Thursday, October 1, 2026
Coastal high tides, downed trees and suspended train service were the results of a weekend nor’easter that struck Long Island on Friday and is continuing through Sunday.
On Sunday morning, Sept. 28, the brunt of the storm was leaving Long Island, but damage had already been done. Power outages and flooding in coastal communities, including Freeport, impacted the South Shore. Continual rain showers through Monday morning in the village have only exacerbated matters for many of Freeport's coastal and low-lying properties.
Freeport Emergency Management and Freeport's Mayor Robert Kennedy issued a flood warning to residents on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 26, stating that additional wind gusts and rain were expected for the next 24 hours. This warning came after many residents had already seen their streets and some basements flooded by the storm's first wave, which the village cautioned residents about in the days leading up to the start of the nor'easter.
A coastal flood warning, high surf advisory and a high wind warning all remain in effect for the South Shore of Nassau and Suffolk counties. Beach erosion has occurred as well, officials said,
Up to 3 inches of rain has accumulated across Long Island that remains in a state of emergency as declared by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said on Saturday that the forecasts were accurate and Nassau County has received 3 inches of rain. The total is expected to be roughly 5 inches.
"We're keeping roadways clear, addressing flooding and working overtime to keep you safe during the nor'easter," he said, adding that the high winds are bringing down branches and trees are coming down because the ground is wet and the roots become loose.
Blakeman also noted that because of the high winds downed power lines cannot be repaired immediately as the PSEG-Long Island workers couldn’t go up in the work buckets
As of noon Sunday, power has been restored to more than 93,700 PSEG-Long Island customers across Long Island and the Rockaways, utility officials said. As of press time, 18,501 customers are without power.
Long Beach Long Island Rail Road service remains suspended because of the flooding by Island Park. Shuttle bus service is available between Valley Stream and Long Beach. For service to places east of Jamaica along the Long Beach branch take train on the Babylon or Far Rockaway lines.
Hempstead Town Supervisor John Ferretti said yesterday that 41 trees were downed and 35 of them have been cleared.
"We had flooding on the South Shore mainly south of Merrick Road," Ferretti said, adding that, "the water hasn't receded as much we thought it would."
The town continues to clean out storm drains, Ferretti noting that the water grabs the leaves and clogs the drains repeatedly.
"Please take the proper precautions and stay in," he said, in a nod to the next couple of high tides.
The flooding has affected roads, parking lots, parks, lawns and homes and businesses with basements near the waterfront. There are power outages across Long Island from the North to South shores and to the tip of Montauk. Beach flooding and erosion are likely through the weekend.
Kennedy told the Herald that thanks to social media posts, phone blasts and other lines of communication, an estimated 85 to 95 percent of Freeport residents and businesses were able to move their vehicles safely to municipal parking lots and other areas further from the coast.
No major infrastructural damage was reported as the village continues to clean out its several catch basins that help mitigate flooding. While such mitigation devices were likely helpful, Kennedy expressed that he was not satisfied with the amount of preventative measures the village currently has access to. He told the Herald that the South Shore is in need of storm surge barrier gates to prevent such extensive flooding.
“I’m going to go down to Washington D.C.,” Kennedy said, putting the responsibility on federal representatives to provide the needed infrastructure. “There is no reason why we can’t have these surge barrier gates.”
To assist residents whose vehicles might have been exposed to ocean salt water during the flooding, the Freeport Fire Department's Bayview Hose Number Three firehouse announced that it would operate an undercarriage car wash nearby on Ray Street and South Bayview Avenue on Sunday and again on Monday morning, starting at 7 a.m. Over 2,000 vehicles used the car wash, according to Kennedy.
The weather service is warning that life-threatening rip currents are likely for anyone entering the surf zone. Beachgoers are advised to stay out of the surf, as rip currents can pull even experienced swimmers away from shore and into deeper water.
Those who must travel should allow extra time and be prepared for possible road closures. Motorists should not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth.
“We continue to monitor this weather system and have performed system and logistic checks to ensure any customers who may be affected will have their power restored safely and as quickly as possible,” Michael Sullivan, vice president of Electric Operations at PSEG Long Island, said in a news release.
Text 333-111 for real time updates.
