Northeast braces for flooding as Powerhouse Storm moves north

Here’s what you need to know about this storm:

• Up to six inches of rain is expected in parts of the Northeast before the storm moves into Canada this evening.

• Storm conditions were expected to be at their worst during peak hours early Monday.

Flooding is a concern for much of the Northeast.

Heavy rain and howling winds associated with a major coastal storm lashed parts of the Northeast early Monday, as officials in Philadelphia, New York and Boston asked residents to brace for flooding and power outages.

By 5:30 a.m. Eastern Time, more than 45,000 customers in New Jersey were without power. according to PowerOutage.us, which collects data from utilities. Just over 30,000 customers in New York were also affected, as well as nearly 22,000 in Connecticut.

The overwhelming storm ravaged South Carolina and North Carolina over the weekend and was expected to move further north on Monday. Parts of the Northeast could see up to six inches of rain before moving into Canada by the evening hours. according to the National Weather Service. There was also a slight risk of excessive rainfall in parts of the northern Mid-Atlantic region north to New England through Tuesday morning, the Weather Service said.

Storm conditions were expected to be at their worst early Monday during peak hours in the region, threatening to stall traffic and make travel difficult. The New York State Department of Transportation urged motorists not to cross flooded roads and to find alternate routes. Similar notices were issued by transportation officials in Massachusetts and New Jersey. A Nassau County official urged residents to stay off the roads altogether.

Flooding was also a concern further north. The New York Weather Service a coastal flood warning issued until 6 p.m. Monday for southern Westchester County and several southern Connecticut communities, including New Haven.

Along the New York coast, flooding with up to 20 feet of flooding and sustained winds of 40 to 60 miles per hour — with gusts of 60 to 60 miles per hour — could damage power lines and topple trees, the Weather Service said.

New York City officials implored those living in basements to move to higher ground and advised all residents to download the city’s emergency alert app.

They also warned residents to brace for high winds, with gusts of up to 60 mph hitting Brooklyn and Queens early through mid-morning Monday. Waves 12 to 16 feet high could pound the coastline, the weather service said.

Two to four inches of rain were also expected to fall across the Philadelphia region through Monday morning, raising concerns about possible flooding in cities and coastal areas.

“River levels may continue to rise after rain ends Monday, with some rivers expected to peak Monday evening through Tuesday,” the National Weather Service said for Philadelphia and Mount Holly. a briefing on Sunday evening.

The agency warned that strong winds there could also topple tree branches and cause power outages.

a A storm warning was also issued for parts of coastal Massachusetts and Rhode Island through Monday evening.

Rebecca Carballo, Johnny Diaz, Isabella Kwai And Mayor of Orlando reporting contributed.