A rare September nor'easter batters the Jersey Shore and Philly region

Maggie Prosser and Brett Sholtis, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Sep 26, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

PHILADELPHIA — A wind-tattered and soggy Jersey Shore was reeling Saturday from the effects of an early-season nor’easter trudging up the coast this weekend.

Massive waves and rough surf were reported along the Shore — where New Jersey officials had issued a state of emergency — flooding streets and leaving some people without power.

“This is the worst I’ve seen it in a long time,” Atlantic City Battalion Chief Mike Famularo said, whose crews were busy rescuing drivers trapped after the morning tide brought “major flooding” to the area. One major thoroughfare, Albany Avenue, had more than 2 feet of water on it, Famularo said.

Video from the Margate City Fire Department captured ankle-deep waters beginning to swallow white-picket fences and park benches.

As the nor’easter howls from off the Eastern Seaboard this weekend, it will continue to unleash rains and winds on Philadelphia and along the Shore. The highest tides and fastest winds — with gusts up to 60 mph on the coast — were forecast through Saturday night, according to the National Weather Service. Waves pounding the oceanfront and swelling back bays will bring at least moderate flooding at the Shore and at least minor flooding along the Delaware River in Philadelphia.

“We’re pretty much in it right now,” Lee Robertson, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, said Saturday morning in a phone interview.

According to NJ.com’s tracker, about 27,500 power outages were reported as of 11:30 a.m. Saturday morning across the state’s four energy companies. PECO reported about 280 outages, impacting more than 8,700 people, across the Philadelphia area.

Flood warnings and advisories have been extended well into the weekend, and the weather service warned that widespread flooding may make roadways impassable and damage vulnerable structures.

“We’re recommending people to stay inside and do not drive,” said Famularo, who is also a deputy Office of Emergency Management coordinator. Roads to mainland Pleasantville were closed, and Black Horse Pike was underwater in some places, forcing hotels to be evacuated. All bridges to Ocean City were also temporarily closed.

The flooding should gradually recede with the low tide, Famularo said. However, there’s another high tide around 6 p.m., which could bring water back onto the roads.

As noon approached and the tide receded in Atlantic City, people left their houses to survey the damage.

One resident found his garbage can a block up the street. Another used a broom to push water away from her front door.

Gaetano Petinga put on boots and trekked through the water to reach his Volkswagen Jetta, which still had water pooled inside from flooding.

“Don’t park on the sidewalk tonight,” he advised a neighbor who drove by.

Petinga, who is 23, said he was just a child when flooding from Hurricane Sandy left 2 feet of water in his family’s house.

This time, the water stopped at his top step.

“I’m definitely getting some water tonight,” he said, and he saw little he could do to prevent it. “Can’t control Mother Nature.”

Mother Nature has also thwarted events across the region: The city of Wildwood ceased all outdoor events this weekend, and the Bike MS: City to Shore and South Street Fall Fest were canceled. The Philadelphia Half Marathon training run and 31st Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival were postponed.

Syracuse, New York, resident Star Rios’ vacation to celebrate her daughter’s birthday was also cut short. She checked out of Club Boardwalk Resorts a day early.

“We still had a blast yesterday, but I was like, ‘I just want to go home,’” Rios said.

“The weather’s better back home.”