Nor'easter causes flooding across East Coast as bomb cyclone lashes the West
get the free appThe first nor'easter of the season could affect more than 30 million people with devastating winds and flooding. Forecasters say it could develop into a bomb cyclone just as another blasted the West Coast over the weekend.
Overnight, the storm began soaking the Northeast with one to three inches of rain with some areas that experienced even higher amounts. Across the region, locally moderate flooding is forecast with heavy rain and strong damaging winds of up to 60 miles per hour are expected to continue into the evening, according to the National Weather Service. Flash flood watches are in effect for more than 31 million people.
New York and New Jersey's governors declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm. In both states, crews cleared drains and handed out sandbags to keep potential rushing water out. Officials hope to be as prepared as possible to avoid a repeat of the deadly tropical storms this past summer when a record rainfall killed over 50 people.
Severe weather that struck the midwest on Sunday is in the Northeast meeting up with a coastal storm, which created the first nor'easter of the season. More than a dozen tornadoes have slammed Missouri and Illinois.
Devastating winds caused extensive damage to homes, businesses, and a main electrical substation. The nor'easter striking Tuesday comes as thousands of people in California are still in the dark as a massive cleanup effort continues.
Roads flood across New Jersey
The nor'easter caused a rough commute for drivers in New Jersey where cars were stranded in a flooded section of a state highway. In the city of Lodi, the Saddle River overflowed, filling the parking lot of the Boys and Girls Club.
"I came at 6:30 in the morning to see how we're doing, but already the water was maybe half of the parking lot," said Diego Cruz, of the Boys and Girls Club.
Cruz said he spent hours moving equipment to keep them from getting carried away. He reported a small amount of water in the basement. The club was closed Tuesday but Cruz said the flooding didn't come close to the severity of Ida. "We don't want that anymore. Right now, we can handle this," he said.
Read more at CBS New York.
630,000 people without power across West Coast
Approximately 630,000 Pacific Gas and Electric customers lost power since the start of the storm on Sunday morning on the west coast, the energy provider said Monday. While the majority of customers have had power restored, 50,000 people still were without power as of Monday evening.
The provider said nearly 3,000 personnel are responding to the major atmospheric river storm that was one of the "most potent to hit northern and Central California in over a decade."
"Hundreds more employees are staffing the storm centers, performing safety duties, delivering needed equipment to PG&E yards and more," Pacific Gas and Electric said.