September 26, 2026 NEW YORK, NY A relentless, punishing nor'easter has officially slammed into New York City and Long Island, tearing through the region with fierce winds, torrential rain, and dangerously rising waters. The severe coastal storm, which began pounding the area late Friday evening, is rapidly deteriorating conditions across the five boroughs, threatening low-lying communities with severe inundation and paralyzing travel routes throughout the entire weekend.

Meteorologists from the National Weather Service warn that the Big Apple and surrounding coastal regions are directly in the crosshairs of a prolonged weekend onslaught, expecting a staggering 3 to 5 inches of rainfall before the storm finally relents.

Wild Winds and Rising Darkness: Thousands Stranded Without Power

A sweeping Wind Advisory remains in full force through 6 a.m. Sunday, as fierce gales reaching 40 to 50 miles per hour rip across the metropolitan area. The gale-force winds are hitting elevated roadways, bridges, and open coastal stretches with extreme intensity, threatening to bring down massive trees and snap utility lines.

The fallout is already unfolding:

• Long Island & The Rockaways: Nearly 17,000 PSEG Long Island customers have been plunged into darkness across Nassau, Suffolk, and the Rockaways as power grids buckle under relentless wind pressure.

• The Five Boroughs: Utility giant Con Edison is tracking scattered blackouts across all five boroughs, with emergency crews racing against time to restore electricity.

"Move Your Car, Know Your Way Out": Coastal Communities Face Up to 3 Feet of Inundation

The physical landscape of coastal New York is taking a heavy beating. Southern Queens—particularly communities surrounding Jamaica Bay and the Rockaways—alongside vulnerable shorelines in Brooklyn and Staten Island, are bearing the brunt of moderate-to-severe coastal flooding.

Forecasters warn that rising waters could reach a harrowing 3 feet of inundation in flood-prone Queens zones. Meanwhile, rising tides are battering Flushing Bay and waters around the Battery, threatening to submerge waterfront roads, flood parked vehicles, and transform low-lying streets into impassable rivers.

State and local leaders issued urgent warnings to residents sitting in the path of the storm:

"The forecast path of this storm has moved closer to our city, and it is bringing more rain and stronger winds with it," warned Mayor Zohran Mamdani. "If you live in a basement apartment, know your way out and be ready to move to a higher floor if conditions become dangerous. Look out for your neighbors."

"With a significant coastal storm starting to impact New York State, we are actively monitoring the track of the storm and any potential impacts," stated Governor Kathy Hochul. "I urge New Yorkers to stay informed, stay prepared, and closely monitor local weather updates."