Nor'easter Pounds Northeast With 60-MPH Winds, Coastal Flooding

A nor'easter bearing down on the U.S. Northeast is forecast to bring heavy rain, damaging winds and coastal flooding through the weekend, according to ABC News. The storm has already produced waves up to 19 feet off North Carolina's Outer Banks and forced the cancellation of major public events in New England and the mid-Atlantic.

How strong are the winds expected to be?

The Jersey Shore, along with the Rhode Island and Massachusetts coasts, is under a high wind warning from Friday night through Sunday, with gusts reaching up to 60 mph possible, ABC News reports. New York City could see gusts of 40 to 50 mph over the same stretch. Forecasters say winds will be a primary hazard as the storm tracks north along the coast.

How much coastal flooding is forecast?

Coastal flood alerts are in effect from the Outer Banks to Maine. Some areas are expected to see flood inundation up to 3 feet above normal tidal levels, according to the report. Waves up to 12 feet are possible from the Outer Banks to the New Jersey shore through Saturday, and along the New England coast through Sunday, adding to beach erosion that has already begun.

Waves up to 19 feet have already been recorded along North Carolina's Outer Banks, with beach erosion expected to continue for days.

When will the rain be heaviest, and where?

Rain is set to move in Saturday morning, spreading from New Jersey to Massachusetts throughout the day. The storm is expected to reach peak strength on Saturday, then weaken slightly Sunday as it stalls over New Jersey, with rain becoming more scattered but still affecting a corridor from Washington, D.C., to Maine. Boston, Rhode Island, coastal New Jersey and Long Island could see 4 to 6 inches of rain through Monday, with a widespread 2 to 4 inches from Delaware to Maine, per ABC News. Isolated flash flooding is possible, though forecasters say the rain falling over multiple days makes widespread flash flooding unlikely.

What events have already been canceled?

Ed Sheeran's weekend concerts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, have been canceled, according to ABC Boston affiliate WCVB as cited by ABC News. The Oceans Calling music festival in Ocean City, Maryland, scheduled for this weekend, has also been called off.

When does the storm move out?

The nor'easter is expected to weaken Monday as it moves slowly into New England, then dissipate on Tuesday, according to the forecast. Nor'easters draw their name from winds that typically blow from the northeast along the coast and are most frequent and severe between September and April.

What to watch this weekend

• Wind gusts up to 60 mph along the Jersey Shore, Rhode Island and Massachusetts coasts, Friday night through Sunday.
• Coastal flooding up to 3 feet above normal from the Outer Banks to Maine.
• Rain totals of 4 to 6 inches for Boston, Rhode Island, coastal New Jersey and Long Island through Monday.
• Potential power outages and flight disruptions along the Northeast coast as the storm peaks Saturday.

Storm by the numbers

• 19 feet: maximum wave height already recorded off North Carolina's Outer Banks.
• 60 mph: peak wind gusts forecast for the Jersey Shore, Rhode Island and Massachusetts coasts.

For the full forecast graphics and regional breakdowns, see the original ABC News report.