Nor'easter spurs rescues in New Jersey as areas brace for hurricane-force wind gusts

 

Up to 5 inches of rain and wind gusts over 70 mph will be possible for the Northeast and New England through Wednesday.

Roads flooded and people in New Jersey were rescued Tuesday as a nor'easter drenched the New York City region, while officials in Massachusetts warned of 60-mph winds and heavy rain.

New York City's Central Park had seen almost 3 inches of rain by 1 p.m., and part of New Jersey recorded more than 4 inches of rain, forecasters said.

Police in Hazlet Township, New Jersey, where more than 4 1/2 inches of rain fell, said there was flooding on almost every road in town and urged people to stay home, although conditions later improved.

"We had about 40 calls for service between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., which is quite a lot," Police Chief Ted Wittke told NBC New York. First responders in Keyport got two people out of a stuck car before it caught fire, police there said.

In the Boston area, the peak impacts were expected to be felt Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service said.

Maximum wind gust forecasts were almost 60 mph in Boston. Coastal areas, like Cape Cod, are forecast to experience the fiercest winds of all, with wind gusts of 70 mph or stronger.

The strong winds combined with top-heavy trees that still have leaves on them will likely cause numerous power outages, especially across southern New England, where the winds were forecast to be the highest.

Pat Clarke, of Plymouth, was supposed to travel to Western Massachusetts this week but told NBC Boston the forecast prompted a change of plans.

"There will be a lot of wind, rain and streets flooded and trees down, so here we are," he told the station.

In New York City, almost 4 inches of rain was reported in lower Manhattan and more than 4 inches was seen in Brooklyn in the last 24 hours, according to the weather service — which are amounts approaching the rainfall typically seen in a month. The average rainfall for the month of October is 4.68 inches.

This event will also produce the most rainfall in a day since Ida dropped more than 7 inches of rain over the city last month. More than 40 people were killed in the area in that storm.

The governors of New York and New Jersey declared states of emergency in advance of the storm, which allows for state resources to be used in response efforts.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city is taking precautions in high-risk neighborhoods hurt by Ida.