Nor’easter pounds beaches, downs a few trees and floods coastal areas

The high wind warning for eastern Suffolk County has been canceled, but a wind advisory remains in effect until 4 p.m., the National Weather Service said in an updated hazardous weather statement. The coastal flood warning remains in effect until 8 p.m.

A coastal storm will continue to impact the local area with significant coastal flooding, strong winds and a long duration moderate to locally heavy rainfall, according to the National Weather  Service in New York.

Strong northeast winds of 20 to 30 mph may continue to gust up to 55 mph this morning, but will diminish to 15-25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph this afternoon, the weather service said. 

Additional rainfall of 1-2 inches is expected for eastern Long Island, according to the updated forecast. There is a slight chance of a thunderstorm. 

There are scattered power outages across Long Island this morning, with PSEG currently reporting fewer than 1% of its customers affected. Fewer than five customers in Riverhead Town were without power at daybreak this morning. 

Winds have toppled some trees and brought down branches in several locations around town. Some fallen trees and branches, including one on Northville Turnpike in Riverhead have taken wires down. Others were reportedly leaning on wires. 

Wind ripped the canvas off one of the highway department’s sand/salt storage units at the highway yard on Osborn Avenue early this morning, Riverhead Highway Superintendent Mike Zaleski said. 

Town roads were looking good this morning, Zaleski said. There’s been minor flooding in low-lying areas and highway crews have been working with police to clear any downed trees and limbs affecting travel.

The Peconic Riverfront was inundated during the high tide cycles last night and this morning. Heidi Behr Way remained closed as of 8:30 a.m. due to floodwaters, which are now receding. Heidi Behr way is not a town highway but a driveway within the parking district that is maintained by the town buildings and grounds division. It frequently floods at times of high tide during heavy rain or when the local area is impacted by a coastal storm. At about two hours after high tide this morning, floodwaters still covered portions of the parking lot along the river south of Main Street.  

Gov. Kathy Hochul yesterday declared a state of emergency for eight downstate counties, including Suffolk, in anticipation of impact from the strong coastal storm expected to bear down on the region.