What Is a Nor’easter? And Is One Happening Now?

A nor’easter is a large storm along the East Coast of North America, named for the persistent northeast wind it often drives onto the shore. It is a low-pressure system, not a particular snowfall threshold: a nor’easter can bring a rainy autumn weekend, a winter blizzard, or both rain and snow in different places. Strong onshore winds can also push seawater onto roads and into neighborhoods even where little rain falls.

Yes, a nor’easter is affecting the northeastern United States as of Sunday, September 27, 2026. The National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center (WPC) says the storm is weakening near New Jersey, but its rain, coastal flooding, surf, and gusty winds remain hazards. The dated update below is a snapshot, not a live warning feed.

These storms commonly develop near the coast between Georgia and New Jersey. Cold air moving south and east meets milder, moisture-rich Atlantic air above waters warmed by the Gulf Stream. The jet stream and contrasts between air masses help a low-pressure area organize and strengthen. Around the low, winds rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere; on the coast north and west of its center, they can blow in from the northeast and pile water toward shore.

Many nor’easters move up the coast toward New England, but a storm can stall or loop, extending rain and coastal flooding across multiple high tides. Its exact path controls who gets the worst wind and where precipitation falls as rain, snow, or a mix. They can occur in any month, though NOAA says they are most common from September through April and often strongest in winter.

In its 11 a.m. EDT storm summary Sunday, WPC placed the center near Point Pleasant Beach on the central New Jersey coast, with a central pressure of 987 millibars. It reported moderate coastal flooding at the morning high tide in Atlantic City and Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Its preliminary reports included 4.22 inches of rain at Durham, Connecticut, from Friday morning through Sunday morning, and a peak gust of 81 mph at Montauk Point, New York, earlier in the event. Those are observations at specific sites, not estimates for the whole region.

WPC’s 4 p.m. EDT forecast said the weakening low would linger near the coast, with more heavy rain and embedded thunderstorms possible in southern New England and parts of the northern Mid-Atlantic Sunday night into Monday. Rain was expected to spread into northern New England Monday before the system pulled away toward Nova Scotia by Tuesday evening. Conditions and local warnings can change faster than this article; check the latest NWS forecast for your location.

Heavy rain can overwhelm drainage and flood streets and streams. Onshore wind, large waves, and high tides can produce coastal flooding and beach erosion; strong gusts can bring down trees and power lines. In a colder setup, heavy snow, blowing snow, or ice may disrupt travel and electricity. September’s 2026 storm is mainly a rain, wind, and coastal-water event, not a snowstorm.

People watching the power grid should pay particular attention to wind-driven tree damage, outages, and restoration access along flooded roads. Cloud cover, rain, and cooler temperatures can also change electricity demand and solar production. These are possible impacts, not a claim that every nor’easter causes widespread outages.

Both are rotating low-pressure systems and both can produce destructive wind and flooding. A hurricane is a tropical cyclone powered primarily by warm ocean water and a warm core; a nor’easter is generally an extratropical storm energized by temperature contrasts and the jet stream. A nor’easter can generate hurricane-force gusts without being a hurricane. The wind speed at one station does not determine the type of storm.

For the current storm, look for your local NWS coastal flood, wind, flood, and marine alerts rather than relying on a regional headline. A coastal flood warning concerns seawater pushed ashore; a flood or flash flood warning concerns water on land from rain or rising waterways. Secure loose outdoor items, keep devices charged if outages are possible, and allow extra travel time. Never drive through floodwater or enter surf during a high-surf or rip-current hazard.

This article’s current-storm section reflects WPC information available September 27, 2026, including its 11 a.m. EDT storm summary and 4 p.m. EDT short-range forecast. The primary source above is updated as new storm summaries are issued. The general explanation remains useful after this storm, but the current conditions will not.