Rare September Nor'easter and Hurricane Nolo Slam U.S. Coasts, Leaving Over 100,000 Without Power

A rare, early-season nor'easter and a powerful Category 4 hurricane battered opposite ends of the United States in late September, leaving more than 100,000 customers without power, killing at least one person, and disrupting travel across the East Coast and Hawaii.

East Coast: Rare September Nor'easter Strikes from D.C. to Maine

A rare early-season nor'easter formed off the East Coast on September 23 and intensified over the following days, bringing powerful winds, heavy rain, coastal flooding, and massive waves to a vast stretch of the country from Washington D.C. to Maine. Forecasters described it as a "rare, high-intensity early-season storm," comparing it to 2012's Superstorm Sandy and 2011's Hurricane Irene.

The storm delivered its most severe impact on Saturday, September 26. According to the National Weather Service, forecasters warned of wind gusts reaching 50 mph in the New York City metro area and up to 60 mph near Boston — strong enough to bring down trees and power lines. In Atlantic City, water levels rose to their highest point since Superstorm Sandy, flooding multiple communities along the New Jersey coast.

The outage scale escalated rapidly. As reported by CNN, citing data from PowerOutage.us, more than 95,000 customers across five Northeastern states — Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut — had lost power by the evening of September 26. The state-by-state breakdown included New York (28,093), Connecticut (23,035), New Jersey (22,501), Pennsylvania (14,249), and Massachusetts (9,587).

By Sunday, September 27, the outage footprint had expanded further. According to CBC News, more than 100,000 customers across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic were without power at the storm's peak, with coastal counties bearing the brunt of the damage. As of Sunday afternoon, more than 88,000 homes and businesses across New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania remained in the dark.

The storm claimed at least one life. As covered by WIVB, a New York City Housing Authority worker was killed in Brooklyn when a falling tree struck him. Four others were injured, including children. Authorities were also searching for a missing swimmer off the South Shore of Long Island.

Air travel was severely disrupted. According to the Canberra Times, more than 450 flights were canceled on Saturday alone, with another 3,000 delayed. By Sunday morning, more than 250 flights had been canceled at Boston's Logan International Airport.

The storm's effects lingered through September 29. As the system gradually weakened and moved eastward, weather conditions improved, but power restoration and cleanup efforts continued. Meteorologists attributed the storm to the influence of an El Niño climate pattern and warned it could be the first of several storms to hit the East Coast this autumn.

Hawaii: Hurricane Nolo Becomes Fourth Cyclone in Six Weeks

Just days after the nor'easter struck the East Coast, Hurricane Nolo bore down on Hawaii, becoming the fourth tropical cyclone to threaten the state in approximately six weeks. The National Weather Service and Hawaiian Electric began closely monitoring the storm on Friday, September 25. As of 3:30 p.m. that day, Hawaiian Electric reported no large-scale outages on Hawaii Island, Maui County, or Oahu.

Conditions deteriorated sharply on Saturday, September 26. According to AccuWeather, Nolo intensified into a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 130 mph, its center located approximately 375 miles west-southwest of Honolulu. Although the storm's center did not make direct landfall, its broad wind field caused significant impacts across the islands.

Hawaii Island police closed Kohala Mountain Road (Route 250) from mile marker 0 to mile marker 20 due to strong winds, directing drivers to alternate routes. That afternoon, Maui's Olowalu Village area was forced to evacuate due to a brush fire sparked by the storm, and the Honoapiʻilani Highway was temporarily closed. On Hawaii Island, the Spencer area recorded 17.25 inches of rain over three days, while Laupahoehoe recorded 17.11 inches.

Power outages peaked on the morning of Sunday, September 27. According to PowerOutage.us, more than 16,000 customers were without power, with the majority concentrated on Maui. In Maui's Pukalani area, Hawaiian Electric initiated a Public Safety Power Shutoff due to low humidity and strong winds, proactively cutting power before restoring it several hours later at 4:30 p.m.

Restoration efforts in West Maui began at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, September 28, involving approximately 10,000 customers. However, the work was hampered by winds exceeding 60 mph along the ridge above Pāpalaua Wayside Park, preventing helicopters from conducting inspections and repairs.

The President approved a pre-landfall presidential emergency declaration for Hawaii ahead of the storm, providing federal assistance for emergency protective measures statewide. State and county offices, Hawaii Department of Education public schools, and University of Hawaii campuses and facilities on Hawaii Island and Maui County closed ahead of the storm. By the afternoon of Monday, September 28, Hawaiian Electric announced that all major outages caused by Hurricane Nolo had been restored.

A Season of Compounding Threats

From a nor'easter that struck weeks earlier than normal to Hawaii's fourth tropical cyclone in six weeks, September 2026 has demonstrated that extreme weather is no longer confined to traditional seasons or regions. As these events become more frequent and intense, the need for reliable backup power has never been clearer. Explore Kingboss backup power solutions to keep your essential appliances and devices running when the next storm strikes.

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Sources:

1. CNN - Live updates: Nor'easter weekend storm - https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/26/weather/live-news/noreaster-weekend-storm
2. CBC News (AP) - Nor'easter storm leaves more than 100,000 without power - https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/nor-easter-storm-9.7360490
3. AccuWeather - Nolo's close pass closes Big Island highway, whips up big surf as federal emergency declared - https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/nolos-close-pass-closes-big-island-highway-whips-up-big-surf-as-federal-emergency-declared/1939110
4. Big Island Video News - Hawaiian Electric ends Public Safety Power Shutoff watch - https://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2026/09/28/hawaiian-electric-ends-public-safety-power-shutoff-watch/
5. WIVB (AP) - Nor'easter batters East Coast - https://www.wivb.com
6. The Canberra Times (AP) - Hundreds of flights cancelled as nor'easter hits - https://www.canberratimes.com.au