Waves Lash East Coast as Nor'easter Heads North

A nor'easter churned its way up the East Coast on Sunday, washing out roads and prompting air travel delays as heavily populated areas of the Northeast braced for excessive rain, lashing winds, and coastal flooding. "The greatest effects are going to be the coastal flooding potential, especially for areas from northeastern North Carolina northward to much of the New Jersey coast," said meteorologist Bob Oravec of the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland, the AP reports.

Heavy rain also was forecast for southeast New England and the New York City area, and some has fallen in coastal sections farther down the coast, Oravec said. In North Carolina's Outer Banks, an area that's seen significant storm damage this season, ocean overwash was starting to come across Highway 12 near Buxton, the Dare County Sheriff's Office posted online Sunday. The office urged travelers to be cautious and put property owners on alert as high tide approached. The waves were ferocious at the Hatteras Island town of Buxton, where a number of beachfront homes have fallen into the water in recent weeks. One house was losing its pilings Sunday and appeared close to collapsing. "The waves are crashing really hard into the houses and the dunes, and it's all eroding," said Robert Splawn, who was watching on the beach.

There were several road closures in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, as heavy rain overwhelmed the stormwater system. Officials urged residents to stay home, per the AP. All of New Jersey has been under a state of emergency since Saturday night. It's expected to last into Monday, authorizing the state's emergency services personnel to be activated as necessary. On Long Island, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman declared a state of emergency Sunday because of the chance high ocean waves may push water into bays and waterways. Parts of the state are forecast to experience moderate to major coastal flooding, inland flash flooding, winds up to 60 mph, up to 5 inches of rain, and high surf, potentially causing beach erosion. Volunteers were putting sandbags at beaches.