Powerful nor'easter set to batter East Coast this weekend.

A nor'easter moving up the East Coast is bringing heavy rain, coastal flooding, and strong winds from North Carolina to southern Maine, with peak impacts expected Saturday.

• 33 million people are under coastal flood alerts from Virginia to Rhode Island.
• 65 mph gusts are forecast, strongest on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket.
• 4 to 6 inches of rain is possible along coastal Massachusetts and the Jersey Shore.
• Water levels could reach 6 feet above average in some locations, per AccuWeather.

Why it matters: The storm's slow movement, coinciding with a full moon Saturday night, is a key risk factor. The full moon will push tides 5 to 6 inches higher than normal, worsening coastal flooding.

• Southeast New England faces the highest power outage risk — leaves still on trees create greater wind resistance, increasing downed limbs, per National Weather Service meteorologist Matthew Belk.
• AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said the storm "may be remembered for its destructive coastal flooding and severe beach erosion, especially along eastern Long Island and the Massachusetts coast."

How 24 sources split on this story

What’s next: Rain and beach erosion will continue through Monday, with the storm still spinning off the coast.

• Tides along the mid-Atlantic coast are expected to gradually decrease starting September 27.
• Ferry service to Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and Block Island faces continued cancellations into Saturday.
• How far inland flooding extends depends on storm track, which has already shifted south of initial forecasts.
• Whether power restoration timelines will be complicated by lingering wind and wet conditions into Monday remains unclear.