WATCH: Powerful nor'easter batters much of the East Coast

A powerful nor'easter is hitting the East Coast of the United States, affecting millions from North Carolina to Maine, and possibly disrupting flights along the Northeast coast. The storm started impacting North Carolina's Outer Banks on Thursday, causing water surges that washed out parts of the main highway connecting barrier islands. By Saturday through Monday, windy rain showers will intermittently affect areas from New Jersey to Maine, with wind gusts up to 40 to 50 mph recorded along the Mid-Atlantic coast and moving north by the weekend. Higher totals of 2-to-6 inches of rain are expected from New Jersey to Boston and Long Island, New York, leading to potential coastal flooding, large waves, and beach erosion in these regions.