Officials cautioned residents to be prepared as a rare September nor’easter trudged into Massachusetts bringing heavy rains and strong winds.
Boston officials advised residents to prepare for power outages and flooding, with the storm expected to drop two to four inches of rain and produce winds up to 50 miles per hour in the city. Seas could reach 25 feet offshore with winds up to 60 knots, and forecasters warned of coastal flooding and significant beach erosion.
Emergency officials reported more than 10,000 power outages across Massachusetts Saturday. About 70,000 customers lost power across the northeast.
At Scituate Harbor Saturday, stores were lined with sandbags as seawater broke over the shore and into the parking lot. While some ventured out to the lighthouse to take in the high surf, others hunkered down for the storm that was expected to last through the weekend and linger into Tuesday morning.
Waves crash into the seawall in Scituate on Saturday, Sep. 26, 2026. (Patrick Madden/WBUR)
More than 170 flights had been canceled since Friday at Logan, according to the flight tracker Flight Aware. Several airlines were offering to waive some change or cancelation fees for some East Coast flights through the weekend.
The MBTA suspended ferry service through the weekend due to the storm, and the Steamship Authority canceled all ferries Saturday for Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
Mayor Michelle Wu advised residents not to drive during the storm or to wade into floodwaters. She also encouraged people to cut back damaged trees and stock up on flashlights, batteries and first aid supplies.
“ As New England is becoming more and more susceptible to intense storms, rain and coastal flooding, these are good steps to just have ready for any situation,” Wu said at a press conference on Friday.
Pedestrians cross Broadway during a rain storm in the South Boston neighborhood during a nor’easter, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Officials emphasized the danger of downed power lines in particular. Residents should call 911 to report a fallen power line. To report non-emergencies — such as downed trees, roadway flooding and sewer backups — contact 311.
Boston 311 director Irgisola Budo encouraged people to use the app rather than calling.
“ If your issue can be reported through the Boston 311 app, please do so,” Budo said. “The photos on the app are really helpful for our teams.”
Officials also advised Boston residents to sign up for emergency text message alerts.
In advance of the storm, city maintenance crews cleared debris out of sewer grates to allow rainwater to drain.
“ If you are able, as you’re walking around your neighborhood for the next couple hours, take an extra look at those catch basins, and if you see something blocking them, just help us make sure they’re clear,” Wu said Friday.
The National Weather Service issued a high wind warning and a coastal flood warning for this weekend.
“ This is a long-duration storm with an extended period of strong winds, rough seas and rain,” said Boston’s Office of Emergency Management communication director Kyron Owens. “ The Office of Emergency Management during this time will have the Emergency Operations Center activated for enhanced monitoring and maintain a ready posture.”
Brenda Malloy enjoys a nor’easter storm, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Gloucester, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Out on the Cape, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, peak wind gusts could approach 60 to 65 mph, according to Matthew Belk, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Norton.
“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 said nor’easters are not unusual as New England moves into fall, but one concern this early in the season is that leaves remain on the trees, creating more wind resistance. That could increase the risk of downed limbs, which in turn can cause power outages and leave debris in roads, he said.
The forecast is putting a damper on some weekend plans. The Red Sox game slated for Sunday was moved to Friday to create a split doubleheader with the Chicago Cubs. And, Ed Sheeran announced that his high-profile Friday and Saturday shows at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough would be canceled due to the storm.
With reporting from WBUR’s Patrick Madden and The Associated Press
