture and the temperature contrasts that help nor’easters intensify.
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nor’easters → help → ?
El Niño is a natural cycle in the tropical Pacific in which unusually warm ocean temperatures alter atmospheric circulation far beyond the Pacific.
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temperatures → alter → Pacific
Its effects are being felt across the US, although scientists stress that it does not directly cause every individual storm.
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it → feel → storm
For the Northeast, El Niño can shift the Pacific jet stream southward.
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Niño → shift → stream
That atmospheric pattern can help provide energy and moisture for storms forming off the southeastern US before they move north along the East Coast.
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they → help → Coast
Nor’easters also appear to occur more frequently during El Niño years, according to a New York Times report.
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Nor’easters → appear → report
What happens next?
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What → happen → ?
For the East Coast, the immediate concern remains water and wind.
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concern → remain → Coast
The highest tides were expected north of Atlantic City from Saturday night into Sunday, raising the risk of widespread flooding in coastal and bayside communities.
Tens of millions of people remained in the storm’s path, while emergency agencies prepared for further outages and flooding.
And while nor’easters are a familiar part of the Northeast’s colder months, forecasters said this storm arrived somewhat earlier than usual for a system of this strength.
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storm → expect → strength
El Niño is also expected to influence other weather patterns through the coming months, researchers are currently keeping an eye on what they should expect next.
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they → expect → what
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