The US National Weather Service (NWS) has warned of an early-season nor’easter that will move along the East Coast this weekend, posing risks of coastal flooding, high surf, strong winds and heavy rain from North Carolina to New England. Conditions are expected to be particularly severe in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, although the storm’s path and intensity could still change over the coming days.

What is a ‘nor’easter’?

A nor’easter is a storm that forms over the Atlantic near the East Coast. These systems typically develop within 100 miles (about 160 kilometers) of the shore, between New Jersey and Georgia, when cold air masses from Canada interact with relatively warm Atlantic waters, favoring the development of a low-pressure system. Nor’easters can occur at any time of year but are especially common in winter. Their impacts include strong winds, torrential rain, snow and flooding.

Although a nor’easter can look similar to a hurricane on satellite images—since both are types of cyclones—the main difference is that hurricanes originate over the warm waters of tropical regions, while nor’easters form farther north and can intensify through interaction with cold air in the atmosphere.

Forecast and potential path

The nor’easter will begin affecting parts of New England on Friday, bringing potentially heavy rain, strong winds and coastal flooding. The most intense effects are expected between Friday night and Saturday, when wind gusts could reach between 40 and 50 miles per hour (64 and 80 kilometers per hour) in parts of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, while parts of Long Island and the New Jersey coast could see gusts exceed 50 or even 60 miles per hour (80 to 97 kilometers per hour).

Rain will also spread into New York and other Mid-Atlantic areas on Saturday. By Sunday the storm will begin to weaken, though showers and some gusty winds could still occur across the region. Isolated showers may persist into Monday in parts of New England and northern New York.

Recommendations

• Secure outdoor furniture, decorations, trash cans and items on balconies, rooftops and patios before winds increase on Friday afternoon
• Clear drains, gutters and stairways so water can flow freely
• Allow extra travel time and avoid standing water on roadways
• Do not walk or drive through flowing water, and obey safety barricades
• People living near the coast should move vehicles to higher ground in advance
• Have an evacuation plan and an emergency kit ready, including medications and other supplies
• Stay away from the ocean, piers and dunes because of the risk of rip currents

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A distinctly picturesque scene took place last summer in Westminster, London. As on every second Saturday in June, horses, carriages and soldiers escorted King Charles III and Queen Camilla in a ceremonial procession that passed through Wellington Arch. Waiting among the crowd were the day’s other protagonists: a group of nude cyclists who several hours later took over from the royal procession, riding down the flag-lined avenue on their bikes. The event was inspired by protests that began more than 20 years ago in Zaragoza, Spain.

The London edition of the World Naked Bike Ride — the international protest movement that organizes naked cycling events in more than 200 cities — is one of the largest in Europe, and this year it brought together 1,000 people. “Besides promoting a healthy lifestyle, it may be the most fun experience you can have on two wheels,” the organizers say. The number of demonstrators in the English city is, however, tiny compared with the world’s largest, in Portland, Oregon, where some editions have reached 10,000 participants and it is one of the city’s best-known events.

In Spain, naked-bike protests are currently little more than a murmur, despite the fact that the movement began there in the 2000s as a joke among friends. “We used to cycle and sometimes fool around by pedaling naked, just spontaneously. People were surprised; it was a lot of fun,” recalls David Arribas, 45. The joke turned serious when Arribas and Zaragoza-based cycling organizations realized that the new Traffic and Transportation Plan for the city that authorities were preparing did not include the measures they had been demanding for years.

The fictitious group Coordinadora de Colectivos Ciclonudistas de Aragón secretly called the world’s first naked-bike march in June 2001 under the slogan “nude before traffic.” Around 40 people took part, and it was an overwhelming success. In 2003 Arribas noticed a naked-bike ride was being organized in Vancouver, Canada. A Zaragoza–Vancouver alliance was then forged that the following year promoted simultaneous events in different countries. Thus the World Naked Bike Ride was born, and Zaragoza appeared on newscasts around the world.

It was — and is — not only about demanding safe cycling infrastructure. Many people also take part to “enjoy the liberation of undressing in public,” Arribas says. “It is a case of what the philosopher Judith Butler calls political resistance and empowerment based on vulnerability. It has helped change how participants’ bodies are perceived,” he notes.

At this year’s call in Madrid only about 30 people showed up, and Zaragoza’s naked-bike ride stopped being held in 2015. Organizers say that is partly because of the exposure that smartphones bring, and partly because of progress made to integrate the bicycle into public spaces. But there is a contrast that is hard to ignore. In cities that are models of sustainable mobility these rides continue to draw thousands. In others, like Madrid, where the bicycle still occupies a precarious position, the movement seems to have lost its pedals.

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