Coast-hugging nor'easter churns up high waves, strong winds

Key Points:

• An October nor'easter is affecting the Atlantic coast, bringing high surf, rip currents, coastal flooding, and strong winds to parts of the East Coast for several more days, with potential subtropical development monitored by the National Hurricane Center under the name Josephine.
• Coastal flooding is expected from the Delmarva Peninsula to eastern North Carolina, with flood alerts in North Carolina predicting 1 to 4 feet of inundation and waves up to 14 feet; other areas including Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey may see up to a foot of flooding and 10-foot waves.
• The Outer Banks will experience the worst wind and rain impacts, with wind gusts up to 40 mph potentially causing power outages and travel delays; rainfall is expected to be light and mostly offshore, with scattered showers mainly along coastal areas.
• The storm system is forecast to remain offshore, moving northeast toward Massachusetts by Thursday, bringing rough coastal conditions to Cape Cod before being pushed out to sea by a cold front on Friday, leading to improving weather and clearer skies by the weekend.
• Residents are advised to heed rip current warnings, avoid dangerous surf zones, and stay updated through weather.com and The Weather Channel app as conditions evolve, especially in areas prone to coastal flooding and strong winds.