ASHEVILLE, NC — A powerful nor'easter may wreak havoc on the East Coast, slamming the Carolinas and prompting emergency declarations in New York and New Jersey.
Marking the first nor'easter of the season, the coastal storm is known for strong and dangerous waves, high winds, and heavy rainfall. In previous nor'easter events, the Outer Banks experienced severe beach erosion, coastal flooding, and dangerous surf conditions — sometimes literally knocking down homes and washing away sections of roadway.
As the storm tracks north, forecasters warn it could bring similar hazards to coastal communities from Virginia to Massachusetts, including power outages, travel disruptions, and marine dangers with seas topping 10 feet, according to the National Weather Service office.
The exact track will determine which regions see the heaviest impacts, but residents along the East Coast should prepare for worsening conditions. A dry high-pressure system is expected to move in, bringing calmer weather and milder temperatures to North Carolina on Oct. 12 and Oct. 13.
"A coastal low will lift north along the Carolina coast through the weekend," the National Weather Service office wrote in an area forecast. "This system may bring rain to the North Carolina Piedmont and eastern Upstate late Saturday through Sunday as it passes by to our east. The low will continue to slowly track northeast along the Mid-Atlantic Coast early next week, with dry high pressure and above normal temperatures returning to the region."
