4 National Weather Service alerts are in force for Essex County: a coastal flood warning, a high wind warning, a wind advisory and a high surf advisory.
Checked Sat, Sep 26, 2026, 5:15 AM EDT. Times are Eastern Daylight Time.
Every watch, warning and advisory the National Weather Service has in force over Essex County, Massachusetts. Open it for the live map, where it pans and zooms.
Map layer from NOAA National Weather Service. Boundaries from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet.
Alerts in force4
Every product in force for Essex County, worst first, with its full text.
Coastal Flood Warning
Severe
Coastal Flood Warning issued September 26 at 2:00AM EDT until September 27 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA
Issued Until 38 hr 44 min left
Areas Eastern Essex, MA; Suffolk, MA; Eastern Norfolk, MA; Eastern Plymouth, MA; Barnstable, MA; Dukes, MA; Nantucket, MA
Full text
* WHAT...For the Coastal Flood Warning, up to one foot of
inundation above ground level in low-lying areas near
shorelines and tidal waterways (4.0 to 12.6 feet Mean Lower
Low Water). For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves
of 6 to 13 feet in the surf zone.
* WHERE...Eastern Essex MA, Suffolk MA, Eastern Norfolk MA,
Eastern Plymouth MA, Barnstable MA, Dukes MA and Nantucket MA
Counties.
* WHEN...Until 8 PM EDT Sunday.
* IMPACTS...Strong northeast winds with large waves will result in
minor coastal flooding with pockets of moderate coastal flooding
over multiple high tide cycles from late today through the
weekend. The water also may struggle to vacate the area after
the high tides given persistent strong northeast winds. The
greatest risk for coastal flooding appears to be setting up
south of Boston and onto the Cape and Islands. In addition...the
long duration of northeast winds coupled with large waves over
multiple high tide cycles will result in areas of severe beach
erosion for a prolonged period.
What to do
Take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone property. If
travel is required, do not drive around barricades or through
water of unknown depth.
Inexperienced swimmers should remain out of the water due to
dangerous surf conditions.
* WHAT...Northeast winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.
* WHERE...Portions of eastern, northeastern, and southeastern
Massachusetts and northern and southern Rhode Island.
* WHEN...Until 8 AM EDT Sunday.
* IMPACTS...Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines.
Power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult, especially
for high profile vehicles.
What to do
People are urged to secure loose objects that could be blown around
or damaged by the wind.
Wind Advisory issued September 26 at 2:03AM EDT until September 27 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA
Issued Until 26 hr 44 min left
Areas Central Middlesex County, MA; Western Essex, MA; Southern Worcester, MA; Western Norfolk, MA; Southeast Middlesex, MA; Northern Bristol, MA; Western Plymouth, MA; Northwest Providence, RI
Full text
* WHAT...Northeast winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.
* WHERE...Central and Southeast Middlesex County, Western Essex MA,
Southern Worcester MA, Western Norfolk MA, Northern Bristol MA,
Western Plymouth MA, and Northwest Providence RI.
* WHEN...Until 8 AM EDT Sunday.
* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree
limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
What to do
Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high
profile vehicles. Use extra caution.
High Surf Advisory issued September 26 at 2:00AM EDT until September 27 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA
Issued Until 38 hr 44 min left
Areas Eastern Essex, MA; Suffolk, MA; Eastern Norfolk, MA; Eastern Plymouth, MA; Barnstable, MA; Dukes, MA; Nantucket, MA
Full text
* WHAT...For the Coastal Flood Warning, up to one foot of
inundation above ground level in low-lying areas near
shorelines and tidal waterways (4.0 to 12.6 feet Mean Lower
Low Water). For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves
of 6 to 13 feet in the surf zone.
* WHERE...Eastern Essex MA, Suffolk MA, Eastern Norfolk MA,
Eastern Plymouth MA, Barnstable MA, Dukes MA and Nantucket MA
Counties.
* WHEN...Until 8 PM EDT Sunday.
* IMPACTS...Strong northeast winds with large waves will result in
minor coastal flooding with pockets of moderate coastal flooding
over multiple high tide cycles from late today through the
weekend. The water also may struggle to vacate the area after
the high tides given persistent strong northeast winds. The
greatest risk for coastal flooding appears to be setting up
south of Boston and onto the Cape and Islands. In addition...the
long duration of northeast winds coupled with large waves over
multiple high tide cycles will result in areas of severe beach
erosion for a prolonged period.
What to do
Take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone property. If
travel is required, do not drive around barricades or through
water of unknown depth.
Inexperienced swimmers should remain out of the water due to
dangerous surf conditions.
In the past year the National Weather Service issued 78 alerts for Essex County, including 5 severe thunderstorm warnings, 4 snow squall warnings, 3 high wind warnings and 3 winter storm warnings.
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet’s archive of NWS watches, warnings and advisories (VTEC), by the county’s own code and the forecast zones inside it. Each links to the alert's own page, with its text, map, radar and sounding.
The hazard is happening or about to. Act now: a tornado warning means take shelter, a flash flood warning means move to higher ground.
Watch
Conditions favor the hazard. Nothing is happening yet; have a plan and be ready to act if a warning follows.
Advisory
A hazard that is less serious than a warning but can still cause trouble, such as dense fog, heat or light ice.
Statement
Information about weather that does not yet meet a warning: a strong storm, a hydrologic update, or a special weather statement.
Severity (extreme, severe, moderate, minor) is the rating the issuing office gives each product. More on the difference: tornado watch vs. tornado warning. Alerts come from the National Weather Service; follow its instructions and your local officials.
Follow these alerts
Alerts for Essex County in your reader or calendar.
The alerts on this page as a feed, updated every minute, for a feed reader or an app that reads Atom or RSS, and as a calendar where each alert runs from when it takes effect to when it ends. A feed or a calendar is not a warning siren: for warnings, keep a weather radio or your phone's emergency alerts on.
Alerts from the National Weather Service's public feed, read afresh every minute, and matched to counties and zones by their UGC codes. Warnings from outside the United States come from each country's own meteorological service. Follow the issuing office's instructions and your local officials.
