Nor'easter hits Atlantic Beach, Five Towns with flooding and erosion

A nor'easter brought coastal flooding and beach erosion to the Five Towns and Atlantic Beach over the weekend, according to the Nassau Herald. The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood warning from Friday evening through Saturday evening, calling for 1 to 2 feet of inundation in vulnerable locations. Flooding affected roads, parking lots, parks, lawns, and waterfront homes and businesses with basements.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said county crews were keeping roadways clear and working overtime. He named South Shore communities from Atlantic Beach to East Rockaway to Massapequa as areas of concern, with more severe effects expected in Long Beach, Lido Beach and Freeport. Town of Hempstead officials said at least 19 trees were felled. Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for Nassau and Suffolk on Friday and warned on Saturday that going near the water was, in her words, "literally gambling with their life."

Atlantic Beach Mayor Barry Frohlinger urged residents to secure outdoor property, move vehicles to higher ground, prepare for flooding and power outages, and stay off the beaches. "Never walk or drive through floodwater," he wrote. "Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down, and 1 foot can sweep a car away." The weather service warned of life-threatening rip currents. Blakeman recommended charging phones and battery packs and moving electric vehicles, which are susceptible to fire if wet. PSEG Long Island said it was prepared to handle outages.