Nor'easter heading to East Coast this weekend: Latest forecast

New England will likely see major impacts.

A nor'easter could hit the East Coast this weekend, with Boston and Cape Cod, Massachusetts, facing the biggest impact.

The track of the storm remains uncertain; the closer to the coast it moves, the greater the wind and rain impacts will be.

The latest forecast shows the nor'easter staying east of New York City, so the city and areas to the south would avoid most of the rain and strong winds. But there is still a chance for breezy rain Saturday through Monday in New York.

A thunderstorm passes through midtown Manhattan in New York City, Aug, 21, 2026.
Gary Hershorn/ABC News

New England will likely see impacts regardless of the track, with widespread rain and strong winds hitting Providence, Rhode Island, and Boston from Saturday through Tuesday. 

The Boston area and Cape Cod could see 5 inches of rain and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Potential Nor'easter.
ABC News

The storm is forecast to bring several days of large waves, which will likely cause beach erosion.

By Thursday, onshore waves could reach 6 feet along much of the East Coast. Onshore waves could reach 10 feet from Sandy Hook, New Jersey, through Long Island.

On Friday, North Carolina's Outer Banks could see onshore waves of 6 feet or greater, while 6- to 10-foot waves are possible along much of the exposed East Coast from the Mid-Atlantic through Portland, Maine.

Coastal flooding is also possible from North Carolina to New Jersey this week as the swells from the storm mix with a full moon and astronomically high tides.

Regardless of the track, flight disruptions are possible this weekend, especially from New York City to Boston.

Nor'easters get their name because winds over the coastal area are typically from the northeast. These storms may occur at any time of year but are most frequent and most violent between September and April.

Nor'easters nearly always bring precipitation in the form of heavy rain or snow, as well as gale-force winds, rough seas, and coastal flooding.

Click here for what you need to know about nor'easters.

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