Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Stronger-than-expected nor'easter barrels toward NYC: Flooding and wild winds possible
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Sep 25, 2026
Modified Sep 25, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Christopher Werth Gothamist
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Sep 25, 2026
Modified Sep 25, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The nor’easter forecast for this weekend is tracking closer to New York City than previously expected — meaning that winds will be stronger, rainfall totals will be greater and the risk of coastal flooding will be higher, according to city officials and meteorologists.
“In the last 24 hours we have seen both weather models finally say the same thing,” John Davitt, chief meteorologist for Spectrum News NY1, told WNYC’s Brian Lehrer midday Friday. “In terms of strength and intensity, we’ve seen worse… but still, it’s going to leave an impact.”
By Friday afternoon, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for New York City and Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties. Meanwhile, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill placed Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Salem counties under a state of emergency.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the city’s office of emergency management have issued a travel advisory from Friday at 2 p.m. through Sunday morning. Updated forecasts are now calling for 2 to 4 inches of rain, wind gusts up to 40 to 50 mph, and coastal flooding in Southern Queens and parts of Staten Island and Brooklyn likely during the Friday evening and Saturday morning high tides.
“City workers are clearing catch basins, preparing for downed trees and positioning emergency resources in areas that could see coastal flooding. If you’re traveling this weekend, give yourself extra time, check your train, ferry or flight before you head out and stay off low-lying coastal roads around high tide,” Mamdani said in a statement, urging New Yorkers to be cautious and look out for their neighbors. “If you live in a basement apartment, know your way out and be ready to move to a higher floor if conditions become dangerous.”
With the storm still more than 300 miles away, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said his crews were busy shoring up any potential hazards that could disrupt service.
“Right now the wind is by far our biggest concern,” he said at a press conference. “Crews are being deployed in strategic locations... so they can respond quickly if and when there are any conditions, like downed trees.”
To prepare for possible coastal flooding in train yards at Howard Beach and Coney Island, Lieber said the agency had already deployed storm doors to prevent water from coming in. Lieber said that New Yorkers should look out for any service changes, and be prepared to take buses deployed as alternatives to several coastal Metro North and subway lines.
Meteorologist Brian Ciemnecki said the closer path of the storm means that “everything intensifies.” He said the National Weather Service has issued a “laundry list” of advisories for the city, including a wind advisory, a coastal flood advisory and a high surf advisory for local beaches.
The rain is expected to start Friday evening and continue throughout the weekend, with the heaviest rain likely on Saturday, according to the forecast. Widespread flash flooding is not expected, but Ciemnecki said water may collect on low-lying streets with poor drainage.
The strongest winds are expected Friday night through Saturday night, and could be more intense on bridges and unprotected roadways, officials warned. The gusts may also bring down trees, tree limbs and power lines, so residents should be prepared to deal with possible outages. The mayor’s office urged anyone with outdoor patios to tie down loose objects, and anyone observing the Jewish holiday of Sukkot to secure outdoor structures.
The greatest chance of coastal flooding is expected around the Friday evening and Saturday morning high tides, according to city officials. New Yorkers in low-lying coastal neighborhoods are encouraged to park their cars on higher ground.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said she was also directing state agencies to be prepared to respond to the storm.
“We do not currently anticipate widespread damage from this system but hazards along our coastlines, including dangerous surf and flooding, pose a very real threat to personal safety,” Hochul said in a statement, adding that New Yorkers in affected regions should keep a close eye on the changing forecast.
Though city beaches are already closed for the season, officials said conditions will be hazardous, with rip currents expected and waves reaching up to six feet.
The Global Citizens Festival, which was scheduled to take place on Saturday in Central Park, was cancelled.
Davitt said this nor’easter is coming in about a month earlier than similar storms normally do. Based on updated models, the nasty weather won’t be clearing out until midday Monday.
“Part of the story with this storm is that it’s not going to be a quick mover,” he said.
To stay up-to-date on the forecast and safety alerts, New Yorkers can sign up for Notify NYC, the City’s free emergency alert system, by texting NOTIFYNYC to 692-692 or visiting nyc.gov/notifynyc.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
Tagged
Zohran Mamdani
new york city
news
weather
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 4:15 p.m. ET
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
News
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
NYC nor’easter dries up after weather service reports minor flooding
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .