Forecasters say a coastal low could evolve into a rare early-season nor’easter late this week, bringing multi-day rain, northeast winds, high surf, beach erosion, and coastal flooding concerns from the Mid-Atlantic into New England.

USA TODAY, citing the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center, said an upper-level low is expected to stall over the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, supporting a meandering surface low near the western Atlantic through the weekend. “Exact placement of the surface low from day to day and thus any heavy rain is more uncertain,” WPC wrote, while warning that persistent onshore flow could drive coastal flooding and beach erosion—especially combined with tidal cycles and a full moon later in the week.

Impacts may begin Thursday, Sept. 24, with the coastal low potentially strengthening from Friday, Sept. 25, into the weekend. Geographic notes span enhanced Thursday rain in eastern North Carolina; Mid-Atlantic onshore flooding risk; New York and New Jersey wind, surf, and flood concerns; and New England rain and increasing surf Friday–Saturday. News 12 and local NWS offices have been tracking the late-week chance. Potential hazards include heavy rain, strong northeast winds, coastal flooding, beach erosion, and dangerous rip currents for swimmers and boaters.

September nor’easters are uncommon compared with winter events—the Washington Post has cited that only about 1% of the strongest historical nor’easters occur in September—because the cold-land versus warm-ocean contrast is usually weaker. Warm Atlantic moisture still provides fuel when the pressure pattern aligns. Until the surface low’s day-to-day position firms up, coastal residents should watch local advisories rather than lock onto a single deterministic track map.