Rivers continue to rise, widespread power outages remain after deadly East Coast storm wallops Northeast
At least five deaths may be attributed to the powerful storm as it moved up the East Coast from the Southeast and mid-Atlantic to the Northeast and New England.
Northeast rivers reach major flood stage after storm
Parts of the Northeast saw several inches of rainfall on Monday. In some areas, this rain poured over snowpack, leading to rapid snowmelt that surged into the waterways. Dec. 19, 2023.
BOSTON – Hundreds of thousands of power outages remain and rivers are overflowing their banks across the Northeast and New England on Tuesday, one day after a deadly storm packing damaging winds and flooding rain swept across the region.
This powerful storm first brought tropical-storm-like conditions to the Southeast on Saturday and prompted Flash Flood Emergencies along the South Carolina coast in the mid-Atlantic on Sunday – just as millions of Americans across the U.S. are preparing to head out for pre-Christmas travel.
![]()
Image 1 of 11Police say this driver is lucky to be alive after a tree falls on their car in Wellesley, Mass. (@WellesleyPolice via X)
![Numerous crashes with injuries were reported along Interstate 94 near Mattawan, Michigan, on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023.]()
Image 2 of 11Numerous crashes with injuries were reported along Interstate 94 near Mattawan, Michigan, on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023. (@MspSouthwestMI / X)
![A tree narrowly avoid falling onto a home in Cohasset, Massachusetts, on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023.]()
Image 3 of 11A tree narrowly avoid falling onto a home in Cohasset, Massachusetts, on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023. (Jonathan Bailey-francois)
![A photo showing a large tree on power lines in Duxbury, Massachusetts, on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023.]()
Image 4 of 11A photo showing a large tree on power lines in Duxbury, Massachusetts, on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023. (@DXFD_PIO/X)
![]()
Image 5 of 11Downtown Charleston inundated after heavy rain and high tide Sunday afternoon. (Brandon Copic)
![]()
Image 6 of 11Downtown Charleston inundated after heavy rain and high tide Sunday afternoon. (Brandon Copic)
![]()
Image 7 of 11Police say there is still a lot of wind-driven flooding happening in Pawley Island. (Pawley Island PD)
![]()
Image 8 of 11Pawleys Island PD says, "Some views at the Causeways. Big wind at the bridges." (Pawleys Island PD)
![]()
Image 9 of 11Pawleys Island PD says, "Some views at the Causeways. Big wind at the bridges." (Pawleys Island PD)
![]()
Image 10 of 11Pawleys Island causeway flooding (Pawleys Island PD)
![]()
Image 11 of 11Flooding was seen in Charleston, South Carolina, on Sunday as high tide and a powerful storm worked as a dual threat. ( Corey Gerken)
Maine Gov. Janet Mills declared a State of Civil Emergency for 14 Maine counties on Tuesday.
"This will ensure that every State resource is available to communities across Maine in need of assistance," she tweeted. "It also positions Maine to seek Federal disaster support."
Newry road collapsed outside Sunday River Ski Resort in Maine. Dec. 19, 2023.
(@Isabberry / X / FOX Weather)
On Monday, heavy rain, high winds, flash flooding and coastal flooding were reported across the region from New Jersey and New York into New England and continued for most of the day.
The deadly storm has since exited the region, but its impacts will likely be felt for days.
East Coast storm turns deadly
A photo showing a large tree on power lines in Duxbury, Massachusetts, on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023.
(@DXFD_PIO/X / FOX Weather)
FOX Weather has confirmed at least four deaths that have been attributed to the powerful storm that moved up the East Coast, but as many as five deaths could be related to the storm and two people are missing.
According to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts, a man in the town of Hanover was killed when the high winds knocked over a tree and fell onto the man’s home.
Windham Police and Fire in Maine said a 40-year-old man was killed while trying to clean debris off his roof on Monday when the high winds knocked a piece of a large pine tree down.
The Greene County Sheriff's Office in New York said a 76-year-old woman drowned after her car was swept away when she drove onto a flooded section of roadway in the town of Catskill.
