Areas of New Jersey were already lashed by rough surf Friday morning, with videos showing waves crashing along the shore.
“The waves, the wave actions, the way it comes in, it just takes everything in its path,” said Mike Jones, the emergency management director for Upper Township, New Jersey. “And there’s really no way to stop Mother Nature.”
A full moon Saturday night is also expected to lift tides up to 5 to 6 inches.
One New Jersey resident said she closed up her whole house to prepare.
Outside Washington, abnormally high tides were seen along the Potomac River, inundating roads with floodwaters. Oceans Calling, a popular three-day music festival in Ocean City, Maryland, over three days, was canceled.
In North Carolina, winds greater than 50 mph have been recorded. A video showed a car in the state nearly swept into the ocean before a tow truck saved it.
Elsewhere in the region, emergency preparedness crews are cutting down trees and readying sandbags. Officials have warned of flooding in neighborhoods.
Hurricane Nolo barreling toward Hawaii’s Big Island
Meanwhile, Hurricane Nolo is barreling toward Hawaii with 105 mph winds. It is a Category 1 storm and is moving north-northeast at 5 mph. At some point over the weekend, it is expected to become a major hurricane, upgraded to a Category 3 or 4.
Though the forecast has it staying south of the islands, Nolo is still expected to affect Hawaii. Heavy rainfall — up to 30 inches on the Big Island — and intense winds are already hitting the state. People in Hawaii are preparing for the worst, expecting catastrophic flooding.
Just last month, Hurricane Lala brought destruction to Hawaii’s Big Island, damaging more than 100 homes and stranding people without water and power.
In addition to dangerous surf and damaging winds, mudslides are a major concern in the state.
As of Thursday night, stores were sold out of generators and gas cans. Shops were boarded up and blocked with sandbags. Schools were let out Thursday to give residents more time to prepare.
Nolo is expected to reach full strength sometime Friday night.
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