Satellite Map Shows Deadly Winter Storm Ripping Through East Coast

A winter storm that pummelled the East Coast Monday brought severe localized flooding in some places, caused power outages and led to at least four deaths.

Satellite imagery shows a dense band of precipitation stretching from the island of Nantucket, off Massachusetts, down across Rhode Island and Connecticut. Images posted on social media reveal areas of flash flooding and fast-moving sea waves.

On Monday, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned of a "deep storm" producing heavy rain over the mid-Atlantic and the Appalachians, with snow expected to follow in parts of the Great Lakes.

NWS meteorologists said a risk of excessive rainfall over parts of the mid-Atlantic coast and New England through Tuesday morning "will create mainly localized areas of flash flooding, with urban areas, roads, and small streams the most vulnerable," before the storm front moves into Canada later in the day.

East Coast storm
A satellite map shows precipitation levels and the trajectory of wind gusts over part of New England on Monday at 1:30 p.m. The storm led to at least four deaths. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Footage from Nantucket shows a lone beachgoer being surprised by a rapid incoming wave, which then knocks him over.

WCVB in Boston posted a clip of downhill flash flooding ripping through Jackson Falls in northern New Hampshire, which was attributed to rain causing snowmelt at higher elevations.

AccuWeather said Charleston and other parts of the South Carolina coast were hit by "record rain" as the storm worked its way up the coast on Sunday. AccuWeather showed footage of cars submerged up to their windscreens in Georgetown, South Carolina, and fierce winds in other parts of the state.

As of 10:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday, nearly 432,000 homes were without electricity in Maine and almost 120,000 were cut off in Massachusetts, according to PowerOutage, a data aggregator. There were over 27,000 outages in Connecticut and nearly 8,000 in Rhode Island.

Police in Wrentham, an area of Massachusetts that received the brunt of the storm, have posted numerous pictures of felled trees and downed power lines in the region on Monday, including one that appeared to be sparking on the ground.

Robert Horky, 89, of Hingham, Massachusetts, suffered severe head trauma and died after a tree fell on the travel trailer he was in at the time, Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz said.

Citing coroners and police, local media reported that Allan "Ray" Nolt, 73, died Monday morning after his vehicle became submerged in West Earl Township, Pennsylvania. Troy Olson, 40, of Windham, Maine, was killed after being hit by part of a tree that had fallen on his roof.

Nancy Morrow, 72, died of drowning on Sunday afternoon after being trapped in a submerged vehicle in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Aleks Phillips is a Newsweek U.S. News Reporter based in London. His focus is on U.S. politics and the environment. ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go