A tree narrowly avoid falling onto a home in Cohasset, Massachusetts, on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023.
(Jonathan Bailey-francois)
In South Carolina, officials said a person died when their vehicle was trapped in floodwaters in Mount Pleasant on Sunday.
According to a report from FOX 43 in York, Pennsylvania, a 73-year-old man died when his vehicle was also trapped in floodwaters in West Earl Township.
Maine State Police said two people remain missing after a car they were traveling in was swept away by floodwaters in the town of Mexico.
Flooding in Maine, on Route 11 in Grindstone near the Penobscot River Trailhead parking. Dec. 19, 2023.
(Meteorologist James Sinko / FOX Weather)
State police said a car with four people inside was trying to cross the Red Bridge into Rumford and was trying to turn around when it was swept away. Three people in the vehicle were able to escape, and two of those were rescued. The third as well as the person who was unable to get out of the vehicle remain missing.
HOPE FOR WHITE CHRISTMAS WANING AS LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES FOR SNOW SEEN THIS WEEK
Power outages remain in the Northeast, New England
Power restoration efforts continue in New England after deadly storm pounds the region
Hundreds of thousands of people remain without power one day after a deadly storm slammed the Northeast and New England with high winds and heavy rain.
Nearly 1 million people were left without power on Monday as the storm brought high winds and flooding to the Northeast and New England.
Power restoration efforts were delayed in several areas due to the dangerous conditions that continued during the day.
Police say this driver is lucky to be alive after a tree falls on their car in Wellesley, Mass.
(@WellesleyPolice via X / FOX Weather)
Hundreds of thousands of power outages remain on Tuesday, with most of those being found in New England.
Maine was the hardest hit. As of Tuesday evening, PowerOutage.US was reporting more than 325,000 power outages there.
(FOX Weather)
Massachusetts was also hit hard by power outages, reporting about 85,000 outages on Tuesday morning.
Power restoration efforts were also ongoing in Connecticut, where more than 10,000 outages remain.
River flooding continues in the Northeast, New England
Firefighters battle fire at New Jersey home surrounded by floodwaters
Firefighters struggled to extinguish the flames at a house fire in New Jersey on Tuesday because it was surrounded by floodwaters.
Flooding remains a major concern in the Northeast and New England after several inches of rain fell and made its way into rivers and streams in the region.
The flooding had led to issues for firefighters who were working to extinguish a house fire in Lincoln Park, New Jersey.
The home was engulfed in flames on Tuesday morning but was also surrounded by floodwaters from the Pompton River, making it difficult for firefighters to get close enough to put out the flames.
Several rivers are currently in major flood stage, including the Winooski River in Vermont, which rose to historic levels during the summer.
As of Tuesday morning, the river at Essex Junction was at 21.05 feet and still rising. The National Weather Service office in Burlington said that until the river falls below 15 feet, flooding will continue to be widespread from Jonesville to the river's mouth at Lake Champlain.
The NWS said water will cover Bridge Street in Richmond, North Williston Road in Williston and Essex and Poor Farm Road in South Burlington and Williston. The Burlington Intervale will continue to be inundated.
Strong winds pummel the Northeast
Tree limbs were brought down in the New York City tri-state area, which only added to the number of reported power outages.
Homeowners were warned to bring in or secure holiday decorations because of the strong winds.
CHRISTMAS LAWN DECORATIONS ARE SOMETIMES NO MATCH FOR MOTHER NATURE
(FOX Weather)
And wind gusts in parts of the region have gotten close to or above hurricane strength (74 mph).
Trescott, Maine, reported a wind gust of 93 mph, just shy of winds in a Category 2 hurricane.
The Blue Hill Observatory in Milton, Massachusetts, reported a top wind gust of 90 mph on Monday morning. That’s just shy of the highest December wind gust on record, which was 95 mph on Dec. 29, 1966.
Hudson, New Hampshire, reported a wind gust of 76 mph on Monday. Kittery Point in Maine and Rockport in Massachusetts both reported a wind gust of 71 mph.
Boston and Norwood, Massachusetts, both reported a wind gust of 68 mph.