This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: As a powerful nor'easter hit the U.S. Atlantic coast in late September 2026, the ocean poured into coastal neighborhoods from North Carolina to New York.
Water from the storm surge and heavy rain filled streets and surrounded homes as near-hurricane-force winds knocked out power. It may have even uncovered a shipwreck more than a century old. Atlantic City, New Jersey, saw its highest water level since Superstorm Sandy in 2012, as the storm surge washed into houses and vehicles and eroded protective beach dunes.
People may be wondering if the nor'easter flooding is a prelude to what to expect as a strong El Niño continues to build this winter and as sea level rises in the future. To understand the risks, let's break down what caused the water to rise so high. Several factors go into high water levels, and they combined to worsen flooding during the nor'easter.
Storm surge is the piling up of water caused by strong winds pushing water onshore. As the nor'easter began to take shape, gale-force winds began pushing water over hundreds of miles of the Atlantic toward the coast. As the storm strengthened and its pressure dropped, the winds grew stronger and this push of water intensified.
There are four basic factors that determine the surge height at any given location: the strength of the onshore wind, the size of the storm, the shape of the coastline and the depth of the ocean. The September 2026 surge was highest where the water was directed into shallow bays and inlets. In those areas, the push of water becomes concentrated into a small area with nowhere to go but onto land.
Some of the largest surges during the nor'easter were in Raritan Bay in New Jersey and Delaware Bay. The slow movement of the nor'easter up the East Coast resulted in a large, sustained surge. Inundation—the actual water level above the ground—depends on both the storm surge and the tide.
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