The end of September is not prime nor’easter season. But 2026 has other ideas.
These powerful coastal storms are better known for dumping heavy snow across the Northeast in the dead of winter.
But this one could bring three days of rain and plenty of wind — and otherwise be a nuisance.
Here are my current expectations for the wider Hudson Valley:
Rain and gusty winds arriving late Friday or early Saturday
Up to 3 inches of storm total rainfall and wind gusts of 30-40 mph
Worst of the storm hits late Saturday or early Sunday
Storm clears by Tuesday
Here’s a satellite simulation of the storm’s path along the East Coast from Thursday to Sunday:
Along the coast, the storm will probably be more than just a nuisance. Its tropical-storm-force winds will pile water along the shore, causing several feet of inundation in coastal communities from New York City to Long Island and Boston to Cape Cod — especially during high tide.
Here’s an excerpt from my story in Thursday’s Washington Post:
But the biggest impacts will be felt from late Friday to Sunday, when the strengthening nor’easter will swirl offshore from the Mid-Atlantic to near Long Island, causing tropical-storm-force wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph, coastal inundation, erosion and localized freshwater flooding, particularly in a stretch from Boston to New York. Rain totals could reach half a foot in the most soaked spots.
Some areas that could experience hazardous weather conditions from Friday to Sunday include:
The wider Boston area, Cape Cod and the surrounding islands
Coastal Rhode Island, including Newport
The corridor from Long Island to New York City
Atlantic City and the Jersey Shore
Coastal Delaware to Ocean City, Maryland
The worst impacts will be determined by where exactly the storm’s center tracks. If it pulls westward toward New York, then more of the coast will be exposed to the storm’s powerful onshore winds — because winds rotate counterclockwise around low pressure systems in the Northern Hemisphere. On the other hand, if the storm’s core remains out toward eastern Long Island, then the worst effects will probably be felt in a stretch extending into New England.
I’ll be in touch in case things change and this storm magically decides to cruise by offshore. What’s more likely is that this is a sign of much more stormy weather to come later this fall and winter.