A powerful nor’easter gathering strength off the East Coast threatens to bring hazardous weather to New England through the weekend, generating severe winds and building massive ocean swells.
Millions of residents remain under storm warnings as the system disrupts plans across the region, prompting cancellations of high-profile events and leading residents on islands near Cape Cod to travel to the mainland before the weather worsens.
Peak wind gusts are expected to reach between 60 and 65 mph (97 to 105 kph) on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket from Friday night into Saturday, according to Matthew Belk, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Norton, Massachusetts.
Inland areas will see lighter winds, with Boston expecting gusts of roughly 50 to 55 mph (80 to 89 kph) and interior locations seeing 35 to 40 mph (56 to 64 kph).
"It’s definitely going to be a case of the closer to the coast you are, the more impacts from the storm you’re likely to see," Belk said.
Belk noted that while autumn nor'easters are common in New England, an early-season system poses unique hazards because trees are still full of leaves.
The extra foliage creates higher wind resistance, increasing the danger of fallen branches, power outages, and blocked roads.
As residents prepared for the weather on Friday, major sports and entertainment events were adjusted or canceled.
The Boston Red Sox reshuffled their weekend series against the Chicago Cubs by shifting Sunday afternoon’s game to Friday for a split doubleheader.
Meanwhile, pop star Ed Sheeran announced the cancellation of his Friday and Saturday performances at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Travel by water was heavily affected across the region.
Public ferry operators connecting Cape Cod with Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard issued widespread Friday cancellations due to rough waters and heavy winds.
Similar cancellations grounded ferries heading to Block Island in Rhode Island, with service disruptions anticipated to continue through Saturday.
For regular commuters between the mainland and the islands, becoming stranded on either side is "part of life," explained Sean Driscoll, a spokesperson for the Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority, noting that most travelers maintain contingency plans for canceled sailings.
"It’s a nuisance, but you know, we know what to do with this kind of stuff at this point," he said. "This is not out of the realm of ordinary. Part of living in this region is just kind of knowing how to deal with this stuff."
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