9,000,000 under state of emergency as hurricane-like Nor'easter set to hit East Coast with urgent warning issued

Millions of people have been placed under a state of emergency ahead of a large storm which is set to batter the East Coast.

The storm is a powerful Nor'easter, a kind of storm affected the US east coast which is named after the direction where the winds typically come from.

Nor'easters can happen year round, but are most common and most severe between September and April, the National Weather Service has said.

They usually develop between Georgia and New Jersey, and can result in gale force winds, snow, and rain battering the coastline and cause catastrophic flooding.

This particular storm is set to continue growing as it makes it way northward, with winds of 40-60mph expected near the coast, though AccuWeather has reported that some gusts could reach up to 80mph.

In every county in New Jersey, the nine million residents have been warned to expect dangerous conditions as the storm hits.

The State of Emergency came into effect from 10pm yesterday (October 11). Acting Governor Tahesha Way tweeted that officials 'anticipate a coastal storm that will bring flash flooding, heavy rain, and damaging winds'.

She said in a statement: "I urge all New Jerseyans to exercise caution, monitor local weather forecasts and warnings, stay informed on evacuation protocols, and remain off the roads unless absolutely necessary."

In an advisory issued on Saturday morning the National Weather Service said: "The combination of strong onshore winds, high surf, and high astronomical tides will likely lead to major coastal flooding in the Mid-Atlantic, especially along the coasts of Delaware, southern New Jersey and the Virginia Tidewater."

It added: "Coastal residents are urged to heed warnings and follow guidance from local officials."

High winds, floods, higher tides, and elevated surf are all expected over the coming hours as the storm hits, with conditions expected to worsen over Monday.

The storm is expected to begin receding from Tuesday, with the Nor'easter weakening and beginning to move out to sea.

Nor'easters can be extremely powerful storms, and previous ones have caused billions of dollars worth of damage, including widespread coastal flooding.

People living in the affected area have been warned that high winds could lead to power outages and fallen trees.

Gusts of wind up to 80mph indicate this could reach hurricane-force winds, as a category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale having winds of 74 mph or greater.

As for who is impacted, a huge portion of the East Coast is expected to be hit by the storm.

Weather forecasts indicate that an area of the East Coast stretching all the way from North Carolina up to near New York City is in the storm's path.

Areas around New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia are also expected to receive particularly high winds, with disruption to air travel expected.