East Coast storm updates: Thousands without power as storm moves north

(NEW YORK) — More than 130,000 customers were without power in Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey on Monday morning, as a powerful storm system moved north, according to poweroutage.us.

A large swath of residents along the Eastern Seaboard are under flood and wind alerts as the storm system that inundated the South moves north, bringing the same threats with it.

Residents living along the I-95 corridor can expect a dangerous commute on Monday morning as heavy rain and strong winds continue to affect the region.

The East Coast storm was moving on Monday through the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, bringing with it with blinding rain, flash flooding and strong winds.

Eleven states from Maryland to Maine were under flood watch on Monday morning. And high wind alerts were issued from North Carolina to Maine, with wind gusts expected to be up to 60 mph.

South Carolina was hit hard with flooding rains on Saturday, setting records in the process, according to the National Weather Service. Charleston, South Carolina, measured its highest “non-tropical” tide on record, and its fourth-highest tide, when accounting for those that occurred amid tropical systems.

More than 16 inches of rain fell in some areas between Charleston and Georgetown, flooding neighborhoods, stalling cars and prompting flash flood emergency for the area. A few areas received about 6 inches of rain in six hours.

Severe thunderstorms had also been possible on Sunday across the coastal Carolinas, including Charleston, and Wilmington, North Carolina. The main hazards had been expected to be damaging winds and a tornado threat, along with flooding.

Authorities made dozens of rescues during the flooding rains, Jackie Broach, public information officer for Georgetown County, told The Associated Press. There have been no reports of injuries or deaths.

More than 25,000 customers had been without power in North Carolina and South Carolina on Sunday afternoon, according to poweroutage.us. About 5,000 customers, mostly in North Carolina, were without power Monday morning.

Street flooding is also a significant concern across the Northeast.

The remainder of the watches up the East Coast extend into Monday.

Heavy rain had been expected to be more isolated in New York City by 7 a.m. Monday, as the heavy rain moves farther north, into upstate New York and the rest of New England.

Lingering heavy rainfall may still be causing numerous problems for Monday morning commuters in the Northeast, forecasts show.

The flood and wind alerts will begin in upper New England late Sunday and extend through Monday into Tuesday morning — the last expiring at 7 a.m. in Bar Harbor, Maine.

A high wind warning is in effect for the New England Coast, with wind gusts up to 65 mph expected. This will include Long Island, New York; Providence, Rhode Island; Boston and Portland, Maine. The strong winds will accompany the heaviest rain.

The storm is expected to move into New England later Monday, with rain ending in NYC and the South shortly by about 1 p.m.

In Boston and New England the rain will linger into the mid-afternoon hours. Gusty winds 40 to 50 mph will continue for NYC and Boston with coastal Long Island and eastern New England getting gusts 60 to 70 mph.

Due to the strong winds bringing higher storm surges, coastal flooding will also be a widespread issue, with 20 million people under coastal flood alerts.

The East Coast is still predicted at a wide swath to accumulate 2 inches to 6 inches of rain, with locally higher amounts reaching up to 8 inches. Shoreline communities could possibly see 1 foot to 2 feet of inundation along low-lying areas near waterways.

Many roads become impassable, and some damage to vulnerable structures may begin to occur due to coastal flooding, according to the National Weather Service.

Parts of Florida got up to 5 inches of rain from the same system since Saturday.

Fort Lauderdale picked up 1.07 inches of rain on Saturday, bringing their record-smashing total rainfall for 2023 to 111 inches. The region has gotten more than 9 feet of rain in the last 11 and a half months, according to the NWS.

Orlando and Daytona Beach saw about 2.5 inches of rain, while Melbourne got more than 3 inches.

Flood watches were in effect for parts of northeast Florida, including Palm Coast, Ocala and Palatka, until 6 a.m. Sunday.

Heavy rain continued on Sunday morning in Jacksonville and Gainesville, which have gotten more than 3 inches of rain so far. A flood watch remained in the region until 10 a.m.

Cross City, in the Big Bend of Florida, neared the 5-inch mark as rain continued on Sunday morning, as the system pushed north into Georgia and the Carolinas. A flood watch is in effect in Charleston, South Carolina, until 1 p.m.